Arts for everyone - Aspen Country Day School

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Arts for everyone

August 12, 2025

Immersive new Creative Arts program in Middle School joins foundational arts curriculum in Lower School

At many schools today, arts education is considered an “add on,” rather than a centerpiece of the curriculum. At Aspen Country Day School, the creative arts have a celebrated and central place as one of the three pillars of our mission. We treasure the arts for the balance and joy they bring to students’ lives, as well as for the skills that enrich cross-disciplinary projects and presentations. The arts foster critical thinking and imaginative capacity — essential elements for lifelong learning and more important than ever in the age of AI.

We are excited to share details of an important evolution in the arts program at ACDS. There has been a great deal of thoughtful deliberation among our faculty and staff. Teachers are united in advocating for an arts program that builds skills and creativity, feels participatory and enriching, and prepares all students for the arts experiences they will discover in high school and beyond. Faculty also feel strongly that all students should be seen and celebrated for their artistic contributions, whether in performing arts, visual arts, music, or other creative expressions.

Experimenting with mobile sculpture designs in Middle School art class

This coming year, students up through Fifth Grade will continue to build a solid foundation of skills for creative expression in art, music, and performance. A new schoolwide daily schedule eliminates the “A to H Days” in favor of a Monday-Friday schedule, and this creates a more predictable rhythm for arts classes. Lower School students will have music, art, and drama, each two times per week.

Lower School Shakespeare performances familiarize young actors with literary works and give them valuable practice on stage in front of an adoring audience

In Middle School, students will experience a new Creative Arts program that is immersive and engaging. Students will have two courses per year to explore various art forms in depth. These courses will meet twice per week, bringing together approximately 12 Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Graders. Course offerings will change each semester and will include courses like this:

At a Middle School assembly each Wednesday, students will have a chance to introduce their work in these and other classes, giving them valuable practice in public speaking and presentation skills. The new schedule is intentionally set up to foster collaborations among Humanities and Arts courses in Middle School, giving students even more ways to build connections and critical thinking.

At the end of each semester, students will present a culminating “Showcase.” These important days will bring our community together around the arts, and they are already on the calendar — January 22 and May 21. The entire campus will be open for performances, gallery walks, and visits to the studios to see the creative process in action. For students, the goal for these days is to show what they have learned and to be full participants in a creative community. All families, grandparents, alumni, and friends will be invited. 

Students can also look forward to a series of Creative Arts trips to explore galleries, museums, and sites throughout the valley.  As this program builds out over the coming years, we will look at hosting visiting artists from community partners like Anderson Ranch, Jazz Aspen, Aspen Film, or Theatre Aspen. 

An immersion in artmaking for Middle Schoolers at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village

Previously, the arts program in Middle School revolved around the play at the Wheeler; that model is shifting. We are deeply grateful for the rich tradition of the play and the memories it created for generations of students. While a meaningful experience for some, it had drawbacks: capacity changes at the Wheeler that no longer allow for an “all school” experience; resources and time required to produce a show that overtakes the school schedule; inconsistencies in the quality of the experience for students, and more. Arts faculty are excited about the year ahead and igniting creativity for all students.

A gallery exploration downtown for Middle School students

At Aspen Country Day School, we are committed to nurturing every student’s expressive powers, and not just in performance, but across the full spectrum of the arts. Along with a strong foundational arts program in Lower School, the new Creative Arts program in Middle School reflects that commitment.

FAQ 

What is changing about the arts in school life at ACDS?
In Lower School, arts classes are more frequent and follow a more predictable schedule. This helps build foundational skills and understanding. Students have art, drama, and music classes, each twice per week, in the arts studios by the ponds.

In Middle School, there is more dedicated time for the arts than in previous schedules. Students take two Creative Arts classes, one each semester. This immersive model helps build their creativity and provides time for deep practice in artmaking. Courses meet twice a week, combining Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Graders in small groups of 12.  

Why is there no more play at the Wheeler?

The Wheeler play, while a beloved tradition, gradually came to be unsustainable. With the recent retirement of longtime arts teachers Marci Sketch and Paula Ponto, it was time to refocus the arts program in Middle School away from the play and toward an emphasis on “arts for everyone.” Teachers advocated for a program and schedule that would allow every child to practice creative expression in a wider variety of art forms.

How will students gain experience in performing and presenting on stage?

Being on stage in front of an audience is important for all grade levels, as it builds confidence and resilience. Performance can take many forms. In Lower School, students gradually develop their skills with drama classes and project presentations. As they enter Middle School, performance opportunities become even more frequent, as students take turns speaking at Wednesday assemblies. Each Creative Arts course ends with a special Showcase — a day of performances, gallery walks, and studio visits. Students will demonstrate and describe what they learned in their courses. These two days (in 2026, January 22 & May 21) will have a festival feeling to build community and celebrate our young artists.

When will Middle Schoolers find out their courses for next year?

Full course descriptions and assignments for fall courses in the Creative Arts will arrive in a separate message to Middle School students and their families. Watch for this message closer to the start of the school year. Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Graders receive their schedules on the first day of school.