TDOE Fine Arts and Library Leaders Get Inside Look at GMSD Programs

Leaders from the Tennessee Department of Education spent the day inside GMSD classrooms, libraries and creative spaces, getting a firsthand look at how teachers and students are bringing fine arts, literacy and real-world learning to life.

Nikki Jones-Wallace, Library Services Manager, and Atticus Hensley, Fine Arts Manager, visited Houston High School, Houston Middle School and Riverdale K-8, meeting with educators and students along the way.

At Houston High, Hensley was particularly impressed by the visual arts program and the way teachers are using state standards as a foundation while giving students opportunities for hands-on exploration. In particular, Hensley spent a significant amount of time speaking with HHS teacher Bobby Spillman about how his classes are structured.

“I feel like what’s happening at Houston High School is probably the closest match I’ve seen to what the state standards imply,” Hensley said. “They have done a very good job of following that guidance.”

The visit also took Hensley inside Stang Studio, where he met student Ian Schooley and learned more about the real-world work students are completing through the program. Hensley praised Schooley’s ability to explain his work and the purpose behind it, as well as the collaborative environment students experience.

“I loved the collaborative atmosphere in there,” Hensley said, noting the combination of business, production, development and creative work. “They’re creating a very real-world situation.”

Libraries were another important part of the visit. At Houston Middle, Jones-Wallace toured the recently renovated library and spoke with librarian Emily Squires about how the redesigned space serves students. With Houston High preparing for its own library renovations, Jones-Wallace said she appreciated seeing librarians included in conversations about how those spaces should function.

“I’m glad the district has allowed them to have such a central role in what that space needs to look like,” Jones-Wallace said.

Throughout the day, Jones-Wallace and Hensley were accompanied by Bill Gillespie from GMSD’s Teaching, Learning and Assessment department, who provided additional context about the district’s programs and the work happening behind the scenes. The visitors said that perspective, along with conversations with educators, demonstrated the importance GMSD places on hearing directly from the people doing the work each day.

For both state leaders, visits like this are as much about listening as they are observing. They noted that fine arts teachers and librarians can often be “teams of one” within their schools, making opportunities for connection and support especially valuable.

“We’re not going in here to tell you what to do,” Jones-Wallace said. “We are really there to hear, to listen, to learn and just be supportive where we can.”

The visit gave GMSD an opportunity to showcase its programs while also giving educators a direct connection to state-level resources and support.