Students experience art class as a special beginning in grade one. Grades one through five have art class once a week for the entire school year. Parent volunteers are recruited to assist in these classes.
Middle school students can elect to have art class for half a year. They have art class once a month during that time frame. There is an emphasis in art appreciation, focusing on art that reflects the historical periods they are studying in social studies. Each class features a corresponding art activity.
The art program is designed to offer all students the opportunity to develop basic art skills, an understanding of the elements and principles of art along with the history of art and the world beyond. Specifically, the objectives are:
- To experience art with a variety of hands-on activities.
- Develop a knowledge and appreciation for visual art and art history.
- Use critical thinking skills to enable a discussion and/or debate regarding art.
- Develop creativity and problem solving techniques in executing artwork.
- Strengthen knowledge acquired in the classroom curriculum with cross curricular art projects. Connections are regularly made with social studies, religion, science and math.
Students work in a variety of media that includes pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, tempera and acrylic paint, clay, ink. They produce two and three dimensional creations. Work is displayed on an ongoing basis in the wall adjacent to the fine arts room door which is referred to as the Maple Avenue Gallery.
At the end of the year, usually in May, all students from nursery through grade eight are eligible to participate in the art show which is held in conjunction with the Spring Band Concert.
