CREATE SPRINGFIELD
SPRINGFIELD SCHOOLS
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ARTS EXPANSION
CREATE SPRINGFIELD is a comprehensive arts expansion plan to give every Springfield student access to the arts, unite our schools, make high-quality arts education sustainable, and connect after-school arts programming directly to the classroom. This access begins with supporting every school in hiring its own art, dance, music, or theater teachers.
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The Springfield Public School District and the Springfield Empowerment Zone aim to empower students to lead and create, and provide all 24,000 Springfield students with arts access in every school.
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Our goal is arts access for all Springfield students in every school...
Our students deserve this...
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The BIG IDEA is that we want to help every Springfield school become a CREATE SPRINGFIELD school! Any school with at least one art, dance, music, or theater teacher is officially recognized as a CREATE SPRINGFIELD school. These schools can unlock additional resources for students and teachers, including extra funding and access to our All-City IGNITE Mentoring Programs and Community Partner Programs (see menu below). Schools with multiple arts teachers will have expanded opportunities. If a school does not yet have an arts educator, we are here to help them join the movement. Every school matters! Every student matters!
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CREATE SPRINGFIELD SCHOOLS
CREATE SPRINGFIELD PROGRAM MENU
The BEST WAY to build strong arts programs for Springfield students is to support arts programming during the school day—in school, with a teacher, and in the classroom. In addition, CREATE SPRINGFIELD schools that already have arts teachers can unlock and buy into the following meaningful opportunities for students. Many options are at a reduced cost to schools because additional expenses are already paid for our school district and by our community partner, the Community Music School of Springfield. Choose multiple options for your students, there are no limits. Pick your options today!
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IGNITE All-City Programs meet once a month and are designed to empower students and teachers to "ignite" and build up their own school programs. If art, dance, music, or teachers cannot attend sessions, another school teacher representative may attend in their place with their approval.
After School Visual or Performing Arts Program
At Your School
Teachers at your own school can lead an after school art, dance, music, or theater program for students. There are many options: A cappella Ensemble, Art Team, Band, Chorus, Dance Ensemble, Drama Team, Drumline, Guitar Ensemble, Modern Band, Music Production, Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, Songwriting, String Ensemble. Theater Production, etc. Specific programs can meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
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Cost: $50 per hour (paid from school to teacher)
IGNITE: Mentoring Through Music
Igniting the joy of music, Springfield students, teachers, and SPS graduate instructors rise up together to mentor the next generation of creative leaders. Once a month, music students and educators from Springfield elementary, middle, and high schools (grades 4-12) are bused from your school to gather at the Community Music School of Springfield to build mentoring relationships, rehearse together, eat together, and unite. The program culminates in a special performance for families at the end of the year and serves as a consistent pathway to engage and support students and staff across all Springfield music programs. Schools with music teachers and instrumental music programs can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time. Transportation, food, additional teachers, additional instruments, and performances are all paid for by the school district.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
Elementary School: $1,375 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
Middle School: $1,600 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
High School: $1,825 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
IGNITE: Springfield Drumline
Igniting the joy of music, Springfield students, teachers, and SPS graduate instructors rise up together to mentor the next generation of creative leaders. Once a month, music students and educators from Springfield elementary, middle, and high schools (grades 4-12) are bused from your school to gather at SciTech to build mentoring relationships, rehearse together, eat together, and unite. The program culminates in a special performance for families at the end of the year and serves as a consistent pathway to engage and support students and staff across all Springfield instrumental music programs. Schools with music teachers and instrumental music programs can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time. Transportation, food, additional teachers, additional instruments, and performances are all paid for by the school district.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
Elementary School: $1,250 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
Middle School: $1,450 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
High School: $1,650 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
IGNITE: College & Careers in the Arts
Igniting the joy of the arts, Springfield students, teachers, and SPS graduate instructors rise up together to mentor the next generation of creative leaders to pursue college and careers in the arts (including teaching in the arts). Once a month, students and educators from Springfield high schools (grades 9-12) are bused from your school to gather at the Community Music School of Springfield to build community, build mentoring relationships, eat together, and unite. We want to help students achieve their professional goals and walk alongside them from high school, through college, and beyond. ​The program serves as a consistent pathway to engage and support students and staff across all Springfield arts programs. Schools with an art, dance, music, and/or theater teachers can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time. Transportation, food, additional teachers, and additional supplies are all paid for by the school district. ​​
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
