No one wants to admit it. Attendance at Waters is now slightly above the citywide average of 93 percent, but test scores have not fared well. The percentage of lower-grade students reading at or above norm has dropped dramatically. More students now come from low-income families or speak limited English, he explains. Primary reading scores are going up, he adds.
Teachers say arts can benefit students emotionally.
For example, teacher Maureen Connelly credits the Whirlwind program with bringing a young Bosnian boy out of his shell a few years ago. A recent immigrant, the boy could not speak English and would not talk in his native tongue. Connelly learned that he had witnessed the murder of several family members. However, the boy slowly began to open up during sessions with Whirlwind artists. He joined group activities, and his eyes became more expressive, says Connelly.