Wednesday afternoon is Art Day at Nativity. All over campus, students are happily engaged in art and music: learning to play guitar, practicing some modern dance moves, taking photos, working on a scene from a play, or painting on canvas.

Each trimester students choose a different class taught by an Art Partner – Outside the Lens, TrancenDance, Villa Musica, Trinity Theatre, Art Reach, or Art with Miss Victoria – which allows them to try each art class at least once. At the end of the trimester, students present their work in an art show or a production attended by family and friends.

Art serves multiple objectives at Nativity. In middle school, art participation gives students an outlet to safely express complex emotions. Students report that in addition to being fun art helps them relax and improves their self-image and self-confidence. Teachers use the time students are in art class for Professional Development and staff meetings.