Essential Arts
Art
Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) is a choice-based approach to teaching students to think and work as artists. The process of creating art is valued as a vehicle for problem solving, creative thinking and inquiry. The teaching is responsive to students’ needs and interests, and provides authentic art-making learning opportunities for the learners.
As students work in our choice-based studio, they engage in the Studio Habits of Mind: Envision, Express, Observe, Develop Craft, Stretch and Explore, Engage and Persist, Reflect and Understand (build) Arts Community. These habits guide our learning and are discussed and referred to often.
Our young artists experience a deep level of engagement with and ownership of the artistic process.
Coding
At the elementary level, we use Code.org to give students an exciting and accessible introduction to coding and computer science. Through interactive puzzles, games, and creative projects, children develop essential skills like problem-solving, logic, and persistence—all while having fun.
The lessons are thoughtfully designed to be age-appropriate and engaging, helping students build confidence with technology and preparing them for a future where digital literacy is key. Even if your child (or you!) are new to coding, Code.org makes it easy to jump in and learn together.
By starting early, we’re empowering our students to become not just users of technology—but creators.
Library
The school library is a unique and essential part of our learning community. The American Association of School Librarians Standards target skills needed for students to become lifelong learners:
Inquire- Skills needed to inquire power curiosity and questioning
Include- When a community includes members with diverse experiences, learners are able to build balanced perspectives
Collaborate- Work effectively with others to broaden perspectives and work toward common goals
Curate- Make meaningful connections by collecting, organizing and sharing
Explore- Discover and innovate through experience and reflection
Engage- Demonstrate safe and ethical creating and sharing of knowledge
Music
The goal of the EHES music program is to:
prepare students with the musical framework they need to perpetually succeed academically, casually and/or professionally.
use music as a tool for developing dexterity and fine motor control, problem solving strategies, self discipline, social/emotional health and skills, respecting one’s self and others, respecting one’s environment, teamwork, perseverance and self reliance.
Note~ Everything taught is cumulative. Once a new topic or skill is introduced, students continue to work on or build upon it as they move through grade levels and throughout the music curriculum.
PE/Health
Our Physical Education program emphasizes skill-building through cooperative, low-competition games that encourage all students to participate, move, and have fun. Lessons are designed to maximize practice opportunities, helping children develop physical skills, self-confidence, and a lifelong love of activity.
Health education is thoughtfully integrated with physical activity when possible and focuses on big-picture concepts that lay the foundation for more in-depth learning in middle school. Topics are age-appropriate and designed to support students’ overall well-being—physically, emotionally, and socially.
Together, PE and Health promote teamwork, self-efficacy, and healthy habits that support the whole child, both in and out of school.
STEM
Our elementary STEM program is designed to ignite curiosity and critical thinking through an integrated approach rooted in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Engineering Design Performance Expectations. Students engage in the Engineering Design Process and the Scientific Method, learning to ask questions, define problems, plan investigations, and test solutions with a spirit of inquiry and perseverance.
Through hands-on tasks and collaborative challenges, learners apply the Standards for Mathematical Practice to analyze data, recognize patterns, reason abstractly, and make evidence-based decisions. Emphasis is placed on teamwork, collaboration, and building group consensus—essential skills for navigating real-world problems.
Students are introduced to criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost; encouraging creative problem-solving; and innovation—not duplication. They learn to conserve resources through mindful practices like reducing waste, reusing supplies, and recycling materials whenever possible.
Our program fosters a growth mindset, where productive struggle is celebrated as a critical part of learning. Regular opportunities for student self-reflection help build ownership of learning and resilience in the face of challenges.
Through this dynamic, supportive environment, we are not only preparing students for future academic success, but also nurturing compassionate, forward-thinking innovators who will shape a better world.