Arts

“Art every day” are words we live by at North Country School. For a school our size, we have an unusually large cadre of arts teachers and an impressive array of course listings. All students have at least one art class every day, with younger students rotating through core arts classes in music, theatre, dance, painting and drawing, ceramics, photography, weaving, and wood shop. Eighth and ninth graders choose from electives that provide opportunities for advanced mastery of core arts, as well as exposure to new offerings that range from African drumming to sculpture to rickshaw building.

The goal of the arts program is to foster a lifelong love of the arts so that every student finds an area of artistic expression that they continue long after they graduate. Small class sizes allow for one-on-one attention, which often accelerates the creative learning process for students. Studios are frequently open on weekends for students to practice and advance their skills during their free time.

Just as important, our school culture encourages and celebrates artistic endeavors of all kinds outside the studios. Students’ drawings, photographs, ceramics, and weavings are displayed proudly in places of prominence throughout the school. Guitarists are a fixed feature of our hallways, and every house has its own piano. Saturday and Sunday evening activities frequently feature talent shows, poetry readings, improvisational theatre, or dance performances. Boys and girls knit and crochet throughout the year. With ample inspiration from our majestic Adirondack surroundings, children’s creative impulses find myriad avenues for expression at NCS.