Middle School Visual Arts
ACS is firmly committed to arts education as an integral part of its K-12 curriculum. Our middle school program is “Exploring the Arts” (ETA). The focus of the ETA is to allow our 6th, 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to explore all the visual and performing arts – drama, general music, movement/dance, band, visual arts and digital photography. We want to provide our students with opportunities to take creative journeys through each of these artistic areas. We believe this explorative experience will nurture in our students the skills necessary to develop into creative leaders, and to be able to meet the challenges of the future.
The arts, recognized as the highest expression of culture, inform us of each historical period through its literature, paintings, sculptures, architecture, music, dance, and drama. Today it is recognized that to be truly educated one must not only learn to appreciate the arts, but must have rich opportunities to actively participate in creative work. The universal language of the arts cuts through individual differences in culture, educational background, and ability.
Arts education is an important means of stimulating creativity in problem solving. It can challenge students' perceptions about their world and about themselves. Students learn to work together, to find the best way for each member of a group to contribute, and to listen to and respect the contributions of others. The arts can bring every subject to life and turn abstractions into concrete reality. Learning through the arts often results in greater academic achievement and higher test scores. In this way Arts Education accomplishes several goals at once; enriching students' school experience while reinforcing traditional academics.