How PUSD (and Prescott) Values the Arts

Prescott Unified Podcast

You know that every successful life story starts with a caring teacher. You know the value of an education at a public school rooted in the community. But it’s hard to stay connected to that community feeling during this time of distance learning and overwhelming demands.

This podcast is for you. Each month we’ll make it easier for you to feel connected, informed and involved. Join us to hear from teachers, historians, parents and community members about what makes Prescott Schools more than just classrooms and campuses. Join us to find out how PUSD is overcoming the current challenges and laying the foundation for an even stronger, more hopeful future

This month’s episode focuses on something that only a comprehensive public school like those found in the PUSD district can provide, a pre-k through 12 arts education.

The arts are essential in education because they provide students with the means to think, feel, and understand the world around them in ways unique and distinct from other academic disciplines. These skills have been recognized as essential to lifelong success both in and out of school by a variety of education and civic leaders, including the National Association of State Boards of Education, the Education Commission of the States, the Arts Education Partnership, and even Business Week.

Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork - all the things we want for a whole child, a successful person.

Part 1 of this episode is a conversation with three dedicated arts teachers with century of combined experience. We get to talk to:

• Ann Heim, the Fine Arts Department Chair
• Amanda Chartier, the Visual Arts Coordinator at PHS
• Dan Bradstreet, the Director of Instrumental Music at PHS

Keep listening for part two of this episode for a special interview with PUSD Alum Chase Hinton. Chase graduated from PHS in 2006 but he started acting when he was eight years old on stages all around Prescott. Despite his broad experience, Chase credits his time in the PHS theater department as an important part of what made him who is today, a successful Hollywood actor, writer, and producer.

“Prescott Unified, serving Every Child Every Day”