The performing and visual arts are an integral part of student life at R.O.B.S. Our goal is for each student to develop an enduring understanding and enjoyment of the arts as a participant and an observer. The arts curriculum offers opportunities for students to develop their own voice, to build confidence, and to reflect upon their attitudes and emotions. Equipping students to be more effective thinkers and communicators also improves their work in other areas.

Visual Arts classes encourage students to develop self-expression and personal decision-making and to respect the alternative processes of their peers. Students are exposed to a wide variety of two- and three-dimensional mediums and learn techniques and skills to use them well. By studying the works of other artists and cultures, students learn that there are many ways to view the world; diverse points of view are encouraged and celebrated.

The Theater Arts enable students to become more effective communicators. All students are given opportunities to perform before an audience, beginning at an early age. Theater Arts classes introduce students to pantomime, comedy, monologue, improvisation, audition techniques, and critique. Staged readings of classics such as Our Town and Peter Pan are an integral part of the curriculum. Students learn techniques for managing the challenges of public performance, including focus, concentration, and poise. Along the way, they often discover that better communication skills improve their performance in other subject areas.

Students are exposed to music from their earliest years at R.O.B.S. Students progress through a sequential program of singing, playing instruments, improvising, and composing music. Along the way, they build a repertoire of well-known songs and hymns. Middle School students also learn about the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary periods of music composition. The natural elements of music—a steady beat, musical form, the rise and fall of music notation—positively impact students’ abilities areas ranging from math class, to poetry analysis, to the basketball court. Through music, students also improve their ability to retain information, become more open to other cultures, and expand the capacity to express their emotions.

Classes in visual arts, theatre arts, and music are led by talented professionals in each discipline. Students enjoy the change of pace these classes afford, and teachers enjoy spotlighting students whose artistic gifts shine brightly.