School Life

The Arts

The Arts at Calvary

The focus of the Arts Program at Calvary Christian School is to provide the students an opportunity to learn in a different format; gain exposure to new insights, traditions and world cultures; develop creative problem-solving, critical-thinking and self-expression skills; and hopefully ignite an interest or deepen a passion for the Arts. Calvary's core curriculum offers classes in music theory, theater arts and fine arts.
Our dedicated art facilities complement our commitment to celebrating creativity and discovery through the Arts, from studio art to music and theater.

Fine Arts

The Fine Arts Program at Calvary is designed to expand students’ learning beyond the core curriculum. Providing a secure platform and professional instruction to develop effective art skills, the program engages students to see what they look at, hear what they listen to, and feel what they touch. Through small group and hands-on instruction, students will broaden their understanding and elicit excitement for the many wonderful applications of art and design.

The goal of the Fine Arts curriculum is to create individual portfolios showcasing a broad range of artistic skills and mediums as the children, beginning in Transitional Kindergarten, advance through their years at Calvary. In addition to the traditional art skill sets of drawing, painting and ceramics, students receive instruction in digital drawing, architecture, textiles (hand sewing, felt work, weaving, embroidery and cross stitch), set design, and graphic arts. Artistic exploration through photography and iPad photography is also offered, teaching composition and history of photography as both an art form and a commercial practice.

The Fine Arts Department also collaborates with the Academic Resource Center to enhance the focused cultural arts studies program and weave the visual art component into the learning of a new culture.

Performing Arts

Calvary is committed to instilling in its students a high level of confidence and ease with self-expression, public speaking, and creative problem solving. Calvary's Performing Arts program is designed to celebrate innovation and creativity, foster cultural understanding, elicit self-awareness, and enhance interests and passions for theater.

Every student in Transitional Kindergarten through eighth grade has the opportunity to participate in theater. Calvary's small class sizes provide students unique opportunities to explore their theatrical passions in a safe, professionally regulated, and encouraging environment. In every class meeting, each student has an opportunity to perform and present his or her theatrical skill of study.

Utilizing Calvary’s state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center, students have many opportunities to perform in front of larger audiences throughout the year. Transitional Kindergarten through eighth grade participates in an all-school poetry contest. Kindergarten through 5th grade performs grade level plays. The eighth grade class performs a much-anticipated, large-scale musical. Middle school students also have an opportunity to further develop their theatrical interests and abilities through an array of exploratory classes such as Improv, a Short Film and Set Design.

Calvary also offers a very popular after-school theater program for students in second through sixth grade.

Music Program

Calvary’s Music Program is designed to expose students to a rich variety of active music-making experiences and quality music instruction. During applied instructional time, Transitional Kindergarten through 5th grade students learn to read and write music, play a wide variety of instruments, and develop their vocal skills preparing for three large choral performances each year.  

Throughout their time at Calvary, students will learn to play a range of percussion instruments, ethnic instruments, recorder, keyboard, guitar, and hand chimes (bells).  Vocally, students learn to sing in rounds, 2-3 part harmony, and songs from around the world, including singing in foreign languages. Because of Calvary’s uniquely small performing arts classes, students are allowed to showcase their abilities in each class period and have a very individualized learning experience.

Middle school students are offered exploratory classes through the Music Program to build on the musical foundation laid in Elementary School and help expand their musical knowledge into areas of specific interest. Some of these classes include Guitar; Sound, Design and Film Editing; Middle School Musicals; Chapel Band and Orchestra.
 
Calvary’s Music Program also offers orchestra and choir as after-school programs for students interested in pursuing applied instrumental studies and developing their voices. Repeated participation in these ensembles allows students to develop their talents to a more advanced level with students from across various grade levels.