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Arts Education at Greater Latrobe School District

The vision of the Greater Latrobe School District is a relentless focus on instruction with a balanced focus on academics, arts and athletics.  GLSD has always recognized the inherent value of providing well-rounded educational opportunities that address all aspects of a student’s education: cultural, cognitive and expressive. Increased self-confidence and self-understanding, enhanced communication skills, and improved cognition are among the many reasons for teaching the arts to our students. 

GLSD’s tradition of excellence in arts education, in both the visual and performing arts, is a point of pride and we are grateful for the school community’s support of these programs.  Greater Latrobe students, at every grade level, have the opportunity to learn and grow through active involvement in the arts. 


GLSD Arts Highlights include

  • Every building has a choral and instrumental music curriculum.  There are 11 music teachers district-wide.

  • Annually the music department hosts over 20 school concerts and performs at local community events upon request. 

  • Secondary students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of musical groups:
    • Junior High Chorus, Choral Cats, Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble
    • Senior High Chamber & Concert Choirs,  Marching Band, Wind and Concert Bands and the Jazz Ensemble

  • Theater Arts:  Annually the Senior High produces a fall play and spring musical and the Junior High produces a spring musical. In addition, Senior High students can take Film Media, Theater Arts courses and join the Drama Club.  

  • An art curriculum is offered at all grade levels and every building has a full time visual arts teacher.   There are 7 art teachers district-wide.

  • Senior High students can select from a variety of courses including:  Art Exploration, Ceramics, Drawing & Painting, Sculpture, Human Figure, 2D/3D Design, Photography, Art History and Portfolio Preparation.

  • The Art department proudly displays student artwork throughout the school buildings and organizes end of year student art exhibitions. 

  • The Art department has received longtime support from the McFeely-Rogers Foundation to support visiting artists, field trips, student workshops and cross-curricular projects that enhance the arts. 

  • In 1936, the Senior High School Student Council, under the guidance of James R. Beatty and Mary Martha Himler, started the Special Art Collection with the purchase of two paintings and today the High School halls are lined with over 200 hundred pieces of fine art from Southwestern Pennsylvania artists.  

  • The school community has long supported the arts at GLSD and the GLSD Art Conservation Trust was established in 1991 to oversee and preserve the art collections and promote the development of creativity for every student through active involvement in the arts.

  • Through the work of the GLSD Art Conservation Trust, the tradition of the Special Art Collection has expanded and now each school building has a collection of original artwork that is student-selected.

  • In 2003, The GLSD Art Conservation Trust raised over $2 million to establish a 4,500 sq ft Center for Student Creativity (CSC) at Senior High School to promote the creative arts for all students.  The CSC allows for theatrical and musical productions, art exhibits, guest speakers, individual creative projects, and social gatherings for both school and community. 

  • As a result of the success of the High School CSC, GLSD built a new elementary CSC (eCSC) at the new Latrobe Elementary School.  

Greater Latrobe School District staff, students and the Greater Latrobe community, strive to keep the tradition of excellence in arts education alive and well in our district.