General Information

Elementary Arts Education (Grades P-5)

• At the elementary level, classroom music is taught by specialist teachers with students receiving 90 minutes of instruction in an eight-day cycle. Teachers follow Renew, Refocus Rebuild (2015) for P-3, and Innovation and Exploration (2016) for 4-6, the music guides for Nova Scotia. Many of our music teachers bring extensive training and experience in Kodaly and Orff Methodologies to our classrooms.

• Visual arts is taught by classroom teachers in grades primary to five. Programming follows Renew, Refocus, Rebuild (2015) for P-3, and Innovation and Exploration (2016) for 4-6. Elementary P-3 classroom teachers integrate visual arts in other areas of curriculum on a regular basis. A centre-wide art exhibit takes place in the spring of each year.

• The document, ArtsLinks, Grades Primary–6: A Teaching Resource (2013) provides excellent suggestions for classroom teachers to integrate visual arts, drama, and music in the Language Arts program in grades primary to six.

• An instrumental music program exists in most elementary schools. Instruction in brass, woodwind and percussion instruments begins in grade four or grade five. A pre-band program (recorder) beings in grade three or grade four.

• A ukulele program is taught at Brookland School in the evenings and is open to students in all of our schools.

Middle School Arts Education (Grades 6-8)

• There are a variety of arts education offerings at the middle school level in schools throughout the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board. Most middle schools in Cape Breton offer band instruction. Visual arts is taught in all middle schools. Dance is incorporated in the music and physical education programs, while drama is part of the language arts program and integrated in other subject areas as well.

• A variety of electives are available to middle school students with arts programming including Band Instruments, Exploring Music and Visual Arts.

• Music - Grade 6 students receive a mandatory 90 minutes of music/cycle. Music at the Grade 7 & 8 levels is offered as an elective. Modules that may be at the Grade 7 & 8 levels include guitar, world drumming, singer/songwriting, music of the 50s/60, and 70s/80s. Band programming takes place at most of our middle schools. Band is optional and takes place as a full-year course with classes during the school day and full rehearsals that take place after school, which are a mandatory part of the program.

• Visual Arts - Grade 6 students receive a mandatory 90 minutes of art/cycle. Visual Art at the Grade 7 & 8 levels is offered as an elective. Modules that may be offered in Visual Arts include Mixed Media, Painting, Drawing and Printmaking, Design and Technology, Relief, and Sculpture.

• Many schools also offer choir and extra-curricular art clubs.

• A centre-wide art exhibit takes place in the spring of each year.

• Many of our middle school band programs participate in music festivals in the spring.

High School Arts Education (Grades 9-12)

• With the creation of the compulsory Fine Arts credit in 1998, all high schools explore a number of options in the arts that would allow students to fulfill this requirement. Dance, drama, music and visual arts core courses are offered in schools, with additional credits available in Arts Entrepreneurship, Film and Video, and Design.

• There are also opportunities for Advanced courses in music and visual arts, with students qualifying for community grants to assists in these courses.

• IB courses in the arts are offered at Sydney Academy.

• A Fine Arts certificate is available at Riverview High School.

• Like the middle school level, extracurricular activities exist in some high schools, including drama clubs, art clubs and other music ensembles such as jazz band.

• Partnerships take place in the community to provide further opportunities for students to perform and exhibit their work.

• A centre-wide art exhibit takes place in the spring of each year.

• Many of our band programs participate in music festivals in the spring.

• Challenge for Credit and Personal Development credits are available for some Grade 10-12 arts courses.