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Creating Space for Joy

Adaptive Art and Music for Students in Setting Three

Idea led by Anna Cawcutt, Lester Park Elementary School, Duluth Public Schools

What if every student—regardless of ability—could fully experience the joy of music and art? At Lester Park school in Duluth, Principal Anna Cawcutt, music teacher Hallie Miller, and art teacher Logan Kerkhof have turned that vision into reality with a program specifically designed for students in their Setting Three Special Education classrooms. The idea? Create adaptive art and music classes that meet students where they are, offering rich, joyful experiences that build confidence and connection.

In response to a challenging specialist schedule, Anna found herself with blocks of “assignable time” and a big question: “What am I going to do with this time?” she recalled with a laugh. “I don’t want to waste anybody’s time ever. We wanted it to be worthwhile.”

In a brainstorm session, a suggestion from a retiring teacher sparked something big: What if setting three students had their own art and music time, adapted to their developmental needs?

“I said, ‘I love it. Sold,” Anna remembered. “It wasn’t just filling time—it was doing something meaningful.”

From there, Hallie and Logan took the reins and brought the vision to life.

A Program Built on Creativity and Care

Hallie, a passionate powerhouse teacher with a “yes-and” attitude, brought her student teaching experience in special education settings and transformed it into something beautiful.

“I basically had to start from scratch and be like, ‘Okay, what do I know about these kids and what do I know they can do?’” she said. “There’s no curriculum for this.” Hallie designs developmentally appropriate experiences incorporating movement, sensory activities, and instruments students can feel—literally. “We do a lot of drums, shakers, boomwhackers—anything they can feel with their fingers. Some instruments are very vibratory and kids can feel the sound waves. They really like that.”

She describes the experience as one of the most rewarding parts of her job: “I see kids that are non-verbal sing along to songs. That’s huge. They don’t speak anywhere else that I know of, but they’re singing along with a parachute song. It’s a huge hit.”

Logan has taken a similar approach in art, designing sensory-rich experiences and giving students creative choices and opportunities for social-emotional learning. “This has really allowed him to focus on the process more than the product,” Anna said, “and helped hone students’ fine motor skills. Plus, it’s building confidence and making general education art classes more successful for these students.”

Not Just Support—The Co-Creators of Success

One of the most important keys to the program’s success? The dedicated paraprofessionals who support Setting 3 classrooms.

“I cannot say loudly enough how phenomenal the paraprofessionals in all three of our Setting 3 classrooms are,” Anna emphasized. “They are not just sitting next to their kiddo. They are fully engaged, participating in everything. They’re wonderful.”

This level of support enables meaningful collaborative group work that would be impossible without them. “There’s no way that Logan and Hallie could do what they’re doing in there without those paraprofessionals specifically—or really in any of our Setting 3 spaces,” Anna added. Their presence ensures individual support while allowing teachers to lead rich and creative experiences for every student–opening the door for students to feel joy, success, and a true sense of belonging.

Why It Matters

“Everyone should be able to have fun in art and music and make cool pictures and play instruments,” Hallie said. “Especially those students—they almost benefit the most.”

These classes don’t just bring joy—they’re helping students succeed in their general education environments, too. “I have students who couldn’t even be in their general music class because they were dysregulated or overwhelmed,” Hallie explained. “Now they can be there. They can participate. They can enjoy music.”

How to Get Started in Your School

Anna offered practical advice for principals interested in bringing a similar program to life: “The most critical thing for us was having the time. Not just for Hallie and Logan to teach, but also prep time. You have to protect that planning space—these lessons don’t create themselves.”

Having the right team made all the difference. “I’m lucky,” Anna said. “Hallie and Logan said, ‘That’s awesome. I’m on board. I just need to figure it out.’ They worked closely with the Setting Three teachers and paras."

She added, “These kids are not doing the same thing as their typically developing peers, and that’s okay. You need to meet them where they are.”

A Joyful and Rich Experience

Anna sums it up simply: “The two words that always come to mind when I pop into those rooms are rich and joyful—it’s such a rich and joyful experience for those kiddos. It’s just really cool.”

She’s so proud of what they’ve created. When visitors come, she makes a special stop to see it in action. “I’m forever shoving people into the room: ‘Go see this thing!’”

And Hallie? She wouldn’t trade it for anything. “It’s the best part of my job. It seriously is.”