During school closure, Fine Arts Department adapts

Isabel Nissley, Deputy Online Editor in Chief|March 16, 2020

Allyson Garth

Michael Sherman, the Fine Arts Department Chair and theatre teacher, is working with other teachers to arrange remote learning plans for Fine Arts classes. “We want to try and find activities students can do on their own that are relevant, manageable, and creative,” Sherman said.

Information correct as of March 16, 2020

Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) announced that WHHS would be closed on Friday, March 12 and Monday, March 16. The closures are due to health concerns; a robocall revealed that a WHHS parent was being tested for COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that is transmissible through human contact. Because of the person-to-person transmission, schools are proactively closing to limit the spread of COVID-19.

News of WHHS’ unexpected closure came after Gov. Mike DeWine ordered Ohio schools to close at the end of the day on March 16 until April 3.

During this “extended spring break,” the district plans for students to continue their education at home. Teachers are creating assignments that students will complete either on paper or via Schoology.

However, some subjects are struggling with how to implement learning at home. WHHS Fine Arts classes are more hands-on in nature and experience-based, making it difficult for teachers to provide the same level of instruction remotely.

“As music and theatre are collaborative arts in nature, we want to try and find activities students can do on their own that are relevant, manageable, and creative,” Fine Arts Department Chair, Michael Sherman, said.

The Fine Arts Department is working on specific plans for instruction.

Assignments for theater classes “will be based on learning and practicing music, lines, [and] staging for class performance assignments,” Sherman said. Students’ at-home practice will be vital since the spring theatrical productions are continuing as planned.