Eight School Districts Selected for Minnesota’s 2025-2027 Comprehensive Arts Planning Program

The 2025-2027 award recipients for CAPP: Academias La Paz, Alexandria Public Schools, Big Lake Schools, Brainerd Public Schools, International Spanish Language Academy, Inver Grove Heights Schools, Little Falls Community Schools, and Waconia Public Schools.

May 5, 2025

Perpich Center for Arts Education is proud to announce the 2025-2027 award recipients for Minnesota’s Comprehensive Arts Planning Program (CAPP): Academias La Paz, Alexandria Public Schools, Big Lake Schools, Brainerd Public Schools, International Spanish Language Academy, Inver Grove Heights Schools, Little Falls Community Schools, and Waconia Public Schools.

The purpose of this legislatively-funded program is to support and assist a local school district’s arts planning team in creating a district-wide, three-year strategic arts plan. CAPP provides financial and technical assistance to guide the strategic planning process through workshops, site visits, leadership development, and resource materials.

“We are very excited to embark upon our 20th CAPP cohort!” said Kristi Johnson, Comprehensive Arts Planning Program Specialist. “I’m continually inspired by the dedication of the incoming arts education teams, composed of arts specialists, principals, administrators, parents, students, and community members, who are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work on the continuous improvement of arts education programming in their district. It is incredibly impressive to see so many school district staff and community members invested in arts education programming, willing to examine the gaps and opportunities currently provided, and passionate about telling the story of the daily impact on students’ lives.”

Dr. Wendy Barden, Director of Professional Development and Resource Programs (PDR) at Perpich said, “We are looking forward to working with the districts selected for the 20th CAPP cohort. In their applications, they all talked about both the challenges they are hoping to address and their anticipation in growing arts opportunities for their students, educators, and communities. It is our pleasure to be able to support their work.”

“As a member of the selection committee, I was struck by the strength and thoughtfulness of this year’s CAPP applications,” said Allegra Smisek, Executive Director of Perpich Center for Arts Education. “Choosing just eight districts was no easy task, and we engaged in rich, reflective discussion throughout the process. Ultimately, we prioritized artistic vision, community readiness, and the opportunity to support schools and districts that offer both multicultural and geographic representation from across our state. I’m excited for this next cohort and deeply hopeful about the impact they’ll have; not just on arts education, but on the creative lives of students and communities throughout Minnesota.”

Norma C. Garcés, Superintendent for Academias La Paz, said, “This award presents a unique opportunity to deepen the cultural values at Academias La Paz, where we believe that the integration of academics, arts, and culture is essential. It will allow us to enhance our curriculum and provide students with a richer, more immersive learning experience that celebrates diversity and fosters cultural understanding.”

Rick Stansted, Superintendent for Alexandria Public Schools, said, “As a district, we always look to maximize our resources in support of quality instruction for our students. Alexandria Public Schools recognizes the profound impact that this initiative will have on the arts and community development, and we are eager to contribute our membership toward its success.”

Minda Anderson, Assistant Superintendent for Big Lake Schools, said, “Big Lake Schools is honored and excited to be selected for the Comprehensive Arts Planning Program (CAPP). We value the opportunity to collaborate with Perpich Center for Arts Education to create a district-wide strategic music plan that will focus on opportunities to support the success of our students. We thank our Big Lake music teachers for their passion, dedication, and commitment to the arts and to our Big Lake students.”

Kari Ross, Executive Director of Schools for Brainerd Public Schools, said, “We accept this Minnesota Comprehensive Arts Planning Program (CAPP) award with gratitude and honor. The funding will allow us to complete a comprehensive assessment of arts programming, plan programming, and strengthen community partnerships. We look forward to the possibilities and leading arts education in our region.”

The 2025-2027 award recipients are CAPP’s 20th cohort since the program began.

Molly Schwaiger, Executive Director for International Spanish Language Academy (ISLA), said, “As an International Baccalaureate World School, ISLA strives to foster communication, exploration, and inquiry of the arts as a way for students to deepen their understanding of the world around them. We are thrilled for ISLA to take part in the CAPP program and deepen its strategic approach to Music, Visual Arts, and Media Arts. We believe that the resources we will receive and the shared commitment we will make through this process will strengthen students’ abilities to express themselves in a transdisciplinary way.”

Dave Bernhardson, Inver Grove Heights Schools Superintendent, said, “In the past few years, Inver Grove Heights Schools has been hard at work to align our K-12 programming and further expand opportunities for our students. We are honored to be chosen for the Comprehensive Arts Planning Program. The tools and resources that this grant will provide will enable us to build on our current offerings and further foster whole-student development at all levels. Thank you to Perpich Center for Arts Education for choosing ISD 199.”

Greg Johnson, Superintendent for Little Falls Community Schools, said, “Little Falls Community Schools is excited to announce its acceptance into the Comprehensive Arts Planning Program (CAPP), a statewide initiative that supports and strengthens arts education in schools. This opportunity will allow our district to develop a strategic plan for enhancing arts programming, ensuring that all students have access to high-quality experiences in music, visual arts, and media arts. Participation in CAPP reaffirms our commitment to fostering creativity, self-expression, and a well-rounded education for every student.”

Dr. Brian Gersich, Superintendent for Waconia Public Schools, said, “Waconia Public Schools is thrilled to be selected for a spot in the CAPP cohort for 2025-2027. This is going to allow our district’s arts planning team to map out cohesive arts programming here that will positively impact our students, and ultimately, our community.”

Examples of arts education improvements through the CAPP planning process in school districts and communities include:

• Development of leaders in arts education
• Alignment of arts curriculum to the 2018 Minnesota Arts Standards
• Stronger school/community collaborations including partnership with arts and community organizations
• Professional development opportunities for district arts staff
• Policies adopted to support arts education

With the help of this Perpich Professional Development program, school districts form a CAPP committee of district and community stakeholders (arts specialists, administrators, parents, classroom teachers, community members, and/or students) with an active and wide-ranging interest in the arts and arts education. This local CAPP committee has the responsibility to create a comprehensive arts education plan.