Visual Arts
The Visual Arts program here at RMS is a process over product course built around nurturing students creativity, self directedness, and artistic mind set. The program focuses on fostering the studio habits of mind (develop craft, engage and persist, envision, express, observe, reflect, stretch and explore, understand arts community) and encourages students to grow in basic life skills. Much of our program relates to skills beyond the art room including: perseverance, confidence, decision making, and accountability, and increased fine motor skills.
This program explores a wide variety of artistic mediums including clay, printmaking, painting, collage, drawing, mixed media, and sculpture. Beyond art mediums students will study art history, art elements, and learn planning skills such as creating drafts, brainstorming webs, and following plans.
Recent art projects include:
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~ Pop Art and contemporary printmaking ~
~Replicating famous paintings ~
~ Sculpted letters ~
~ Mannequin and proportion drawings ~
~ Slab and coil clay projects ~
~ School mural paintings ~
Haylee King - ART
- 970-665-7661 hking@garfieldre2.net
Band
The Rifle Middle School Band Program is a year-long course open to students of all ages and all ability levels. Students are expected to join at the start of the school year and continue through all four quarters. In 6th grade, students will have the option to start on flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone, and will be placed in either the Woodwind Class or the Brass Class. In November, these students will have the opportunity to audition to play percussion. For the 2021-22 school year, 7th grade will follow the same format. In 8th grade, students play in a mixed-instrumentation concert band where they continue to refine their existing skills and begin to work with more challenging music. In order to be successful in this class, it is required that students have already completed the 6th and 7th grade band courses in their time at RMS.
In addition to performing music for their families and the community, students who participate in band explore music theory and music history while developing valuable life skills like collaboration, problem solving, and personal responsibility. The RMS Band Program has a number of future opportunities in the works, including jazz band and pep band; ultimately, students have the chance to take the skills they learn in this course and perform at an even higher level with the Rifle High School band. It is my hope that students become lifelong musicians and bring the skills they learn here into all future endeavors.
Celeste Tovar
970-665-7663 [email protected]
Vocal Music/Choir
Course Description: The Vocal Music Program (Choir) at RMS is a performance-based course designed for all levels of experience. The students will develop vocal and music reading skills by practicing and performing together as a group. Basic vocal techniques will be explored in a wide variety of musical styles, including introduction to part-singing, music reading and music theory. Fundamental vocal techniques are continually reinforced. Culminating performances are a meaningful and mandatory component of this class. There will be a mandatory performance at the end of each semester, a required Winter Concert and a required Spring Concert, with additional performing opportunities throughout the school year. The course will integrate music with other content areas with an emphasis on history, culture and literacy. Music students will also develop valuable real-world skills including critical thinking and reasoning, problem-solving, self-direction, collaboration and creativity. Like the band program, choir class meets for one full year and students are highly encouraged to participate in choir for all three years of middle school in order to keep building individual talent and skills and to experience higher levels of musical achievement together as an ensemble.
Noelle Gingrich
