Visual and Performing Arts - OCPS

05/04/2026

04/23/2026

Attention students! As you wrap up your spring productions and head into this three day weekend take a minute to check out this year’s first ever OCPS Summer Production. This is your chance to join other theatre students from across OCPS to put on what is sure to be an amazing production of In The Heights! Apply today so you don’t miss the May 1st deadline!

This June, through generous funding provided by Phoenix Foundation of Central Florida, we will be embarking on our very first OCPS Summer Production Series, with a production of In The Heights on June 25-27 at Edgewater High School!

We will need students to fill all areas of the production: leads, ensemble, designers, technicians, and musicians in our live orchestra.

For more information and to sign up, go to:

https://www.ocps.net/summerproductionseries

04/22/2026

Last night we were able to celebrate 3 amazing student artists at the Orange County Public Schools School Board Recognition Meeting.

Congratulations to Cason Backhaus from Orlando Gifted Academy and Alisa Andrievskaya from Dr. Phillips High School for their art being selected as part of the 2026 Magnet Schools of America Poster Contest.

Also receiving recognition last night was Reese Meyer from Blankner K-8 who was chosen to represent Orange County in the 2026 Art in the Capitol Competition. Representative Anna V. Eskamani took Reese's work for display in Tallahassee for the 2026 Legislative Session.

04/14/2026

Last week we were so excited to host current Visual and Performing Arts Interns at our annual Intern Breakfast. These future educators were able to hear from OCPS Certification and from the District Arts Team about the hiring process and career possibilities in arts education. Their future is bright!

03/31/2026

As Arts In Our Schools Month 2026 comes to a close, we celebrate the incredible standards-based arts instruction that our students receive in OCPS – not just this month – but throughout the year! YEAR AFTER YEAR!!! This is only possible because of the collective advocacy efforts, passion, and excellence that is brought to bear every day, in every arts classroom across this district.

Here is a snapshot of SOME of the amazing OCPS Arts achievements that occurred just during this month. This incomplete list (which we’re sure only scratches the surface of our March activities) multiplied out over the course of the year really makes you marvel at how awesome our VPA Family is!

Selected OCPS VPA Highlights – March 2026

Music Performance Assessments: 61 HS Bands, 48 MS Orchestras, 53 HS Orchestras, and 65 MS Choruses performed for District MPA; 128 Overall Superior Ratings across all 4 events

Florida Thespians Senior State Festival: 11 Top Honors, 6 Judges’ Selections, 4 OCPS One Acts, 1st & 2nd Place in Backstage Challenge

Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival: Participation from 34 Elementary, 19 Middle, and 22 High Schools; 27 MS Awards; 51 HS Awards (including HS 3D Best in Show)

Masterclass with Dance Captain from Hell’s Kitchen National Tour

Appearances at StarQuest Dance Competition (Tampa) & Regional High School Dance Festival (Texas A&M University)

6 Stories in The Slice, Several OCPS Social Media posts, and a Deputy Superintendent Sunday Message focused on the Arts

Over 11,000 OCPS 6th graders from 52 MS/K8 attended the 6th & Jazz Concert at the Dr. Phillips Center for FREE

27 Elementary Music teachers received scholarships for this year’s Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Course

20 Band directors received scholarships for this year’s Florida Band Director Workshop

Over $100K in Phoenix Foundation Grants & Over $10K in Teacher Impact Grants awarded

2 OCPS Marching Bands from performed in the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Orlando Philharmonic and Bach Festival Society recognized OCPS schools as HS Orchestra of Distinction, MS Orchestra in the Wings, and Choir of Distinction

56 School Performances across the district on the VPA calendar

40 Student Works on display at the Peggy Crosby Student Gallery at the Orlando Museum of Art

286 Student Works on display at the AIOSM Gallery in the RBELC Lobby

AIOSM Student Performances at the RBELC:
Apopka HS Jazz Band
Blankner K-8 Steel Band
Forsyth Woods ES Bucks Choir
Oak Ridge HS Choir
SunRidge MS Theatre
University HS Theatre
Wekiva HS Dance
Winter Park HS Strings

03/27/2026

📢 Calling All OCPS High School Performers and Technicians! 🎭

This June, through generous funding provided by Phoenix Foundation of Central Florida, we will be embarking on our very first OCPS Summer Production Series, with a production of In The Heights on June 25-27 at Edgewater High School!

We will need students to fill all areas of the production: leads, ensemble, designers, technicians, and musicians in our live orchestra.

For more information and to sign up, go to tinyurl.com/OCPSVPASPS

03/26/2026

Thank you to The Slice for another amazing Arts in Our Schools Month feature - this time shining the spotlight on Southwest Middle School - Ocps and their student-led production of Beauty and the Beast!

01/29/2026

Congratulations to the OCPS Middle and High School All-County Band students for their exceptional concert on Saturday!

12/15/2025

What a great look at the District V Thespian Festival!

12/12/2025

Congratulations to the following teachers for being named as Semifinalists for the CMA Foundation's Music Teachers of Excellence Award. OCPS Music students are lucky to be taught by such amazing educators!



https://cmafoundation.org/news/more-than-200-music-teachers-across-the-nation-name-semifinalists-for-cma-foundations-music-teachers-of-excellence-award/

12/03/2025

Congrats to Reese Meyer from Blankner K-8 School for having her work selected to represent OCPS for the 2026 Art in the Capitol exhibition. Thank you to Representative Anna V. Eskamani for delivering this work to Tallahassee for display!

11/11/2025

We are excited to share that Tash Torres will be joining the OCPS Visual and Performing Arts - OCPS District Team as our new Program Specialist for Secondary Instrumental Music, following her approval at this evening’s school board meeting! We are thrilled to welcome her to our team, and we are confident that she will be an incredible leader and advocate for our students and teachers! Her full bio is below. Congratulations, Tash! 🩰🎶🎭🎨

Tashianna “Tash” Torres is a veteran music educator with 23 years of experience in Florida’s public school system, currently teaching at Piedmont Lakes Middle School. She holds a Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Central Florida and has spent her career cultivating student excellence, community involvement, and a lasting appreciation for the arts.

Throughout her tenure, Ms. Torres has designed and implemented comprehensive music curricula emphasizing performance, theory, and cross-disciplinary learning. Her students have earned superior ratings at district MPA under the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) and the Florida Orchestra Association (FOA) reflecting her dedication to maintaining high artistic and academic standards.

Ms. Torres has secured funding for her classroom with art impact grants to expand access to music education and classroom resources. She has also served on the state textbook review committee, ensuring the music texts approved for state adoption are in line with our state standards and curriculum.

Ms. Torres is also recognized for her organizational leadership within the arts community. She coordinated and hosted the FBA District Solo and Ensemble event for two consecutive years, an endeavor that drew participants from across Central Florida and was widely praised for its professionalism and smooth ex*****on. Additionally, she served as a lead organizer at Piedmont Lakes Middle School for The Art of Tomorrow, a districtwide partnership with Universal Orlando Foundation, celebrating student creativity across visual and performing arts disciplines.

In addition to her instructional and organizational accomplishments, Ms. Torres has served as a mentor for new educators and collaborated on district committees focused on arts integration, student engagement, and curriculum development. Her commitment to equitable arts access continues to drive her work, ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the opportunity to experience the transformative power of music education.

Ms. Torres remains a proud member of the Orange County Public Schools community and continues to advocate for excellence in music education, fostering programs that not only build musical skill but also instill confidence, discipline, and lifelong appreciation for the arts.