THE
2
verything starts with art. Before we can even read or write, we are trying to express ourselves with finger paint, through the recitation of nursery rhymes, by banging on pots and pans with our parents’ utensils. At Church Farm School, we help students develop an awareness
and appreciation for all modes of artistic expression: from pottery, photography and painting to
digital and web design to choral music, piano and band. We understand the importance of expression for personal growth and we see the arts as an integral part of our curriculum. The
arts at Church Farm School aim to build students’ confidence and broaden their skillset, letting them “show off in a way that is different than making the jump shot.”
ART
The moment you step into the Art Department, the immediate vibe is one of calm and relaxation. It is a space where the stressors of academics fall away and students are free to use their talents— whether God-given or learned—to spin the pottery wheel, print a t-shirt, paint a self-portrait … to mold something with their own hands.
WE UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF EXPRESSION
FOR PERSONAL GROWTH
AND WE SEE THE ARTS AS AN
INTEGRAL PART OF OUR
CURRICULUM.
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“Ever since I’ve been an art teacher, I’ve tried to make sure the curriculum and projects don’t rely on innate talent,” says Aaron Schnittman, Art Department Chair. “As much as possible, I just want our students to create something cool without getting painted into a corner or thinking ‘I don’t draw so I can’t do it.’ I want their experience to be about problem-solving, immediate success and testing materials.” Art teacher Kevin Korb continues, “I like to see our students surprise themselves with skills they didn’t know they had or things they didn’t know they’d enjoy.”
Courses include General Art, Digital Photo, Digital & Print Media, 2D Design, 3D Design and Clay 1 and 2. “I grade more on participation, effort and engage-ment over the strength of a particular piece,” Korb says. “Although if you have those three things, the strength tends to come naturally.”
Giving students the tools that are critical to success in today’s fast-paced digital world is key at Church Farm School. “We are constantly saturated with images, text and video that look fairly professional,” Schnittman says. “We want our students to have those same tools and be able to join the party.”
STEAM
The term STEAM, whereby the
arts are infused into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), was first introduced at the Rhode Island School of Design. STEAM focuses on the bigger questions of “What type of world are we designing to live in?” At Church Farm School, transforming STEM into STEAM means tightly integrating art and design into the curriculum to drive student innovation. Wherever possible, we are trying to engage in the intersec-tions between science and the arts. Exposure to art leads to higher levels of academic achievement, innovation and flexible thinking.
EXPOSURE TO ART LEADS
TO HIGHER LEVELS OF ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT, INNOVATION AND
FLEXIBLE THINKING.
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CHOIR
The mission of the Church Farm School Choir is to provide young men with opportunities to experience the joy of making music through preparation and performance. Under the direction of Gary Gress since 1990, the CFS Choir performs regularly throughout south-eastern PA, and through the years, the choir has won many first place awards and superior ratings at music festivals in Boston, New York, Williamsburg and Toronto.
The choral program emphasizes context, to “connect the students to the words, especially when they are in a foreign language,” as well as looking for unique venues to perform. The choir
has been invited to sing at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, the Philadelphia Cathedral, the Russell Senate Building and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., and has performed the National Anthem at several Philadelphia Phillies’ baseball games. Individual members regularly participate in the PMEA District, Regional, All State and MENC All Eastern Chorus festivals. In 2006, the CFS Singers, a small vocal ensemble focused on jazz and a cappella singing, were invited to perform at the PMEA State Convention. In 2016, the choir will travel to the esteemed Carnegie Hall, where they have already been accepted to sing in a large choral festival. “The greatest joy for me is that moment when the students and I know that they have sung the piece at their best. And that can happen during class or in a performance,” Gress says. “
BAND
When Nicole Campbell joined Church Farm School in fall 2011 shortly after earning her degree in music education from West Chester University, she was charged with creating a curriculum that would invigorate the school’s band program. In just four years, the school band has doubled in size,
and a student-run guitar club and a piano lab (under the direction of Gary Gress) have been added.
In addition to Middle School and Upper School Band, the school offers General Music, Music Tech 1, Music Tech II and Advanced Music Tech. Campbell tries to infuse the curriculum with a variety of music styles: blues, Latin music and even classic rock. Putting the works in context is important for the students, too. “When we did the Beatles “Hey Jude,” I had them learn the lyrics and research why the song was written. And when we performed Santana last year, we learned about Woodstock,” she says.
Because some experience and proficiency is required for band, the first semester for a student is focused on learning how
to play and blend with other musicians. In the second semester, theory and application of that theory come more into play. “You can hear the progress they make and its rewarding to hear their hard work paying off!”
YOU CAN HEAR THE
PROGRESS THEY MAKE AND ITS
REWARDING TO HEAR
CHURCH FARM SCHOOL ADMISSION OFFICE: Church Farm School
1001 E. Lincoln Highway Exton, PA 19341 610.363.5347 GENERAL INFORMATION: admissions@gocfs.net Brandon Zeigler Director of Admission bzeigler@gocfs.net Marvin Garcia Admission Officer mgarcia@gocfs.net Barbara Scudder Admission Coordinator bscudder@gocfs.net
