Fine Arts 

Building confidence, exploring creativity, and just plain having fun—the fine arts at Bernard Zell are one more facet of an educational approach that nourishes students’ growth now and will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Throughout their time at Bernard Zell, students explore fine art through hands-on media experiences, including painting, printmaking, sculpture and photography. Instruction in techniques and art history is augmented by the abundance of cultural opportunities the city has to offer, from tours of museums to in-class talks and instruction from artists. Our curriculum is scaffolded from Kindergarten to eighth grade to expose  and teach our students about the fundamental art techniques and conceptual, process-oriented thinking strategies that they can use when they look at, talk about and make art for the rest of their lives.

Our rich local culture also benefits our music classes, where professional musicians visit to play and share their knowledge. Students may sing with our choir, learn to play an instrument, or join with other students to perform traditional band or jazz arrangements.

In our Bernard Zell on Broadway program, seventh and eighth graders collaborate on theater performances. The work they do throughout the year culminates in a seventh-grade play and the annual Morton Reisman Eighth Grade Operetta, where students perform musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, or The Pirates of Penzance, The Sound of Music, High School Musical, Jr., Shrek, Jr., Frozen, Jr and more! Arts are an important part of school life for our younger kids as well, beginning with songs and storytelling in our Early Childhood program and continuing through Lower School with the Leona Molotsky Hanukkah Music Festival.

At Bernard Zell, we believe that this ongoing exploration of visual, musical, and performing arts is an important part of our curriculum, playing a vital role in developing the intellectual, spiritual and personal potential of every child.