Program Features

Our art program celebrates collaboration, creation, and imagination. Students are actively engaged in the intellectual, emotional, and physical aspects of making art. They are introduced to the elements of art and design through concepts and techniques in Kindergarten, and the program builds on these skills with each subsequent year. Students use a wide variety of materials including clay, yarn, watercolors, paper collage, and metal.

The Maker Studio allows students and faculty to integrate the arts and sciences to create fun and exciting projects. Students have the opportunity to learn through hands-on experiences and collaboration. Through the combination of authentic problem-solving, technical knowledge, creativity, and perseverance, making is a powerful way to learn.

Our music program aims to develop a lifelong enjoyment of music within each student. Our hands-on program is based on the Orff-Shulwerk method, which begins with things children already have expertise in: talking, playing, moving, and singing. From Kindergarten on, students explore pitch and pulse using special “Orff” instruments: xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels as well as a wide variety of other pitched and non-pitched instruments found in our beautiful studio. Students who study music outside of school are heartily encouraged to bring those talents with them. By co-creating ensemble pieces, children learn to share ideas and problem-solve. 

Students sing, dance, and play their way up to sixth grade, where they spend the year selecting, arranging, and performing musical pieces for the school community. In addition, students listen to and analyze music and learn folk dances from all over the world. Finally, our entire community - students, teachers, staff, and families—sings together as we gather for our student assemblies.

At The Oaks, our fully operational library serves as a vibrant, collaborative space where students not only check out books but also participate in classes and special projects. It acts as an extension of the classroom, supporting hands-on learning and inquiry. Through the library program, children become skilled in check-out procedures, navigating online catalogs, and accessing a variety of resources to deepen their research. Each grade level engages in interactive, in-depth projects connected to classroom topics, fostering research, critical thinking, interpretation, discussion, and problem-solving skills in a dynamic learning environment.

Our daily P.E. program aims to create a lifelong desire in students to develop their whole person: physically, socially, and emotionally. Our students participate in a wide variety of games and physical activities that develop their sportsmanship and team-building skills. Whether it’s basketball, Circus preparation, volleyball, or skateboarding, students learn to develop a sense of rules and fair play as they cultivate their skills and techniques. Our P.E. program provides students a safe environment in order to have the confidence to take risks and challenge themselves athletically, socially, and emotionally.