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Kingsport City Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its program and activities. The system will be in compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1994, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Any person having inquiries concerning the system's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI, IX or the ADA is directed to contact the Kingsport City Schools compliance officer for employees, Lori Jung at 378-2116, and for students, Ed Abbott at 378-8598. Persons with inquiries concerning Section 504 are directed to contact compliance officer Brian Cinnamon at 378-2289. EOE.

Fine Arts  

Achievement in the fine arts is music to our ears at Kingsport City Schools!

 

The Kingsport City School System is committed to providing top quality fine arts opportunities for students, in music and art. As a testament to that commitment, Kingsport City Schools has been named as one of the "100 Best Communities for Music Education" by the American Music Conference for 2004, 2005 and 2006. The award honors schools where community support and financial contributions help keep music education alive in public schools nationwide.

Kingsport City Schools offers music and art instruction for all students beginning in kindergarten through high school. In the study of music, students are encouraged to pursue instrument and/or vocal instruction in middle school. Students may participate in the orchestra, band and/or choral programs at the high school level. Students are also offered opportunities to fulfill their artistic talents throughout their school career. Dobyns-Bennett High School offers specialized fine arts courses in drawing, pottery, fiber arts, letter and design and painting.

 
Art Program
Promoting student expression through music and artistic outlets is a key factor in what drives student achievement in Kingsport City Schools. Our school system was honored to receive the Mayor's Special Award for Promotion of the Arts given by the Kingsport Arts Council.  Dobyns-Bennett High School Art Teacher Russell Bennett, was honored with the Kingsport Art Council's 2005 Art Leadership Award.

Russell Bennett's work to promote art education was also recognized at the state level. Bennett was named the 2004 Tennessee Art Teacher of the Year, and John Sevier Middle School Art Teacher Minta Fannon was named the 2004 Tennessee Middle School Art Teacher of the Year.

Dobyns-Bennett High School recently unveiled a new art wing that features modern, spacious classroom facilities with state-of-the art equipment and instruction capabilities. The art wing was designed by Architect Don Solt. Solt's firm was recognized by the Tennessee School Board's Association for First Place in Architectural Redesign of a School Facility.

 

Music Program

 

Music Program Highlights:
  • Elementary students spend at least one hour per week in a music education course, and 45 minutes per week in an art course
  • Middle school students spend at least five hours per week in music instruction, 21 hours per year in art instruction
  • More than 20 percent of high school students participate in an elective music course; one fine art credit (music or art) is required for high school students 

Instrumental training begins in Kingsport City Schools in Grade 6 with courses in orchestra or band. Students may also choose to pursue vocal arts, through our middle school chorus program. Our middle schools intensely train students in music theory and the rigor of performance, winning numerous awards and accolades. Our middle school teachers are also award-winners, with John Sevier Middle School Band Teacher Richard Brown honored with the Kingsport Art Council's 2005 Art Leadership Award.

Kingsport City School's two middle school bands achieve an elective enrollment of approximately 270 students per year. Our middle school chorus program has an enrollment of about 150 students at each school.

Our successful middle school music programs culminate in an excellent high school music program. The Dobyns-Bennett High School Band program is considered one of the best programs in the nation, boasting the largest marching band in the state of Tennessee. All brass, woodwind, percussion, and string instruments are offered, and color guard is available along with our marching band program.

 

Our orchestra program has also been recognized nationwide, with Dobyns-Bennett students invited to perform in some of the most prestigious orchestra competitions in the nation. The high school band involves 350 to 400 students, while the orchestra program enrolls around 150 students in grades 6-12. 

 

Our band and orchestra students are highly competitive in state-sponsored clinics, usually outnumbering other schools in honor chair placements each year. Many of our graduates continue their musical studies in college, earning valuable scholarships in university bands and orchestras. Some have aspired to become professional musicians and teachers.

In 2005, the band was awarded the Sudler Flag of Honor by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. The award is considered the highest international honor a high school band can receive. Only forty-four schools in the nation have achieved this award in the twenty-two years the Sudler Flag has been in existence, and Dobyns-Bennett is the only high school in Tennessee to receive this recognition. Representatives from the John Philip Sousa Foundation were on hand during the band's Sudler Flag Concert in May 16, 2005, to present the award. May 16, 2005 was also declared "D-B Band Day" in a proclamation issued by Kingsport Mayor Jeanette Blazier, and local legislators sponsored a state resolution honoring the Dobyns-Bennett Band for their outstanding accomplishments. Dobyns-Bennett High School Band Director, Lafe Cook, was also honored with a Colonel Aide-de-Camp award presented by Governor Phil Bredesen during commencement ceremonies in May. Dobyns-Bennett High Schools has also been recognized as a "Grammy Signature School" in 2007 and has been the recipient of the Governor's Cup, the highest award given to a marching band in Tennessee for 2007 and 2008. 

The band has enjoyed four performances at Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City, and several performances at the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasendena, CA. The band marched in the Rose Bowl Parade in January 2007. The band will march in the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona in 2009.
To visit the Dobyns-Bennett Band website, click here. For more information on the band program, call (423) 378-8400.

The high school also offers numerous opportunities to excel in an award-winning vocal music program. Students can participate in the Dobyns-Bennett chorus, show choir, mixed ensembles and drama.

Promoting student expression through music and artistic outlets is a key factor in what drives student achievement in Kingsport City Schools. Our school system was honored to receive the Mayor's Special Award for Promotion of the Arts given by the Kingsport Arts Council in 2005.