CRESTONE CHARTER SCHOOL

Today, fine arts and music are subjects that are increasingly forgotten in primary and secondary education. Budget cuts and teaching focused on standards have led to a decrease in art and music education. Fortunately, this is not the case at Crestone Charter School (CCS). Art and music education serves a fundamental role at CCS starting from kindergarten to advanced mentorships in high school.

 

Students are welcomed with a rich and diverse arts program at CCS beginning in primary school. Every class, including middle school, attends art class once a week for an hour, with a focus on fundamentals in K-5th grades, teaching color schemes, and differences between primary and secondary colors. Students art can be viewed weekly throughout CCS hallways. We pride ourselves in being an advocate for the arts and place importance in education in fine arts. An education in fine arts helps children with critical thinking, creativity, and develop skills as an artist. Our small classes allows us to provide more individual attention. With a maximum combined two-grade class size of seightteen, CCS allows for hands-on art education not available at typical public schools. 

 

In addition to fine arts, the primary school receives music or theater education. Our music education includes the fundamentals in the Early Elementary class with a focuses on beat, rhythm, and singing, Primary class focuses on drums and percussion, and Intermediary class focuses on singing and ukulele. Any classroom may include a drum and percussion circle for an all-school gathering focusing on self-empowerment. 

 

Middle school and high school students are able to pursue further music education. Students learn to be in a band, how to prepare to play live music, and work with others within a musical realm. The middle school and high school students frequently play at talent shows at CCS. High schoolers can choose a mentorship for individual instruction or in a band focused setting. 

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As part of the high school mentorship program students are able to further pursue their artistic passions. Recently, art and music-centered mentorships include pottery making, street art, cello, and silks. The CCS arts programs ground themselves in one of its three virtues: creativity. Due to its structure as a charter school, CCS is able to prioritize arts and music education.