Unit 4

Magnet Schools

This is Brittany Burzinski’s sixth year at Stratton Academy of the Arts, and she couldn’t imagine herself teaching anywhere else.

Gatses loves Stratton for many reasons, but as an artist herself, she really digs into the thematic curriculum.

Rosy-Grace Duma is your typical 4th grader at Stratton Academy of the Arts. She’s active, engaged, loves her teachers, and is interested in exploring the world of art.

At Stratton Academy of the Arts, every subject of the common core curriculum is taught through the lens of art and self-expression. Rachel Hejmanowski’s drama and dance class flips the script—in her class, the arts are the major curriculum that integrate common core lessons.

This year, Stratton Academy of the Arts was thrilled to partner with Wayne “Mister Trombone” Perry — a professional international musician and collaborator who connects people with music.

“Art comes in many forms” is a constant theme in Stephanie Burton’s 4th grade classroom, as her students learn to see their creativity and express themselves in all their subjects.

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” These words have been attributed to historic thought leaders from Confucius to Benjamin Franklin.

Stratton’s annual art fair celebrated its third year on Thursday, April 25. Open to the entire community, the event showcased an amazing diversity of media created by K–5 students throughout this school year.

Stratton’s 5th graders are branching out. This semester, the students are engaged in a botany and science unit with a twist—it integrates visual art, music, drama, and dance.

Three times a week, 15 third- through fifth-graders gather in Stratton’s main hall. They plan, create, and get a little messy. After all, they’re artists determined to finish a masterpiece—an 83-foot mural designed to awe and inspire.