Visual & Performing Arts (VAPA)

VAPA in BUSD

Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)

At Buckeye Union School District, we are committed to fostering a lifelong appreciation of the arts and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to explore their creative potential, providing students with continued opportunities to grow as artists, performers, and creative thinkers. Students have numerous opportunities to explore and engage in the arts. Our Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) activities are integrated into the curriculum, aligning with California State Standards across academic areas. Through music, theatrical performance, and visual arts, students develop creativity, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. Our VAPA programs provide students with rich opportunities to explore and develop their artistic abilities in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Examples of VAPA in BUSD include music, theater, art, dance, and visual arts:

Band concerts
Talent and Variety shows
Classroom-based performances
School-wide productions
Square Dancing
Meet the Masters
VAPA-themed assemblies and workshops
District-wide Heritage Festival
District-wide Art Show (Buckeye Education Foundation)
District-wide Poetry Showcase (Buckeye Education Foundation)
County-wide Oral Interpretation Festival (Grades 4-8)

Please contact your school site for more details about their offerings.

Opportunities include:

An environment where students can explore personal creativity
Critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative risk-taking through the arts
Examining diverse cultures and perspectives through Visual and Performing Arts
Developing self-expression and confidence through various artistic mediums
Showcasing talents and newly acquired skills in school-wide and community events

Elementary and Middle School Instrumental Music: Instrumental music (band) is offered to all children beginning in the 4th grade. Fifth graders with one year of experience receive increasingly challenging compositions and participate in several performances during the year. District middle schools offer band electives for students who wish to further their music education in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Students receive multiple school-based performance opportunities and many chances to perform in and around the community to the delight of families and community members. Events range from county and district honor bands to public Christmas tree lighting ceremonies, district festivals, store openings, and competitions. Both middle schools offer after-school jazz programs. These students perform in the community and have regularly performed well in competitions and public performances. Music is supported and thrives in the Buckeye Union School District.

Elementary VAPA: Each elementary school in Buckeye Union provides a unique blend of visual and performing arts experiences. These opportunities can include classroom-based lessons, choir, and art walks. At many sites, parents further support the student experience by delivering opportunities through Meet the Masters, a program that connects art history to the technique of painting and drawing.

Middle School VAPA: Each middle school provides a unique blend of elective opportunities in the arts. In fine art electives, students are exposed to the seven elements of art and design while exploring many different mediums and styles of art. Opportunities for students to explore their creativity are also incorporated into technology, wood shop, home economics, and improvisation electives.

Rolling Hills VAPA

Band Program: Students can participate in instrumental, concert, and jazz band, with daily classes and perform at three concerts per year.
Theater & Performances: Students showcase their talents through classroom plays, annual talent shows, and collaborations with professional theater groups.
Art Education: Middle school students (grades 6-8) have the opportunity to take art classes as part of their curriculum.
Assemblies & Cultural Events: Special performances include the Chinese New Year Lion Dance, ORHS band and choir performances, and other engaging presentations.
Exploratory Wheel: Middle schoolers experience a trimester each of art, cooking, and theater, with an advanced year-long option available in 8th grade.