High School: $1,225 (paid from school to teacher, per year)​
IGNITE: Mentoring Through Art
Igniting the joy of visual art, Springfield students, teachers, and SPS graduate instructors rise up together to mentor the next generation of creative leaders. Once a month, visual art students and educators from Springfield elementary, middle, and high schools (grades 4-12) are bused from your school to gather at the Community Music School of Springfield to build mentoring relationships, create art together, eat together, and unite. The program serves as a consistent pathway to engage and support students and staff across all Springfield art programs. Schools with art teachers can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time. Transportation, food, additional teachers, and additional supplies are all paid for by the school district.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
Elementary School: $1,125 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
Middle School: $1,300 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
High School: $1,475 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
IGNITE: Mentoring Through Dance
Igniting the joy of dance, Springfield students, teachers, and SPS graduate instructors rise up together to mentor the next generation of creative leaders. Once a month, dance students and educators from Springfield elementary, middle, and high schools (grades 4-12) are bused from your school to gather at the Community Music School of Springfield to build mentoring relationships, dance together, eat together, and unite. The program serves as a consistent pathway to engage and support students and staff across all Springfield art programs. Schools with dance teachers can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time. Transportation, food, additional teachers, and additional supplies are all paid for by the school district.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
Elementary School: $1,125 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
Middle School: $1,300 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
High School: $1,475 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
IGNITE: Mentoring Through Theater
Igniting the joy of theater, Springfield students, teachers, and SPS graduate instructors rise up together to mentor the next generation of creative leaders. Once a month, theater students and educators from Springfield elementary, middle, and high schools (grades 4-12) are bused from your school to gather at the Community Music School of Springfield to build mentoring relationships, create together, eat together, and unite. The program serves as a consistent pathway to engage and support students and staff across all Springfield art programs. Schools with theater teachers can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time. Transportation, food, additional teachers, and additional supplies are all paid for by the school district.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
Elementary School: $1,125 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
Middle School: $1,300 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
High School: $1,475 (paid from school to teacher, per year)
IGNITE: Children's Chorus of Springfield (Coming Soon)
This program is in development...
In Partnership with the Community Music School of Springfield, students & schools connect through song. Once a month, music students and educators from Springfield elementary, middle, and high schools (grades 4-12) are bused from your school to gather to build mentoring relationships, sing together, eat together, and unite. The program culminates in a special performance for families at the end of the year. Schools with music teachers can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time and a stipend to the Community Music School. Transportation, food, additional teachers, additional supplies, and performances are all paid for by the school district and the Community Music School.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
Elementary School: $1,375 for teacher + $500 for CMSS
Middle School: $1,600 for teacher + $500 for CMSS
High School: $1,825 for teacher + $500 for CMSS​
IGNITE: Sonido String Orchestra (Coming Soon)
This program is in development...
In Partnership with the Community Music School of Springfield, students & schools connect through strings. Once a month, music students and educators from Springfield elementary, middle, and high schools (grades 4-12) are bused from your school to gather to build mentoring relationships, rehearse together, eat together, and unite. The program culminates in a special performance for families at the end of the year. Schools with instrumental music teachers can join. Schools only have to pay teachers for their time and a stipend to the Community Music School. Transportation, food, additional teachers, additional supplies, and performances are all paid for by the school district and the Community Music School.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $100,000
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
(at a $50 per hour rate):
Elementary School: $1,375 for teacher + $500 for CMSS
Middle School: $1,600 for teacher + $500 for CMSS
High School: $1,825 for teacher + $500 for CMSS​
IGNITE: Instrument Starter Kit For Schools
We are building Instrument Starter Kits for elementary and middle schools that do not have instrumental music programs. District instruments are provided to individual schools for 1-3 years while schools use their own funds to purchase instruments. Once a school is able to purchase their own instruments, the starter kit is rotated to another school. Schools with music teachers can join. Supplies are limited.
Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $50,000 per school
Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools: Free*
*Free once schools agree to purchase their own instruments over 1-3 years.
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CREATE SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN-SCHOOL MENU
Sonido Musica
Professional Teaching Artists
Take your music program to the next level! Bring in high-quality teaching artists to work directly at your school with music students and your music teacher. Sonido Musica teaching artists are professional musicians trained in trauma-informed instruction and supporting neurodivergent learners. Schools with music teachers can join. If a school does not have a music teacher, they may join while searching for a music teacher. Click this LINK to find out more.
