The four-year creative writing and music technology concentrations at Woodbridge Senior High School will be continuing and eventually relocating with the rest of the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) programs to the new high school upon its opening.
“Creative, Visual and Performing Arts students will have a pathway to pursue a creative writing emphasis, both in the short-term, and when the PWCS specialty program moves from Woodbridge to the new 12th high school in 2016,” said Phil Kavits, Communications Director for Prince William County Schools.
After a petition signed by more than 1,100 people was presented to the school board Wednesday evening, Chairman-at-Large Milt Johns, who is a published author, defended the program.
“I’m very supportive that we maintain the program. I think it is very important for expression, it’s import as an art form, it’s important as communication form, so I will be keeping a very close eye on its progress,” Johns said, during supervisors’ time.
However, stakeholders in the program were uncertain as to its future until they received word Friday, which came down from Superintendent Steven Walts.
“Superintendent Steven Walts is personally leading a renewed effort to shape the evolution of the creative writing concentration,” said Kavits. “Dr. Walts has a background in the arts. He says he is encouraged by renewed public and board support for the creative writing emphasis.”
While Kavits said the availability of concentration electives at either Woodbridge or the new school ultimately depend upon school board budgetary approval, as well as continued student enrollments, Walts has said that he is confident the concentration will continue and grow into the future.
Along with creative writing, music technology will also remain among the specialty programs offered at the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. Previously, the program had been considered for discontinuation due to low enrollment, although no determination had officially been made.
Kavits also wanted to reassure students and parents that creative writing courses currently offered at multiple high schools across the division would not be affected by this decision.
When creative writing teacher and cofounder of the creative writing concentration, Cathy Hailey, learned that her program would continue, she was excited, but also very grateful.
"I appreciate the support of School Board Chairman Milt Johns, a novelist, and Occoquan School Board member Lillie Jessie, who is working on two anthologies as well as being a member of the School Board," she said.
Hailey also thanked Dr. Walts for his support for the arts and decision to continue the program, which she believes will please many students, as well as those in the extended arts community.
"His quick decision gives us the opportunity to greet new potential students in creative writing and music technology at the Specialty Information Nights," she said.
Throughout the process, Hailey remained thankful and humbled that her former students had shown their appreciation for the concentration by taking the lead to save and extend the program through their words and actions.
"It has been so rewarding to see the testimonies about the value of the creative writing program from current and former students," Hailey said.
Sarah Crossland, creator of the petition, former creative writing student and current Associate Writing Professor at Longwood University, was likewise happy to hear that the program would be continuing. Crossland had appealed to the school board to continue the program, which had positively affected her and her classmates at Woodbridge, bringing with her the petition, which received over a thousand signatures in less than one week.
"I am thrilled that this spectacular program will be allowed to continue because creative expression is something we need," said Crossland. "As the poet Gregory Orr wrote, 'If we're not to suppose to dance, why all this music?'"
Woodbridge Senior High School will hold their Specialty Information Night on Thursday, November 7 from 7-8:30 p.m. Eighth grade students looking to enroll in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts or another of the high school's specialty programs are invited to attend accompanied by their parents or guardians. (The previous information that WSHS's Information Night will be held on October 21-22 was incorrect, and referred to Information Nights at other county high schools.)
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