The Visual and Performing Arts department of the Pembroke School System has the potential to impact every student in the school system. Gwynne Chapman, Director of Fine and Performing Arts at Pembroke Community Middle School (PCMS) and Pembroke High School (PHS), recently sat down with the Pembroke Citizen Journal. She was joined by Austin Glass, band director and teacher at PHS, and Maria Dunn, Bryantville Elementary School Art teacher.
When the Pembroke School District split from Silver Lake in 2004, it presented an opportunity for the creation of a new art and music department, one that would encompass all five schools, and offer continuity of programming. As a first step to encourage a base of future musicians, music lessons were offered at the elementary level. This program was successful and the elementary schools have several concerts each year. Teachers often have responsibilities across schools, with instructors such as Gregory Tarbox being on the faculty of all five schools. He is a teacher with a regular class schedule, but also works with Austin Glass on marching band and oversees jazz band.
Started in September 2025, there is a Fine Arts requirement in line with MassCore, every student must take one semester in the Arts - either art or music. Gwynne Chapman is hopeful this will change in the coming years and that the School Committee will increase the requirement for art/music from one semester to a full year, which is what MassCore considers the standard students should be exposed to by the time they graduate. “I’d like to see them go that one step further (to a full year requirement)”.
There are many classes for students to choose from as they enter high school, and music and arts have their own tracks in the Pathways program. This allows students to choose a discipline that will allow them "to gain the skills necessary to be college and career ready by exploring a relevant field of study both in and out of the classroom." (from the PPS website) Students choose music classes such as concert band, guitar, rock band, music technology, chamber singers, and concert choir, and twenty one different art classes offered by only three teachers, including 3D animation and Adobe certification for Photoshop and Illustrator. Chapman notes, “We are really trying to give students every opportunity to be successful.” Because it is an elective department, Chapman listens to what the students are interested in and adjusts classes accordingly.
Students should choose art and music courses during their school years. Chapman says “There have been major studies, especially with music, it is the only discipline that lights up every single area of the brain when you are doing it. I especially think it is important at the elementary level, when those children are developing." Art teacher Maria Dunn has seen an increase in anxiety and dysregulation in her classes, but when the focus is on art, she sees beneficial effects. "When I have a student who has trouble transitioning, once they get into the art room and settled in, they are totally engaged, even for a short time." And Chapman agrees, “We often see a different side of the child than the classroom teachers... It’s their place to shine, the place where they excel, they get their personal confidence and that feeling 'I can do this', it really helps to build them up”.
There is a benefit to participation in the arts, yet the numbers of involved students are declining as students move from the elementary school, through middle school and into high school. "In 2025 there were 70 sixth grade instrumentalists, and this year there are only 14", Glass said. "We need numbers in band" said Chapman, but because high school band is a full year class, many of the students may opt out because it limits other electives. This may change if the art requirement is adjusted in the future. Continuing to have students at the elementary school level experience what will be available to them later in their school career may help keep students interested in arts education.
Chapman wants parents to take an active role in encouraging their children to consider the place art and music has in their education. For families focused on college and employment after graduation, an arts education can have a place in that future. Chapman wants to remind everyone that this is not an all or nothing situation, the choice can always include the arts. It can also have long lasting positive impacts on the education and mental health of their child. “Stay in the arts, parents, choose the arts…(it's) being part of a team where you don’t sit on the bench, everyone is in, everybody’s playing all the time.... A lot of kids find their tribe here, this is the place they find their people. There’s always a place in the performing and fine arts.”
You can see the Pembroke Marching band perform at the Zip Trip this Friday, July 31, 2026.