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Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools:
$2,500 with Creative Experiences Grant*
$250 per hour for 2 teachers, 30 weeks ​
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*CREATE SPRINGFIELD schools are eligible to apply for $5,000 from Creative Experiences grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council which, if awarded, will lower the program cost from $7,500 to $2,500. Schools can use the Creative Experiences Grant for only one program (e.g. Sonido Musica or the Adaptive Music Program.) ​​​
Adaptive Music Program
(AMP)
Professional Teaching Artists
Music is for all! Bring in professional, high-quality teaching artists to work directly at your school with your exceptional learners and neurodivergent students. AMP Teaching Artists come from varied backgrounds including music therapy, music education and music performance. All of them complete specialized training in teaching music to students with high support needs. Schools with arts teachers can join. Click this LINK to find out more.
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Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools:
$2,500 with Creative Experiences Grant* ​
$250 per hour for 2 teachers, 30 weeks
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*CREATE SPRINGFIELD schools are eligible to apply for $5,000 from Creative Experiences grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council which, if awarded, will lower the program cost from $7,500 to $2,500. Schools can use the Creative Experiences Grant for only one program (e.g. Sonido Musica or the Adaptive Music Program.)
CREATE SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY PARTNERS OUT-OF-SCHOOL MENU
Sonido Musica Music Ensembles - Strings & Band
Free string classes and ​band classes after school at the Community Music School of Springfield. Band is free for students in grades 3-12 with 0-3 years experience. There are free string classes (violin, viola, cello) for students with no experience (or in their first year of playing), for students with 1-4 years of experience, or for students with 3-4+ years of experience.
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Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools: Free
Children's Chorus of Springfield
Free chorus after school at the Community Music School of Springfield.
Willow Street Chorus is for students in grades 2-4. Neighborhood Chorus is for students in grades 5-8. City Chorus is for students in grades 9-12. Click this LINK to find out more.
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Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools/Students: Free
Youth Wind Ensemble of Springfield
Free advanced music ensemble (band) for middle school and high school students on Saturdays at the Community Music School of Springfield. Click this LINK to find out more.
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Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools/Students: Free
STEPS: College Prep Program for Performing Arts
College & Career Readiness! For high school juniors and seniors, this is an intensive, individualized program to help students prepare for the music profession, including college audition and application preparation. Individual students will receive professional arts education coaching and music lessons once every two weeks. Schools with music teachers can join. ​
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Reduced Cost:
$2,625 per year, per student
Individual Music Lessons
Build student leaders! Provide individual music lessons for students who will grow and be able to mentor their peers.​ ​
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Cost:
$50 for each 30-minute lesson, 30 weeks
$1,500 per year, per student
Scholarships & Financial Aid Available for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools
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Create & Connect Adaptive Music Class
Free Saturday music classes for students with disabilities, exceptional learners (including autism), and their caregivers. Ages 3+ at the Community Music School.
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Reduced Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools/Students: Free
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Hope Center for the Arts
Free after-school arts programming for middle school and high school students in grades 6-12 at the Hope Center for the Arts! Click this LINK to find out more. Additional school-focused programs include (a) open mic spotlights, (b) theater production, (c) school day create field trips (by grade or content), (d) performances, (e) podcasting, (f) facilities access, (g) workshops with professional musicians and artists during the school day, (h) etc.
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Cost for CREATE SPRINGFIELD schools: Free
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Common Wealth Murals
Create beautiful murals for your school and have your own students design and paint them with professional artists! This project can be in-school and after school. Click this LINK to find out more.
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Total Program Cost (that you don't have to pay): $30,000
Reduced Cost to CREATE SPRINGFIELD Schools: $3,000*
*Grant money may also be available for CREATE SPRINGFIELD schools to
lower or eliminate the cost.
The Drama Studio
The Drama Studio is a theatre conservatory and community in Springfield where young people come to grow as artists, leaders, and individuals. They offer weekly classes, the opportunity to participate in performances, and more! Click this LINK to find out more. Scholarships may be available for CREATE SPRINGFIELD schools/students.
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Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestras
Advanced music ensembles (orchestra) for middle school and high school students. Click this LINK to find out more. Scholarships may be available for CREATE SPRINGFIELD schools/students.
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