All Age Levels
Primary School
Art experiences in the Primary School offer students the opportunity to explore their visual-spatial abilities in a variety of ways. Objectives for this program include:
- Providing a variety of art medium and open-ended art experiences that encourage children to develop their own answers to visual design issues;
- Developing students’ visual and art vocabularies;
- Demonstrating a sense of individuality and respect for uniqueness in personal work and the work of others;
- Developing an attitude of respect for and care of art supplies and equipment; and
- Appreciating art history and the art of different cultures by incorporating these aspects of the curriculum into the daily classroom experiences.
Middle School
Band students have two concerts per year on the Walter Arts Center stage. Instrumental music fundamentals are reinforced through repetitions and specific instructions for each instrument and the group as a musical entity.
Intro to New Media Art is a challenging survey of contemporary art forms happening in galleries and university art programs since 1960. Students learn about how modern technologies are used to fuel conceptually-driven self-expression. This class introduces and emphasizes student-directed formal critique, contemporary art history, and a healthy dose of fun and experimentation within the studio process.
Visual Art includes working in many different drawing and painting media in 2D; in 3D fourth, fifth and sixth graders learn basic clay hand-building techniques. Seventh grade teams create “art machines” of mixed media. Eighth graders experience beginning throwing on the wheel as well as a challenging and fun Claymation movie-making unit.
Vocal Music students in the fourth and fifth grade have the opportunity to play recorders, listen to great composers, play percussion and Orff instruments and sing choral music in two parts. They present a combined program at the end of their semester of participation in the All Saints Chapel.
Vocal music students in grades six through eight participate in vocal warm-ups, sight-singing exercises and the learning of basic music theory. The students learn to sing in harmony, from unison up to four parts, and learn technique to produce a good choral sound. They present two formal concerts each year in December and May in the Branch Theatre of the Walter Arts Center.
The Middle School string program is a beginning to intermediate program. The class is designed to foster individual and ensemble technique in a nurturing environment. They present two formal concerts a year: December and May.
Drama students learn the art of storytelling through theatrical presentation. Students in fourth through eighth grades learn about story structure through play writing, text study (both classical and contemporary) and storyboard work. Students learn performance technique through theater games, stage rehearsals, live performances and filmmaking. Students develop a critical ear and eye for both story structure and performance.
Upper School
Upper School students are required to earn one Fine Arts credit in order to graduate. This can be achieved in two ways: 1) Students can fulfill their art requirement by completing two 1/2-credit courses from two different disciplines or by completing three 1/2-credit courses in one of the designated arts disciplines: Music, Theatre, Dance or Visual Arts.
Upper School students can select classes from the following areas:
Visual Art - Advanced Art A, Advanced Art BC, Ceramics I, II, III, IV,
Drawing I, II, Painting I, II, Basic Photography I, II, III
Art History – Art History: 19th Century European Art
Dance – Choreography, Modern Dance I, II, III, IV, Repertory
Theatre Arts – Stagecraft, Technical Theater, Theater Arts I, II, III, IV, Theatrical Production
Music - Chamber Orchestra I, II, III, IV, Concert Band, Concert Chorus I, II, III, IV,
Jazz Ensemble I, II, III, IV, Holland Hall Singers I, II, III, IV, Music Theory I, II, AP Music Theory
Creative Writing – Creative Writing
