A strong program in the arts is essential for a student's complete education. Our faculty thoughtfully guide students as they explore and experience the world through the arts – visual arts, performing arts, and music. We also provide the means and skills for self-expression, and we create opportunities for students to discover talents and interests.
Art, music, and drama are produced not only within the specialized classes. An abundance of creative work also originates within the academic curriculum and includes collaborative projects between subject areas such as math, science, technology, English, and social studies.
The school provides many opportunities for children to display their artwork and to perform in dramatic and musical presentations during regularly scheduled concerts and assemblies. Many of these opportunities are associated with cherished school traditions.
Music
Our school is alive with music. From room to room, the sounds echo through the halls – chapel hymns, accompanied by our Rieger pipe organ, horns in our brass band, and performances by our choruses and instrumental ensemble. The goal of the music program is to foster comprehensive understanding of basic musical concepts, as well as to prepare students for performance. With the strong musical foundation established in the lower division, students in the upper division are ready to choose between Brass Band and Chorus. Then in seventh and eighth grade, students can join the instrumental ensemble, which allows them to expand their musical repertoire through study of percussion, handbells, and other new instruments
Field trips, performances, special projects, and guest artists enhance the musical education program. The school also offers after-school music study in piano, violin, recorder, guitar, and voice.
Visual Arts
The visual arts program is designed to engage each student's interests and talents in a developmentally appropriate fashion. Our three art studios occupy 1,900 square feet and include a woodshop, kiln room, and etching press. In addition to the academic art program, children may enroll in after-school enrichment programs that include cartooning, jewelry-making, and ceramics.
Our approach to art in the upper school rejects the notion that visual art is only for the few. With a strong foundation born out of exposure to so many modes of expression during their early childhood and lower school years, students in the upper division are ready to explore and experiment with more sophisticated methods and media.
Performing Arts
The performing arts play an important role in many of our school traditions. The goal of the program is for children to feel comfortable expressing themselves before an audience and to explore the world of theater arts at an appropriate developmental level.
In the early childhood program, teachers use puppets, role playing, and storytelling to enhance dramatic play and aid in comprehension. Classroom teachers throughout all grades use drama as an instructional tool in many subjects.
Our formal performing arts curriculum begins in sixth grade. Students develop a foundation for theater skills and practice writing and performing theatrical content. Exploring fairy tales, Greek drama, Shakespeare, classic American works, and student-created plays.
Our all-school productions include the Christmas Pageant and the Spring Production. Many students also pursue drama and dance through the Extended Day Programs.
