Community School of the Arts Helps Students Explore

Nine years ago, Tom McColley had a vision.

The music teacher at Independent Day School: Corbett Campus in Carrollwood recalled reading about a performing arts school when he was in grad school, and wondered if he could bring something similar to the school on Orange Grove Drive.

So he approached the head of school, Joyce Swarzman, about his idea.

"I told her I would love for this to be a center for the arts in Carrollwood, where we can offer this (program) to our own students, as well as people from the community," he said. "She was on board immediately."

McColley's idea has evolved into an after-school program that allows IDS-CC students and those who don't attend the school at 12015 Orange Grove Drive to take lessons on music, art, dance and drama. The program is held every weekday after school.

"When we started this, the number of students who chose to play instruments skyrocketed," he said. "We've always drawn a good number of kids in the community using email lists, press releases and brochures."

Costs for the program range from $150 for a trimester of lessons, for example, to$360 one-on-one for one trimester, McColley said.

McColley said students aren't just learning how to play the flute or trumpet. He and the programs other teachers are showing students how to carry their artistic pride with them after they leave IDS-CC.

"We teach them how to stand up, announce their names and their piece, and how to bow and accept applause," he said.

On a recent afternoon at IDS-CC, students aged 4 and up learned how to play piano and dance in various classrooms at the school.

Matt Minick, of Riverview, said two of his three children - Brendan, 11, and Tristan, 8, learned a lot by participating in the CSA program.

"I think it's great that they've shown an interest in it," Minick said. "I think it has helped them with discipline. They want to do it (practice) on their own."

Kristi Thiese, a Carrollwood resident, said sons Nikhil, Ronan and Kiran Saligame, ages 12, 9 and 6, respectively, have all enjoyed taking piano lessons with McColley.

She encouraged parents who are considering the program to think about how music helps children learn.

"It opens up parts of the mind that you wouldn't develop if you didn't do it," she said. "I have three boys who can't always tell you what's on their mind emotionally. I see it as therapeutic when they play."

McColley agrees.

"You see magical things happen when kids are involved in this," he said. "They step up into leadership programs, and it gives them a chance to discover the things that speak to them in life. It gives them something to be proud of."

The next trimester for CSA begins on Feb. 27. For more information, and for cost estimates for the program, call 813-961-3087 or email tmccolley@idseyes.com.