The Arts

When walking into The College School visitors are surrounded by student art.  You’ll hear it, see it, smell it, and feel it all around you.  The visual, performing, and musical arts are a thriving and integral part of the TCS experience.

We are graced with an exceptional cadre of teachers dedicated to the arts throughout the building.  Early Childhood students have work beautifully displayed throughout their hallway and in classrooms.   Classroom teachers and early childhood art specialist, Sarah Hassing, carefully guides these children in the arts on a daily basis.  The TCS Commons are filled with middle school documentation of grade level outdoor educational experiences.  The middle school teaching team and arts specialists Jane Sanders and Mary Jo Wilmes work with students on a daily basis with art mediums of water colors, oils, ceramics, charcoal, photography, clay, colored pencils, glass, woodwork, clay and textiles.  Student art from first through fifth grade is displayed in hallways, stairwells, restrooms and every spare nook and cranny.

While strolling through TCS, visitors are also likely to hear any grade level composing, rehearsing and performing original musical compositions on Orff instruments guided by TCS music specialist, Carl Pandolfi.

Around other corners a person might run into students balancing peacock feathers or juggling clubs, juggling beanbags, rings, or clubs.  Students walking on a tight-wire, walking a globe while rehearsing circus skills, or memorizing lines for the American classic play performed each fall.  And also students can be found working on special effects for the 4/5 Play, trying out the latest stage techniques for the annual spring Shakespeare production or rehearsing a story to be told to their class.  These rehearsals and performances are adapted and directed by drama specialist, Scott Hanson.

Whether working with the five arts specialists or with grade level teachers, students at The College School are encouraged to enthusiastically embrace, work on and celebrate creativity from preschool through eighth grade.  When students move on from The College School, they have many years of experience working independently and in ensembles and are confident and comfortable creating and presenting the best of their creative selves.