• Photo of the front of the Middle School

    The Visual and Performing Arts Academy infuses specialized programs into challenging language arts, mathematics, and humanities curricula. Each strand is packed with exciting activities that utilize the Middle School's state-of the-art broadcasting and visual and performing arts studios.

    Classes and after-school drama club activities introduce students to all aspects of drama including performance, direction, set design, costumes, properties, lighting, sound and stage management. Students are challenged to appreciate, evaluate, create and implement performance art. In addition, they are exposed to new and important forms of storytelling, public speaking and writing that teach skills that can be used in their scholastic, professional and personal lives.
     
    The media/ film & television production studio program offers students the opportunity to experience the fundamentals of film & television production. The program concentrates on educating students on media, film, and television history while also teaching the fundamentals of producing, creating, and editing short films and television programs.
     
    The Middle School Instrumental Music Program provides students with the unique opportunity to enhance their lives through the world of music. Each student is encouraged to become a better musician through individual attention and ensemble performances. The Middle School Concert Band allows students to perform in a full band environment, giving the students the ultimate concert experience. The instrument specific ensembles, such as the Shockwave Guitar Ensemble and the Contrawave Wind Ensemble, enable students to perform in smaller groups while building upon skills necessary to succeed as musicians.
     
    The vocal music ensemble has grown to more than 100 members. These students learn the elements of proper vocalization technique, articulation, and projection in a choral ensemble setting. The chorus participates in school concerts and Long Branch events including the annual tree lighting ceremony. We are proud of the enormous amount of talent our students display and look forward to having many more successful seasons as the students improve and grow as musicians.
     

    The Fine Art Program develops cumulative learning to guide the discovery of art. Each child is unique with their own creative potential, perceptions, images, constructions, and experiences for their particular path of development. The staff strives to assist students in learning a variety of art techniques. The program helps them to understand the role of art in the past and present as a means of communication and teaches personal expression in art as a basic natural activity. Once the program is complete, the final goal is for students to continue their appreciation of art throughout their lives and to become future leaders who forge new pathways and make innovative strides that will ultimately change the world of visual and performing arts as it is known today.