Maintaining Art Education for Ridgefield Public Schools

As a mental health professional and parent, I oppose the proposed cuts to the art program. Arts play a vital role in child's development and provide an opportunity for creative expression. We need the arts more than ever.

Let’s keep art a mainstay in our schools. We need our kids to continue to use their creativity. There ARE many future artists in our schools and we need to foster the early roots of art education for all of our children so they can realize the importance of art in our history and culture.

The arts are so valuable to the balance of offerings in our schools. Art is often the only truly creative outlet for our kids and to cut that in half or remove it all together would be criminal. In RES my son (and many others) sought refuge in the art room during recess and at other times beyond the classes he so enjoyed. A full time art teacher belongs in every school. Careers in the arts are flourishing, we need to show our kids both the value and need for art by providing them with a dedicated art teacher for every school.

Cuts need to be made somewhere else. The art program is essential to a child’s development and needs to continue to be funded.

The art program at Ridgebury was the best in town. Please preserve the arts in each elementary school. The teachers will not have time to do wonderful work with the students if they need to spread themselves between so many elementary schools.

Art can change a child’s world. Art can change the world

Art class needs an art teacher. Distance Learning Art Class proved this.

Please keep fully funding our Art program and keep a full-time dedicated Art teacher in every elementary school!

Keep the art program, it’s important for kids!!

As a parent and a psychologist I am strongly opposed to the idea of cutting arts in any way, and am particularly concerned about losing some of the incredibly valuable art programs that enrich our school and our children.

I do not want art or art teachers to be cut in any form

We have to develop the whole child!

This is an ESSENTIAL part of every child’s education. We chose to live here for the amazing educational programs offered...this is a huge part of it and it’s unacceptable to consider to defund such an important aspect of a well rounded learning experience

I have 2 children at Ridgebury Elementary School. Please keep, or boost the amount of time these kids are exposed to art. I know you, as educators, know how important the opportunity to be creative is to the developing brain. Let's be creative as adults and find alternative solutions to the budget problem.

Don’t take away our children’s art program!!!!!

Art is essential to a balanced education! Please save it.

Please do not cut the art program in the elementary schools. It's an important part of the school day, learning, and using creative thinking skills.

The arts matter!

It is critical that no cuts are made to our art program. Ridgefield is widely known as an arts destination regionally-what an embarrassment it would be for such a prolific arts community to decrease funding for our wonderful art program.

Please, please, consider the reasons that make Ridgefield schools at the top of the lists in the state. Opportunities for all are more important than economics.