The Arts

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Reimagining Creativity

At Peck, creativity is boundless. Our diverse arts program deeply explores the many landscapes of artistic expression, from visual arts to music, theatre to woodworking. We encourage our students to explore and experiment with their own creativity while appreciating and engaging with the creativity of others.

Here, your child enters into a community of artists, actors, and musicians, reaping the innate emotional and intellectual benefits of self-expression.Art is a conversation, and everyone has a voice.

Learn More About:

VISUAL ARTS

Visual Arts in K-4

Students explore a wide variety of media and are exposed to history's greatest artists through stories, presentations, and thematic projects. Art classes are often integrated with projects from other disciplines, giving students a deeper, more immersive experience and a fresh perspective on culture, aesthetic, and artistic expression.

Diverse Artists: Students explore art globally, learning about both famous European artists and a diverse range of historical and contemporary artists from around the world.
2D and 3D Art: From clay sculpture to ink paintings, students are exposed to art in its many different physical forms.
Mixed Media Art: Students’ unique voices shine when they explore how mixing various media can bring new dimensions to their projects.

See Lower School Artwork

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A second grade girl is painting in art class.

I love children's ability to dive right in and be excited about working with new materials. I love their energy. I love introducing them to new artists, and exposing them to all of it!
Christine Walker
Lower School Visual Arts Teacher

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A seventh grade grade boy is examining a wire sculpture in art class.

Visual Arts in 5-8

The Upper School Art program blends traditional art with contemporary and technologic mediums and processes. Each grade level is guided by an essential question such as "What is the role of the artist in our world?", "How do I develop my unique voice as an artist?", "How can art foster change?", or "How can a singular subject produce new ideas?"

Digital Portfolios: Students photograph their work and maintain a self-reflective, digital portfolio.
Laser Cutter: Along with traditional machinery and tools, a laser cutter gives students greater precision and the ability to integrate more complex designs.

See Upper School Artwork

Art is often a series of questions, and sometimes those questions don't have answers. Sometimes, you're asking the question of yourself. Sometimes you're asking it of society. Sometimes you put something out into the world so others can talk about it, and share those thoughts back. Art is an essential element of human connection.
Scott Beil
Upper School Visual Arts Teacher and Arts Department Chair

MUSIC

Music in K-4

Children fully realize their innate musical instincts in our Lower School Music Program, learning to be tuneful, "beat-ful," and artful. That is, they sing tunefully, feel the pulse of the music, and respond to the expressiveness of the music. Peck uses a research-based curriculum and developmentally-appropriate pedagogies (including Orff and Kodaly methodologies), as well as extensive exposure to instrumental music.

Folk Dances: Grades 2-4 regularly learn folk and cultural dances, as well as a bit about the country and culture of origin.
Instruments: Students learn pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments, handbells, tone chimes, recorders, and ukuleles.

See student performances on our YouTube channel!

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A kindergarten girl is shaking a maraca in music class.

Music is a bridge between cultural heritages and different backgrounds. It erases the line that defines all borders, and allows people to feel the same thing at the same time.Lisa Wichman
Lower School Music Director

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Several students are playing xylophone in music class.

Music in 5-8

Peck's Upper School music program balances exposure to classical composers with artists from contemporary and world music genres. Students also learn to compose their own music, first as a class and then individually, as well as develop their instrumental skills with xylophone, tone chimes, handbells, drums, and other percussive instruments.

Music Elective: Eighth-graders can choose an additional music elective, "The Roots of Blues, Pop, and Rock."
Global Music: Multimedia lessons give students a global perspective on music, as they explore commonalities and differences in music from the familiar/popular, to music from remote corners of the world.

See student performances on our YouTube channel!

Everything is music, even conversation. We use tone in how we talk to each other, with rhythm, harmony, even discord. It's vibrational, and carries opportunity for creative action.Sebastian Guerrero, Upper School Music Teacher

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Instrumental Music

Students learn to play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument in a band ensemble setting. This program is available to students in Grades 5-8, and no prior experience or ability to read music is required. For maximum growth, participants should expect to practice 25 minutes a day, 7 days a week. Students are given group lessons and participate in full ensemble rehearsals that culminate in two public concerts at the end of the school year in May.

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Two sixth grade girls are playing flutes on stage.

When you're dealing with something as vulnerable as making music, there's a certain amount of respect and trust that must be built and exchanged, especially during the middle school years. I want to honor that part of my role.Elizabeth Monkemeier, Instrumental Music Teacher

THEATER

Theater at Peck

The art of drama builds confidence and poise, flexibility and collaboration, and provides a meaningful platform for developing empathy, understanding, and imagination.

While student performances occur with both creative role-play and grade-level performances in Lower School, the fundamentals of theater are woven throughout instruction in Upper School Music classes, the Winter Musical, and an eighth-grade elective that covers pantomime, improvisation, and stage acting.

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Kindergartners are performing a winter-themed play on stage.

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Students are performing as Sharpay and Ryan Evans in High School Musical Jr.

Performances

Our live performances empower children, nurturing their confidence, public speaking skills, and creativity. From student-written skits to full theatrical productions, we provide a stage for students to showcase talents, express themselves, and foster a lifelong love for the arts. Notable productions include:

Kindergartners perform two musical/theatrical plays yearly, adapted from popular children's novels by Peck kindergarten teachers, with all students participating.
Upper School students may opt for the Winter Musical instead of a winter sport, engaging in a full-scale production in which they act, perform, and contribute to various production elements.
Eighth-grade drama students annually present a theatrical play, often written or adapted by themselves. They engage in all aspects of production, from set design and marketing to choreography, directing, and acting.

WOODWORKING

Woodworking

Beginning in Grade 3, Peck students explore the world of woodworking. The skills they build while mastering the use of hand tools and machinery often complement cross-curricular themes and projects, such as sawing and sanding to create folk toys as part of a larger study of regional history. With a real-world focus, the woodshop challenges students to use their hands and heads to bring concrete solutions to life. Students have built clocks, stools, mazes, and chessboards in the past.

Plan of Procedures: Students think spatially, linearly, and sequentially, exercising different 'brain muscles' during tactile woodworking projects.
Creativity: Though projects are defined, students are challenged to bring their own personality to their pieces, and think outside the box!

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A seventh grade girl is using a band saw in woodworking class.

Part of teaching is being a little bit of an entertainer, and I love getting the kids jazzed up—really fired up about something. There's something about surrounding yourself with kids and their love of learning that just makes for a great day.
Mark Mortensen, Woodworking Teacher

What Do the Arts Look Like at Peck?

Peck boasts a vibrant arts scene, where creativity thrives among our students. From milestone projects to optional enrichment experiences, the arts play a central role in enhancing every aspect of the student journey. A diverse array of artistic opportunities enriches the Peck experience in countless ways. Here are just a few:

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Meet the Arts Department