Fairview Elementary School is hosting Arts Information Night on Monday, April 7, at 6:00 p.m. to share how Fairview enhances student learning through an arts-integrated approach. The event is open to all families with children entering grades K-6 in the 2025-26 school year who have an interest in the arts and are considering attending or transferring to Fairview.
A presentation for prospective students and their families will be held from 6-6:30 p.m., followed by school tours, giving families an opportunity to see the spaces dedicated for arts instruction, and meet Fairview administrators and teachers.
Maggie Olivo, Certified Arts Integration Specialist at Fairview, says the approach merges Indiana Academic Standards from core content areas like English/language arts, social studies, and science, with arts standards for visual, musical, movement, or dramatic arts.
“We have found that arts integration increases student engagement, and it is extremely hands-on. Students hold onto this knowledge,” said Olivo, who works with teachers and an instructional coach to design age-appropriate arts-integrated units.
Designing units to help students retain knowledge is the goal, Olivo explains.
“As one example, our fourth graders were learning about motion and energy, so students learned about artists like Jackson Pollock, and how exerting more force can visually illustrate energy,” said Olivo. “We are also embarking on a dramatic unit with fifth graders who are learning about the American Revolution. Students will be working with a local actor to write narratives in first-person about how historical figures would talk, and what they might say. We also do musical units.”
Students in all grade levels participate in arts integration, and beginning in third grade, they can choose to focus in a particular area. Students have both core arts classes and choice arts classes, so they can choose to pursue violin, drama, show choir, world music with Zimbabwean Marimba, 2D and 3D art, digital art, piano, and other options.
Choice arts classes are enhanced through community partnerships, including the IU Jacobs School of Music, Bloomington Expressive Arts Training (BEAT), Constellation Stage and Screen, World Music Special, Hilary Anderson Cannon Visual Arts, and others.
Olivo says that arts integration benefits students in many ways, beyond academically.
“The kids develop a sense of self that they’re really proud of. They see themselves as violinists, and it’s the same with theatre arts. The kids see themselves as performers, athletes, digital artists, guitarists,” said Olivo. “It really builds community … Singing culture is pretty pervasive here.”
The Fairview Violin Project is one unique aspect of Fairview’s arts integration.
“It’s been wonderful to see kids who maybe don’t have the highest self-esteem or give themselves enough credit … to all of a sudden we see that playing violin for them is becoming a source of pride,” said Olivo. “There’s something symbolic about when you play violin, you stand up tall with great posture. It’s beautiful to see kids who started with their shoulders curled over, and now they’re standing up. And they know that they’re good.”
Each semester, student learning culminates in Arts Showcase events, allowing students to perform and exhibit their work for their families to demonstrate.
Families can learn more about the arts integration model at Fairview’s website at fairview.mccsc.edu under the Arts Integration and Performing Arts tab.
Enrollment at Fairview and all schools in the Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) is open for the 2025-26 school year. To learn more about MCCSC schools and enroll, new families should visit mccsc.edu/enrollment. Out-of-district families must complete the School Transfer Request Form. Current MCCSC-districted families have the option of submitting an Arts Transfer Request to attend Fairview. Transfer requests can be made through the Arts Transfer Request form at mccsc.edu/enrollment, available from April 3 through April 25.
Transportation is provided to MCCSC-districted students who are approved to attend Fairview on an Arts Transfer. Out-of-district families must provide their own transportation to attend MCCSC schools.
