Arts
Our Passion for the Arts
Suffolk Christian Academy offers a wide variety of arts programs for our students. We believe that art is a gift from God and that each student should develop an appreciation for art while honing their unique talents. Whether painting, drawing, speaking, playing, or writing, our students excel in the arts.
A Teacher’s Perspective
What Craig Bartholomew expresses in that quote is my heart and objective as an Art teacher at Suffolk Christian Academy. My Creator is also the Creator of the Arts. For too long, the Arts have been arrested by modern thought and deism. As a Christian educator, I want to instill in my students a love of God, a love of the Arts, and an acceptance of their own God-given talents without comparison to anyone else. Every student can worship God through the Arts no matter the giftedness. We share in His image when we take part in the arts.
Many students (and parents) do not believe they received any giftedness in the Arts from God, but I believe this is impossible since we are made in God’s image; I make it a goal to discover each student’s ability which means I venture away from my own comfort zone. Thanks to my students I am always learning and adapting and listening for God’s leading as I pursue to bring Him glory as I teach Art at SCA.
“Art is an activity of humankind and consequently, like humankind, can only be correctly understood from a divine perspective.”
Manifesto: Christians and the Arts
Our Art Programs
Elementary
Kindergarten through 5th Grade begin with drawing since this is the basis for a large part of the Arts, and a skill that can be taught and practiced. We use our drawing practice in many different ways: creative drawings, collage, scratch-art, pop art, and carving their own rubber stamps to print. We will use design to make reliefs and tessellations. We will venture into abstract work. We work on self-portraits, mosaics, and low relief sculptures. We will integrate historical and modern artists and their work as well as Biblical thought and imagery.
Middle School
Middle School Students will work on many of the same techniques and mediums but on a more disciplined and detailed level. We will add more difficult projects like grid self-portraits and Tangle drawings. More is expected from middle school students.
High School
High School Students may elect to participate in Art I-Drawing. This is a class designed to enrich and guide creative students in the techniques, theories, and terminologies of drawing with the desire to enhance and inspire their own artistic ability. Students will learn to identify and utilize five perceptual components: edges, spaces, relationships, lights and shadows, and the perception of the whole.
Our Music Programs
Preschool and Elementary
Elementary and Pre-school Students attend music class once a week where they have fun and learn basic music fundamentals. Students as young as 4 years old learn to clap and count simple rhythms that get more difficult with each grade level. Younger students participate in music and movement activities, and older students learn about composers, instruments, and different styles of music. Students participate in an annual Christmas musical production.
Middle School
Middle School Students take a 9-week music appreciation course designed to be a broad overview of music from 1400 until the present day. Middle School Band is a year-long elective class. The primary focus of the class is to learn an instrument, but students will also learn about the composers and origins of the music they are learning. The class progresses through a method book that introduces new notes, concepts, and techniques in an order that makes it easy to learn. Band students perform in several concerts a year and attend a band assessment in the spring where they receive a state rating.
High School
High School Students may participate in the Praise Team, an auditioned group of student leaders who desire to serve God and lead others in worship with their musical abilities. Students will learn about the process of worship planning, including song sets, scripture, sequence, and flow of a worship service. They will collaborate together to plan services and lead in services on a weekly basis with their voices and/or individual instrument.
Our Drama Programs
Middle School
Middle School Drama is a semester-long, foundational class, designed for students with little or no theatre experience in which promotes enjoyment and appreciation for all aspects of theatre. Classwork focuses on the exploration of theatre literature, performance, historical and cultural connections, and technical requirements. Improvisation, creative dramatics, and beginning scene work are used to introduce students to acting and character development. Middle School Drama provides opportunities for students to develop skills in critical listening and thinking, as well as stage presence, ensemble work, and aesthetic awareness culminating in periodic classroom and/or public performances.
High School
High School Drama is a year-long, entry-level high school class in Theatre Arts which is designed to stimulate the student’s creative abilities. It is a performance-oriented class which focuses on the development of communication skills specifically as they relate to theatre. Emphasis is placed on the development of concentration, observation, monologues, improvisation, and character-development skills. Other areas included are character analysis, theater history, and some script writing and reading. Class activities include monologues, duet acting, improvisation, costuming, make-up, and an introduction to technical aspects to play production.
Our Other Programs
Public Speaking
Public Speaking is high school level semester course. This course will provide the students with the skills and capabilities for speaking in public, whether before a small or large audience. Students will choose topics to prepare through research, organization, and effective communication techniques and present the speech to the class. Students will gain experience in presenting an introduction, interview, demonstration, and informative, devotional and persuasive speeches. Critical analysis skills will be practiced.
Yearbook and Journalism
Yearbook & Journalism is a year-long elective available to 8th – 12th grade students. The yearbook portion of this course is designed to prepare the publication of the school yearbook. Students will work as a team to decide all matters relating to publishing the yearbook, from the layout to the choice of articles and pictures. Students will photograph important school events and sell ads for the yearbook. The journalism portion of the course is designed to teach students how to write newspaper articles and basic understanding of newspaper publishing. Students will have hands-on experience writing, editing, and publishing articles. A student-produced newspaper is published periodically during the year.
