Arts and Media

Band and Orchestra Programs

Band Program

The Band program is open to all 4th and 5th grade students. Students may choose one of several instruments to learn: flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, or percussion. Instruments are available for rental through the school and nearby music stores. In addition to learning how to play the instrument alone, we also learn ensemble playing, music reading, and proper care and maintenance. Students may perform in one or two evening concerts during the year.

Instructor: Patrick Horner
 

Orchestra Program

Divided into beginning and advanced groups, the orchestra program is open to all 4th and 5th grade students. Students are given the opportunity to try out instruments at the beginning of the year and choose which they would most enjoy learning: violin, viola, cello, or bass. Instruments are available for rental via the school and nearby music stores. In addition to learning how to play the instrument alone, we also learn ensemble playing, more advanced rhythms, note reading, and proper care and maintenance. We earn orchestra karate belts to help advance our solo playing, and show what we learn by performing in two concerts per year.

Instructor: Kyle Tilman

 

Library Media Center

The Library Media Center's goal is to foster a student's life-long love of reading and learning by providing a varied collection of recreational and informational resources. The Media Center also supports the curriculum, policies and educational goals of Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) by promoting an information rich environment that supports inquiry, curiosity and life-long learning.

The library media specialist designs instructional plans to foster an appreciation of literature and reading and to help students learn information literacy and research skills necessary to become independent life-long learners. The library media specialist also collaborates with teachers to assist in teaching research units, identifying and locating information resources, and assisting with new technologies.

Library Media Specialist: Emily Godfrey

Library Assistant: Diazreen Ford

Schedule

The Library Media Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Children are encouraged to visit during the day to choose new books to read, use the computers for research, and work on projects. Staff are available to assist students in learning to use the library catalog and locate books. The atmosphere is quiet and productive and children are to respect this professional environment.

The library media specialist meets weekly with pre-K, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade classes for story and library research skills and book check out. Grades four and five schedule time weekly for book selection and checkout.

 

Resources

The collection development policy supports the broad informational needs of the students. Student curriculum, academic and supporting interests, and teacher and staff professional development influence the choices made. Research tools include computers for instruction, an electronic library catalog, databases, search engines on the Internet and other local reference materials.

The John Adams Media Center has the following information resources:

• A wide variety of fiction and non-fiction books and DVDs to support the curriculum
• Computer Library Catalog
• Online World Book Encyclopedia
• Online Britannica Online
• Internet resources