Combined Arts

Hipolito Rivera & Bernadette Vanaria - Curriculum Leaders

The classes included in our combined arts rotation are an integral part of our middle school’s comprehensive curriculum. Early adolescence is a time for exploratory learning and the development of new skills: physical, social, and thinking. While the core curriculum classes (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages) provide students with opportunities to develop their Linguistic Intelligence and their Logical- Mathematical Intelligence, the Combined Arts classes offer the chance to strengthen other intelligences such as Spatial, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, and Extrapersonal.

The curriculum in each of the arts classes is designed to challenge students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills and to foster a greater sense of self-esteem. As students learn about engineering and design, try different art media, rehearse a Shakespearian play, or compose a simple melody, they begin to link up with the adult world through the awareness of new competencies and strengths.

Students will rotate through the following specials each term:

Applied Science
Visual Art
Drama
Music
Sixth grade students will also participate in a Library/Technology class during the term in which they have Drama on their schedule.

Name	Grade(s)	Specialty	Email	Website	Ext.
Pete Curran	All	Art	[email protected]	wmsartlab.com	4217
Katherine Lopez	All	Drama	[email protected]	wmsdrama	4215
Bethann Monahan	All	Instruction Technology Specialist	[email protected]		4330
Bernadette Vanaria	All	Music	[email protected]		4214
Sara Ravid	All	Librarian	[email protected]	wmslibrary	4210
Greg Harris	All	Band	[email protected]		4209
Hip Rivera	All	Applied Science	[email protected]		4212
Whitney Tandon	All	Orchestra	[email protected]	Wayland Strings	4213