By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LEBANON - Budding young musicians, artists, dancers and actors in Warren County may someday have a school of their own, under a proposal being studied by seven area school superintendents.

Lebanon Superintendent Bill Sears, an advocate of the idea, says a countywide school for the arts would help all Warren County public school districts. The agreement would create the first such county school for the arts in southwest Ohio.

"I'm getting some very positive feedback," Sears said of meetings with Warren County's six other public school superintendents.

"There are some very gifted students in Warren County, but we aren't necessarily meeting the needs of those students."

Cincinnati Public Schools has long garnered national attention for its School for Creative and Performing Arts in Pendleton, but the school serves only the city school district.

"We're not trying to compete with SCPA , and we would hope to use them as a resource, but there aren't a lot of kids in Warren County who go to SCPA. Our feeling is there is enough talent to go around," said Sears.

The preliminary plan would have the school located in Lebanon - the county seat and centrally located within the fast-growing county - and would allow all qualifying students in Warren County to enroll full time or to attend a half-day each school day.

Lebanon High School senior Ashley Muellens will have long graduated before the school materializes, but nevertheless likes the ideas - especially an all-day school for young artists.

"I think it would be a good idea to have it all day long so students can get into a more creative free flow," said the 17-year-old, who is studying in Lebanon's advanced art classes.

Early next month, Warren County public high schools will begin collecting student opinion through focus groups of 15-20 of each school's most artistically talented students, said Sears.

Early discussions also include having the countywide arts school supervised by the Warren County Career Center, just north of Lebanon, but not necessarily on the same campus.

Charles Mason, superintendent of Kings Schools in southern Warren County, calls the idea exciting.

"We have some very talented kids, and maybe they need an outlet for talent where we could bring in professional musicians, artists, actors and dancers."

E-mail mclark@enquirer.com