Fine Arts
Minnehaha Academy strongly supports art education, believing every student should benefit from a quality art program, cultivating the whole child. Minnehaha Academy’s Lower School visual and performing arts curriculum developmentally and sequentially builds artistic literacy while encouraging intuition, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity into group and personal forms of communication and expression. Our highly educated and skilled teachers guide students in visual and music classrooms furnished with quality art equipment and space. From preschool throughout the Lower School years, our students are gradually taught art disciplines, fostering perception, production, memory, critical thinking, cultural appreciation, and imagination. Art Education at Minnehaha Academy is Christ-centered; purposefully glorifying and developing all the talents and gifts God has given to each child.
Program Overview
Minnehaha’s Fine Arts curriculum begins in Preschool and continues throughout High School. Lower School Visual Arts instruction meets weekly for 70 minutes. Students meet 100 minutes per week for music instruction, and additionally for all school group performance practices. Fifth Graders are given the option of Band or Strings instruction during their final year in Lower School. Visual Arts and Music classes offer student performance highlights annually. The Lower School Music Department recognizes student talent through both a Christmas and Spring Vocal Concert. Visual Arts talents are celebrated by the week long Student Art Exhibition, where each young artist is represented by two personal artworks in the exhibition. Middle School Visual and Performing Art’s courses build on the elementary art education curriculum. Music and Visual Art are required courses for sixth grade, while seventh and eight grade students may choose courses from drama, vocals, strings, band, and visual arts. In addition, co-curricular musical opportunities such as Jazz Band are popular.
The Artist Within
The Fine Arts at Minnehaha Academy are about fostering an academic appreciation for the arts under the guidance of highly educated and caring teachers. It is about imparting knowledge, confidence, encouraging critical thinking and proficiency in creative expression. The Arts curriculum strives to integrate Christian faith, an appreciation for all of God’s creation, developing life-long skills for personal growth and achievement.
