Art Program at Cunningham Park
By Alice Karny, Art Specialist

Art Program at CPES encompasses many areas of art study in a single class. When your child comes into the Art Room, they are presented with a lesson that includes all or part of the following: art history; social studies, math or science classroom study coordination; fine motor skill builders; introduction to the use and manipulation of various art media; inclusion of the Elements of Art in weekly lessons; problem solving skills and project completion.  In addition, they need to learn how to work in groups, follow directions, label prints correctly, “mount” or “frame” artwork and clean up thoroughly.  This is a lot to accomplish in one hour classes or, in the upper grades, eighty minutes.  The students are used to a ‘routine’ in the art room and meet the expectations very well.  Just look at the art work displayed throughout the school!  I am very proud of the hard work and beautiful work products that each class creates!

In addition to hall displays, student art work is framed and displayed in the Principal’s Gallery, Clinic, Conference Room and Ms. Price’s office.  These students receive a special letter from Ms. Baenig and me.  Every Wednesday morning, on the Art and Music Review portion of the CPES News Report, art work is shown that coordinates with specific music.  Our two fourth grade Art News presenters for this year do a fabulous job! Both boys have also been chosen to be Artist of the Month for February and March respectively.  This is a new program this year to recognize those students who do exceptionally well in Art.  It is very hard to narrow the selection down to only eight students when CPES has so many top artists, so next year we will continue with the Artist of the Month program.

The PTA Grace Arts Program, designed by the Greater Reston Art Gallery, provides even more support and enrichment for the CPES Art Program.

Your children work hard in Art class and take pride in what they accomplish. Please take the time to ask them what they did, admire their work and display it in your home.  Children’s art shows freshness, joy and imagination!!! 
Please ENJOY it.   Please join us in supporting the ARTS!

                                    Art Room