In alignment to District 300’s central mission, to ensure all students are college and career ready upon graduation, students who graduate from our schools will be able to appreciate, participate in, and value the fine arts in a global society. During their comprehensive experiences in the fine arts in District 300, students also learn college and career skills including critical thinking, effective communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

Elementary Art

Elementary art instruction occurs every other week and is aligned to four anchor standards: creating, presenting, connecting, and responding. Students create artwork using the elements and principles of design, and present them in various art shows throughout the year. Students explore the connections between art and our global society through art creation, discussion, response writing, and hands-on activities.

Elementary Music

Elementary music instruction occurs twice a week and is aligned to four anchor standards: creating, performing,  connecting, and responding. Students learn the principles of beat, rhythm, melody, harmony, and music notation while creating and performing music. Students explore the connections between music and our global society through song, discussion, response writing, and hands-on activities.

Students in fifth grade can elect to participate in band or orchestra.  Students can choose flute, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, or bass. Students will develop basic musicianship, note reading skills, and will participate in performance experiences. Instrument registration occurs in the beginning of 5th grade.

Middle School Art

In middle school, one of the exploratory rotations offered to students is visual art. Students actively engage in the process of creating a variety of pieces of art, including 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional projects. Personal artworks will be created while learning about the Elements and Principles of Design. Students will be introduced to artwork presentation in art galleries and other venues around the world. Through this course, students make real-world connections to their art making and respond to art through class discussions and written work.

Middle School Music

In middle school, students may elect to participate in band, chorus, and/or orchestra class. Through performance-based learning, students actively engage in the process of creating music and improving their musicianship while studying many genres and styles of music from all around the world. Students respond to music through class discussion and written assignments and make connections to music in their own lives and in society. Students apply all aspects of the learning process by participating in several meaningful performance opportunities throughout the school year.

High School Art

In the visual arts sequence of courses, all students can actively engage in the process of art-making, apply the elements and principles of design to create art using a variety of media, and gain a greater understanding of art in the world around us. Beginning with Art Fundamentals, students deepen their ability to understand and create artworks that reflect many styles and techniques. Students can then choose to continue their art education by electing to take additional courses, such as 2-Dimensional Art, 3-Dimensional Art, Computer Art, and/or Photography. Students in these classes will incorporate the elements and principles of design into more complex and advanced art-making, shifting their focus to finding their own artistic voice. Students seeking to pursue art and design-related fields in college may take studio art or AP studio art to further develop their skills, create a portfolio of work, while potentially earning college credit (AP only). 

High School Music

In the high school music department, all students can participate in music courses. 

In choir, students develop their vocal technique, expand their range of repertoire, and deepen their knowledge of important musical concepts such as harmony and sight-singing. Treble and Bass Chorus are open to all students, with no audition requirement or musical background required. Students can then audition for more advanced ensembles such as Varsity Treble Chorus, Concert Choir, and Chamber Choir. Students in these courses will continue to develop their mastery of vocal music techniques and content knowledge. All of our ensembles are co-curricular and engage in several meaningful performance opportunities throughout the school year.

In band, all students can choose to continue to improve their musicianship by participating in Marching Band, Concert Band, and/or Percussion Ensemble. Advanced students can audition for Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, in which they will advance their musicianship skills and cultivate a deeper knowledge of band repertoire. Students also have the potential to increase their knowledge of jazz, their ability to improvise, and their technical development through participation in Jazz Band or Jazz Ensemble. All of our ensembles are co-curricular and engage in several meaningful performance opportunities throughout the school year.

In orchestra, all string musicians can further develop their technical proficiency and content knowledge by participating in Concert Orchestra. As students advance, they can further cultivate their musicianship by auditioning for Symphonic Orchestra or Chamber Orchestra. Students in Orchestra may also consider Jazz opportunities. All of our ensembles are co-curricular and engage in several meaningful performance opportunities throughout the school year.

There is also a variety of elective courses open to all students, with no musical background required, such as guitar, musicology, and music production. Through these courses students will develop an appreciation for the way music reflects, shapes, and is a daily part of society. Students will develop a greater understanding of music and all of its complexities.

Music Theory and AP Music Theory are an option for students with an advanced understanding of musical notation and concepts. Additionally, there are many extracurricular opportunities in music.