PCSD moves to align arts access across schools, preserve pieces of Masterpieces in Art

Photo: Photo by Dragos Gontariu

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City School District plans to align visual arts instruction across its four elementary schools, shifting to a single, integrated model led by licensed educators while keeping community partnerships and elements of a long-running parent-led program, according to a letter the district shared with families.

Three of the district’s elementary schools currently participate in the Park City Education Foundation-funded Elementary Visual Arts program, which provides an art instructor and is supported in partnership with the Kimball Art Center, the district said. A fourth school uses a separate model, Masterpieces in Art, built through parent leadership and volunteers.

District leaders said the change is intended to create more consistent, standards-aligned instruction and to ensure equal access to visual arts across schools “regardless of school location or program history.”

In the letter, the district said aligning its approach will help ensure compliance with Utah Board Rule R277-309, which governs appropriate licensing and assignment of teachers, and with the district’s Policy 7085. The district also said the shift is aimed at providing instruction that is aligned with state standards and delivered by licensed educators.

The district’s instructional framework is “BTS-aligned,” referring to the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program, a model supported by the Utah State Board of Education that emphasizes arts integration throughout the academic day or week.

Under the integrated approach outlined in the letter, the district said visual arts would be taught by a licensed educator and delivered in a sequential, developmentally appropriate way that aligns with standards. The model also calls for collaboration with classroom teachers to integrate the arts into broader instruction, with the district describing benefits that can support literacy, critical thinking, and creativity.

The district said its partnership with the Kimball Art Center will continue and expand under the aligned model. The letter described the nonprofit art center and museum as a longtime arts-education provider serving local students through classes, workshops, exhibitions, and community programs.

Under the district’s plan, the Kimball Art Center would partner directly with schools to provide arts expertise, collaborate on curriculum, offer hands-on learning experiences, and connect students and teachers with professional arts resources, according to the letter.

The district also sought to reassure families that the change would not eliminate Masterpieces in Art, which it described as “deeply valued” and the result of years of family engagement. Instead, the district said it plans a “best of” approach, preserving and incorporating key elements of the volunteer-built program, including art history experiences, lesson design, and opportunities for parent and family involvement.

The transition will be guided by a steering committee that includes parent voices from both existing models, the district said. The committee’s role, according to the letter, is to oversee the process and ensure there is no gap in student access to arts learning.

The district said it views the shift as a sustainability measure that formalizes visual arts within the regular curriculum. In the letter, the district said the Park City Education Foundation has funded the Elementary Visual Arts program for 13 years and that incorporating visual arts into the core instructional program would free foundation funding to support other ideas or to scale additional programs.

The letter also described potential financial and programmatic benefits of adopting an integrated model, including access to state and university support and the ability for educators to seek grants if additional art needs are identified.

District leaders said they plan to maintain meaningful volunteer opportunities for families in support of the arts, while also creating space for parent involvement in other content areas.

“This work represents an opportunity to strengthen what already exists, align our schools, and ensure that every PCSD elementary student experiences high-quality visual arts instruction, now and into the future,” the district said.