Arts

Visual Art

Student artwork adorns the halls of GSL year-round. Our goal is to instill the joy of creating, while helping each student build confidence, hone creative skills, and view art as a form of discovery, invention and communication.

In Lower School, SK-4th grade students have art every week with Anna Chahal (GSL Class of '00). The program is designed to introduce a wide range of materials, art techniques, and artists, in hopes of reaching each child with something that will inspire. There's often an interdisciplinary component, with projects supporting other areas of classroom study. 

In Middle School, students build portfolios with instructor Lee Schaffler. They begin by learning basic drawing skills, and ultimately work with paint, watercolors, oil pastels, and more. Printmaking is a big focus, and students also create digital works. And everyone gets to experience having their work displayed during the Art Shows held at the end of each trimester. 

Students of all ages study a variety of artists and styles and use a range of materials such as paint, clay, collage, and recyclables. Sometimes they work on group projects, like the Diamond Jubilee piece on the 2nd floor that was created for the school's 75th Anniversary in 2022. 

Music

SK-6th grade students have music instruction under the guidance of instructor Braden Jensen, whose music degrees include special training in Orff Schulwerk.

Students experience Orff Music instruction in a variety of ways, including through pitched and unpitched percussion work, folk dancing, songs, and games. The sounds of drums, glockenspiels, and singing fill the spacious music classroom as students learn about rhythm, beat, movement, composition, improvisation, and music notation.

Students polish playing skills in the classroom and proudly display what they've learned in annual school musical and instrumental performances for classmates and families.