Visual Arts
-
Visual Arts Education is provided to all students in elementary schools, K-5, in weekly art education classes. Students participate in an arts education rotation in the sixth grade to explore the various art forms further.
Students in middle school may elect to study more visual arts in specific visual arts courses. In high school, students may take a full range of introductory and advanced-level courses in the visual arts. In addition, honors classes, Advanced Placement classes, and International Baccalaureate classes provide in-depth learning opportunities in the visual arts.
- The visual arts draw upon a range of intelligence and learning styles.
- The visual arts contribute to the culture and community of the school. In addition, exhibitions provide students with a sense of achievement.
- Students participate in field trips, on-site endeavors, and workshops local artists and arts organizations provide.
- Community and school leaders share a vision of what the visual arts can do for students. The vision is grounded in the shared conviction that the arts play an important role in helping children think critically, find creative approaches to solving problems, and stimulate learning across the curriculum.
- Engagement in the visual arts is significant because these experiences help create brain connections that will have a long-term impact on the student's adult life.
- In CMS, arts education is valued both as a means and an end. Students who pursue careers in the arts fields will find the support needed to develop critical skills and discipline. Others will use arts education to develop focus and discipline, translated to related academic areas.