Swampscott Middle School students may only spend 25 days in each elective, including art and music, but they are still able to dive into the specials and explore topics that can spark lasting interests or hobbies, making an impact both inside and beyond the classroom, middle school music teacher Jennifer Bowler said.

At Swampscott Middle School, students rotate through seven specials throughout the year. They cycle through physical education twice, along with 25-day blocks of art, digital literacy, engineering and design, and music. Students also have the opportunity to join the school’s band with Edi Rovi or chorus with Bowler.

“There’s a few things that I really like about my job. One is that I see kids fifth through eighth grade,” Bowler said, adding that “a lot of them get a little bit more comfortable” with their musical abilities. “They’re discovering skills that they have that they didn’t know that they had – in all of our specials really.”

Each grade explores different aspects of music and art. Bowler, who was honored with the 2019 Educator of the Year award, said that “one class is completely different from another.”

“I like to get to know the students, so if I know that you really like a certain band and we’re talking about rhythm, instead of being like ‘here’s a little classical piece that has a rhythm in it,’ I can actually pick an example that they know,” Bowler said. 

Fifth graders focus on the basics of music, such as reading rhythms and learning what a staff is. Sixth graders explore blues and modern music, while seventh graders study West African drumming.

Eighth-grade music students, however, take a more creative approach by telling a story through music.

“You have to write two songs. You have to sing. You have to dance,” Bowler said.

On the fine arts side, art teacher Lisa Harris creates new projects that are accessible and engaging. Students’ artwork is displayed throughout the Swampscott Middle School hallways as they explore perspective through various media, including drawing, painting and sculpting. Projects incorporate elements of line, shape and color.

Fifth grade students have line perspective projects on display currently. The artists made designs that loo like hands are “trapped” between the lines of a paper.

Fourth graders created self-portraits, but the twist was that they’re in the style of Tim Burton, adding a more creative and critical-thinking approach to the project.

Some students even find their niche in middle school through the art and music program, Bowler said, noting that the school sends “some kids to the northeast district treble choir, all-state treble choir and the junior district festivals.” For the more “high stakes” programs, students learn about five songs with Bowler and perform alongside students from 65 towns.

“Their skills get ramped up pretty quickly,” Bowler said. “It’s just a really nice thing.”

With Rovi, concert band students meet during their advisory period in the mornings. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, he works with sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade band students, while Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for the fifth-grade band.

“Especially with the fifth grade band, they’re so young and they’re not as mature playing-wise, so you have to put on a different set of ears when you’re listening to them than when you listen to the high school,” Rovi said. “But it’s the thing I love about it. I have those kids for eight years, just to see that progression.”

On May 28, the middle school and high school bands will put on a joint showcase, Rovi said. Fifth graders will perform first, followed by the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade bands. After the high school performs, the middle school students will return to the stage for one large combined number.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Rovi said.

Overall, Bowler said the art and music program is a necessity for students.

“I think we’ve gotten to a place in society where it’s divisive, and a lot of people don’t come together with people that they don’t necessarily know,” Bowler said. “Music will often give us an opportunity to connect with people, whether we’re singing and performing for people who are enjoying that or whether we’re working with people, who may or may not be the same type of people that we are, collaboratively. It helps us problem solve and self-regulate.”

Music education has been shown to accelerate brain development, boosting emotional awareness and regulation while also building fine motor skills and improving memory. Research from the University of Southern California in 2023 found that music education for adolescents not only strengthens neural connections but also improves overall well-being.

Art, Bowler added, is a vulnerable space, whether students are putting themselves into their artwork or performing emotionally expressive music.

“It’s a unique experience that I don’t see in many other courses,” Bowler said. “You have kids who don’t know how to deal with stress. ‘What do I do if I’m upset?’ They can go out and do something destructive, or maybe they can chill out or practice piano or go for a run or shoot hoops. It teaches them different ways to manage their own feelings and to even recognize their own feelings.”