Arts Programs
The Arts at Franklin
Franklin strives every day to nurture and grow our school’s arts programs to prepare our students for a future where their talents and passions are valued and celebrated.
All students are required to take 1.0 credit of fine arts classes to fulfill graduation requirements. These include any visual arts, performing arts, and instrumental music classes.
Instrumental Music
All students at Franklin, including Multilingual Learners, are encouraged to enroll in the very rich music program at Franklin. There are both orchestra and band classes available where all students can learn to play violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, or trombone. All these classes are enriched by in-class tutoring by professional musicians. This is made possible by the support from the Michael J Owen Music Education Fund (MJOMEF), a non-profit whose mission is to foster a passion for music-making in underserved Seattle public schools.
Courses include: Symphonic Band* (Beginning and Advanced), Symphonic Orchestra* (Beginning and Advanced), Piano Lab, Guitar Lab, and Percussion Ensemble
*Performing ensembles (Quaker Band and Orchestra) will require extended rehearsal and performance times outside of the school day. Students can also earn CTE credit for these courses, which can be repeated, after satisfying arts credit graduation requirements.
Performing Arts
Under the direction of Sara Call and with the support of Intiman Theatre, the department produces a school-wide play and musical each year in addition to a variety of classes that carry both Fine Arts and CTE credit.
Performances: Check the Performing Arts Student Life page and the Arts News page for information on upcoming events.
Courses include: Theater (Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced), Play Production*, Musical Theater Production*, Costume Design (Beginning and Advanced)+, Dance (Beginning and Advanced), and Technical Theatre+
*Participation will require extended rehearsal and performance times outside of the school day. Students can also earn CTE credit for these courses, which can be repeated, after satisfying arts credit graduation requirements.
+These courses provide CTE credit and is part of the Technical Theatre Grad Pathway
Video and Photography
Through the Career and Technical Education Department, experiences are provided that uncover, develop, release, and realize individual potential. Because the world culture is distinctly characterized as technological, it becomes the function of the schools to give every student an insight and understanding of the technological nature of the culture, here through the lens of video production and photography.
Courses include: Video Production (Beginning and Advanced), Photography (Beginning and Advanced), and Yearbook
All Video and Photography courses provide CTE credit and can be cross-credited for Fine Arts.
Visual Art
The Franklin Visual Art Program offers instruction in a wide variety of two- and three-dimensional art media in an environment that honors creativity as well as craft. Flexible coursework is designed to meet the needs of the beginning student as well as the more advanced student. All studio classes emphasize the following “21st Century skills” in regard to artmaking: critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, perseverance, and a growth mindset. Students are expected to develop confidence in creative problem solving, find a diversity of possibilities for assignments, and experience the success of following projects through to completion with the understanding that skills are gained through commitment and practice.
Courses include: Art Survey, Sculpture, Drawing and Painting* (Beginning and Advanced), and Ceramics (Beginning and Advanced)
*Students may receive CTE credit after fulfilling all Fine Arts credit requirements.
All visual art classes can be repeated for credit.