Aldine ISD Celebrates National Arts in Education Week Sept. 13-19

Thousands of Aldine ISD students explore their creativity, develop their talents, and find their voices through visual and performing arts programs across the district.

From creating their first piece of artwork to performing before an audience, Aldine ISD students are discovering that the arts can open doors to creativity, confidence, collaboration, and opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom.

Aldine ISD will celebrate those opportunities Sept. 13-19 as part of National Arts in Education Week, an annual observance recognizing the important role of arts education in a well-rounded K-12 education.

The 2026 theme, “Every Student, Every Community,” emphasizes the importance of ensuring that every student has access to quality arts education, regardless of where they live or their family’s financial circumstances.

In Aldine ISD, that commitment reaches thousands of students. More than 25,000 students participate in visual arts programs across the district, while more than 32,000 students participate in performing arts programs.

Impact Leadership Academy students showcasing art at CAMH.

Fifty-four Aldine ISD campuses offer visual arts programs with certified visual arts educators.

As students progress through high school, they can move beyond introductory art courses and explore a variety of media-specific disciplines. Depending on the campus and available staffing, students may take courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, digital art, photography, and printmaking. Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities include AP 2-D Art and Design, AP Drawing and AP 3-D Art and Design.

Aldine’s AP visual arts students are also demonstrating that their creative work can translate into college opportunities. Ninety-one percent of Aldine ISD AP art students earned a score of 3 or higher on their AP portfolio assessment, qualifying them for college credit.

But the value of arts education extends far beyond a grade, a portfolio or a college credit.

“Aldine students see themselves not only as art students, but as practicing artists whose voices, perspectives and creative work have a place in the broader community,” said Kaileigh Newman, Aldine ISD visual arts director. “Art teachers create brave spaces for students to feel a sense of belonging to their peers and the school community. Our students have stories to share, and they are visualizing them through their artworks.”

From the Classroom to the Community

Aldine students have opportunities to share their artwork at the campus, district, and community levels through exhibitions, competitions, and authentic artistic experiences.

Students participate in district art contests, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Program, and Texas Art Education Association competitions, including Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE), Jr. VASE, and Texas Elementary Art Meet (TEAM). Students ages 13 and older can also participate in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Other opportunities include campus art exhibitions, the annual district Choice Show, museum field trips and exhibitions, the Houston Art Car Parade, and opportunities to exhibit student artwork in museums and community spaces.

One recent experience showed what can happen when student artists are given the opportunity to share their work with the broader community.

Last year, artwork created by students of Aldine ISD art educators Ketsia Hamilton and Óscar Media was featured at ARTECHOUSE as part of “The Sequence is Yours,” an exhibition presented in partnership with the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. More than 21,000 people visited the exhibition, and Aldine students Promise Williams and Keion Adams attended with their families as showcasing artists.

For the students, the experience was about more than seeing their artwork displayed. They experienced what it means to be recognized as artists.

Aldine ISD’s visual arts educators are also building partnerships throughout the Houston arts community. For the past three years, Aldine art educators have been selected to participate in the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston’s Teacher Advisory Group, helping connect educators and students with opportunities in the broader arts community.

Music and the Performing Arts

The arts experience in Aldine ISD extends beyond visual arts. Students participate in performing arts programs across the district, with opportunities ranging from elementary music to advanced high school ensembles, theater productions and dance programs.

Elementary music programs are provided to all primary (early childhood/prekindergarten/kindergarten) and elementary students. Students in Aldine’s elementary magnet programs can also participate in dance, theater and strings.

At the middle school level, students can explore band, choir, theater, dance, orchestra and mariachi. Aldine recently expanded its middle school dance program to four campuses, with more than 400 students now participating.

High school students can choose from a full complement of performing arts opportunities, including marching, mariachi, jazz and concert bands; full, show and chamber choir ensembles; fine arts, drill team and company dance; and fine arts, performance, production and technical theater.

Students have numerous opportunities to perform and showcase their talents throughout the school year. Districtwide showcases include performances featuring students in dance, strings and beginner band at the M.O. Campbell Educational Center. High school bands and dance programs also perform at home football games and participate in the annual Fine Arts on the 50 Marching and Dance festival.

The district’s theater students participate in UIL One-Act Play and state and national competitions, while high school theater programs present musical productions for the community. Aldine also hosts TheatreFest each fall, giving elementary through high school students opportunities to compete and participate in workshops designed to develop their performance and production skills.

Aldine’s performing arts opportunities also connect students with the broader Houston arts community. Mariachi Acero, founded in 2019, has grown into a recognized program in the Houston community and has been featured at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo’s Go Tejano Committee Invitational.

“Through practices and performances, our students form a deep bond with their peers and their programs,” said Refugio Rodríguez, Aldine ISD performing arts director. “They develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking capabilities, teamwork and leadership capacity while gaining experiential learning and exposure to professional arts organizations and performances.”

“The arts give our students another way to discover who they are, express what they see and imagine what is possible,” said Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney. “In Aldine ISD, we want every student to have opportunities to create, perform, explore, and share their talents. The skills students develop through the arts — creativity, collaboration, confidence, discipline, and problem-solving — will serve them throughout their education and wherever their future takes them. We are proud to celebrate the talented students and dedicated educators who make the arts such an important part of the Aldine experience.”

Celebrating the Arts in Aldine

Aldine ISD will celebrate National Arts in Education Week with an Arts in Education Spirit Week Sept. 14-18, celebrating student artists, musicians, actors, and arts educators.

Fine Arts Monday – Sept. 14

Wear a shirt in school colors from a fine arts college or wear something that makes you feel creative.

Dot Day Tuesday – Sept. 15

Make your mark by wearing lots of dots.

Wonderful Arts Wednesday – Sept. 16

Dress like a famous artist — such as Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Jean-Michel Basquiat, or Yayoi Kusama — or wear an artist-inspired outfit.

Theater Thursday – Sept. 17

Wear sunglasses, hats, or costume pieces to show your dramatic side, or represent a favorite actor or actress.

Music Friday – Sept. 18

Represent a favorite musician or band with a shirt or outfit.

All Spirit Week participation must follow Aldine ISD dress code requirements.

National Arts in Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the students and educators who make the arts an important part of the Aldine experience — and to recognize that creativity is not simply something students learn about. They practice, share, and carry it with them into their futures.