In the Red Clay Consolidated School District, students participate in standards-based music instruction all year long.  Lessons expose our students to a wide range of music, artists, and skills, including a diverse selection of artists that provide students with exposure to music around the world.   Our focus is on the whole child, developing skills that transfer outside of the music classroom and encourage self-expression. 

Click here to learn more about Music Education in the Elementary Schools

In the Red Clay Consolidated School District, students participate in standards-based art instruction all year long.  Lessons expose our students to a wide range of media and processes, inclusive of a diverse selection of art and artists.  Our focus is on the whole child,  developing skills that support the arts and transfer outside of the art classroom, and encouraging self-expression. 

The curriculum emphasizes four key components:  

• Aesthetics: a student should learn to appreciate beauty and meaning through the arts.
• Art History: a student should understand the cultural and historical significance the arts play in everyday life.
• Art Production: a student should be able to create art through a variety of mediums and processes.
• Art Criticism: a student should learn how to give, and accept productive criticism. 

Students have a variety of opportunities throughout the school year to share their art in exhibitions within their buildings.  Each year Red Clay hosts an all school art exhibit at the Delaware Art Museum. Each teacher selects eight student pieces to be displayed at the museum in the Red Clay All Schools Art Exhibit.   

Click here to learn more about Visual Arts Education in the Elementary Schools

In the Red Clay Consolidated School District, students may learn to play a musical instrument beginning in grades 4 and 5.  Instruments that may be selected include the flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion instruments (bell and snare drum), euphonium, French horn, violin, viola and cello.  Due to scheduling and space constraints, instrument options may vary by school.  You may check with your school music directors for specific instruments.  Each fall, our directors explain the program, demonstrate instruments, and work with families to sign up for a one year commitment to learning a musical instrument. Lessons are held during school hours by Red Clay music teachers at no cost to students. Students may loan a school instrument or participate in a rent to own instrument program offered by our local music stores. Students will have performance opportunities during the school year as a part of this program. 

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In our middle schools, band and chorus are considered related arts classes.  All students in middle school choose their related arts course options, and students in band and chorus generally participate in music instruction all year long as one of their related arts courses.  Students have at least two performance opportunities annually in the winter and the spring of each school year.

Strings in our middle school programs is offered as a pull out program with small group lessons being provided once per week to students playing the violin, viola, cello or string bass instruments.  Students in the middle school strings program also have an opportunity to participate in the Red Clay District Orchestra Program.  This ensemble meets once per week in the evenings at one of our schools culminating in a spring performance of the Red Clay Consolidated School District Middle School Orchestra.  For more information about this program, contact our middle school strings teacher, Joshua Von Fricken.    

In our high schools, coursework is sequential and our students are encouraged to engage in a three or four year pathway in the performing arts.  Many young musicians utilize these pathways as the start of their journey to a career in the performing arts.  Students generally take courses throughout the school year and are provided numerous opportunities for performance, with at least two opportunities being provided in each school program, generally in the winter and the spring. Our secondary schools are unique and offer an array of courses specific to the needs of the school. 

Contact your school for more information

Click here to learn more about the
secondary strings program

In our middle schools, the visual arts are elective courses.  Instruction is provided in an environment that challenges all students, builds on individual differences, and provides opportunities for self expression and development of confidence.  Students are exposed to an array of art mediums and artists from diverse backgrounds and arts perspectives.  

In our high schools, coursework is sequential and students are encouraged to engage in a three to four year pathway in visual arts.  Offerings include foundational courses followed by both two dimensional and three dimensional opportunities.  Courses vary by school and program.  Students develop skills designed to appreciate the arts, and consider careers in a specific pathway in the arts.  

The curriculum emphasizes four key components:  

• Aesthetics: a student should learn to appreciate beauty and meaning through the arts.
• Art History: a student should understand the cultural and historical significance the arts play in everyday life.
• Art Production: a student should be able to create art through a variety of mediums and processes.
• Art Criticism: a student should learn how to give, and accept productive criticism.

Students have a variety of opportunities throughout the school year to share their art in exhibitions within their buildings.  Each year Red Clay hosts an all school art exhibit at the Delaware Art Museum. Each teacher selects eight student pieces to be displayed at the museum in the Red Clay All Schools Art Exhibit.  

Contact your school for more information