Arts Program Guide

Choreographed dance, colorful classroom

Subject to change due to COVID-19.

Each August and December, you and your child have the opportunity to select courses in the arts program.  Your child will bring a “sign-up sheet” home.   It is extremely important that you understand how to complete the signup sheet so you get the maximum benefit from the arts program.   Please, follow these tips:

  • Your child will take two (2) arts classes each semester.  One class meets on Mondays and Thursdays; the other meets on Tuesdays and Fridays.  Therefore, please enter 1st, 2nd, & 3rd choices in EACH column (Monday/Thursday and Tuesday/Friday).
  • Please note the due date indicated on the signup sheet.  If your child’s signup sheet is late, the chance of getting your choices diminishes.  Signup sheets that are complete are processed more quickly.  Those that are incomplete or late will result in classes assigned at our discretion.
  • Make certain your child’s name and teacher’s name is written at the top.
  • Sign the sheet at the bottom and provide a phone number.

1st & 2nd Graders - PRIMARY

We strongly believe in exposing our students to a variety of arts classes and ask our families to support this. To this end, over the course of 1st and 2nd grades (4 semesters), students are encouraged not to repeat arts classes (with the exception of piano). We are asking our families to choose classes from both Visual and Performing Arts categories for their children and from Core Fine Arts classes (at least one per semester).

  • Students who are interested in a class that they have not yet taken will get preference over students who have already taken that class.
  • Students who have already taken classes and are attempting to repeat classes will be able to do so only if there is space and with the consent of the instructor. 
  • If there is no space, students will receive one of their other choices. 

5th Grade Year-long Music Requirement

All 5th graders are required to enroll in ONE of the following year-long performance classes:

Band (Choose one):  Brass, Percussion, Woodwinds
Advanced Band (Pre-requisite: permission of instructor or band as a 4th grader)
Centennial Singers (Choir)
Dulcimer Ensemble
Adventures in Acting (Theater)
Piano (By audition only with piano teacher)

Course Descriptions

A comprehensive list of course descriptions can be found HERE

Year-long Commitment Classes

Students in brass, woodwinds, intermediate percussion and Centennial Singers will remain in those classes for the entire school year (fall and spring terms) with no exceptions.

Band classes require financial commitment as well—book purchase, possible instrument rental if our inventory is exhausted and a $15 materials fee. Please do not sign up for these classes unless you are confident you can make the financial and supportive commitment.

Class Enrollment & Schedule

Although we make every effort to honor your class requests, we cannot guarantee enrollment in any class. This is due to the fact that some classes receive a larger number of enrollment requests than we can accommodate. When this occurs, children may be placed in an alternate class as space permits.

Some have asked why classes are offered on one day and not another. We develop our schedule based on the availability of our fine arts instructors, our grade-level teams, and the balance of classes between Monday/Thursday & Tuesday/Friday.

Performance and Core Fine Arts Classes

Subject to change due to COVID-19.
With improvements in technology, we may be able to offer virtual performances if COVID-19 restrictions prevent us from staging in-person performances.

All Core Fine Arts Classes (except Visual Arts), are performance classes. These classes require your child to participate in scheduled performances: Dance – Tap, Jazz, Ballet/Modern, Salsa, Adventures in Acting, Band, Percussion/Drumming, Penny Whistles, Ukuleles, Movie Madness, Piano, Choir (Singers), Handchimes, or Dulcimers. Students in these classes are expected and counted upon to attend scheduled performances.

Please make certain your child will be able to attend performances if s/he signs up for a performance class.

Please see Upcoming Arts Performances for performance dates and times.

Piano Requirement

We require each student to take at least one semester of piano during his/her 2nd through 5th grade years at Centennial.  Your child may be enrolled in the piano class at our discretion to meet this requirement.