Arts
School should be joyful, not stressful. The arts bring joy to daily life at Aspen Country Day School, where children have daily opportunities to imagine and create. They build a solid foundation of understanding in the visual, performing, musical, and digital arts. They learn to communicate complex ideas using a variety of artistic languages, and to appreciate and analyze many art forms and their importance in our society.
Visual arts: creativity & skill
The art program builds a foundation in the visual arts so students have the skills to communicate ideas and feelings visually. While some students discover a passion for art and strive to become artists, all students learn how to express themselves in a variety of ways using a variety of mediums. Studies of famous artists and various styles of visual art are woven into the curriculum at each grade level so students graduate with a broad understanding of art’s significance in our culture.
Drama: performance & confidence
From the earliest grades, children learn to speak in front of an audience, to move around the stage with intention, to understand and recognize the structure of a play, and to be a respectful and appreciative audience member. The annual Lower School Shakespeare Festival and the big spring musical at the Wheeler Opera House give students deep practice in performance. Drama classes build empathy, understanding, and a powerful sense of community.
Music: Expression & enjoyment
Students at Aspen Country Day School are introduced to the language of music through a combination of Silver Burdett vocal music curriculum materials and Orff string, keyboard, wind and rhythm instruments. Music is approached in a way that accentuates and complements mathematics, reading, writing, and science, and encourages connections and higher level thinking. Music presentations and programs vary from small performances to multi-grade programs incorporating instrumental and vocal productions. The ACDS music curriculum is based on the National Standards of Music Education with an emphasis on literacy, performance, and cultural music education. Children build a deep understanding and love of music, music theory, instrumentation, and performance that connects music to all facets of education.
Technology: fluency & communication
Technology is one of our most powerful tools for expressing knowledge and understanding — and increasingly for creative endeavors. In Lower School, students build practical skills and digital literacy. As they progress through the grades, students increasingly employ technology solutions to create projects and presentations. They become adept at using these evolving tools to document and present their understanding in academic subjects. They also use the digital arts to express their creativity in video, audio, and print.
As a result of an Aspen Country Day School education, students will:
- develop their imagination and creative expression to communicate complex ideas
- develop appreciation for aesthetics in both visual and performing arts
- understand the foundational principles of art, music, and theatre so they can analyze and evaluate art and its contributions to community/society