From a young age, virtually every child likes to draw, sing, play musical instruments, dance, and perform. This innate desire makes Morehead’s Expresive Arts program an exciting place for children to learn and a natural extension of the things they like most before they enter school. What’s more, research proves that children who are involved in the arts are more successful academically, and Morehead’s record of academic performance supports this research. All Arts and PE lessons at Morehead follow the NC Standard Course of Study Essential Standards. Click here to read through the standards.

Expressive Arts at Morehead

The full-time arts specialists work closely with each other and classroom teachers to ensure that the arts instruction reinforces and expands what students are learning in math, language arts, science, and social studies.

Music, art, drama, dance, violin, and physical education compose the school’s expressive arts program. Students study each of these art forms for 45 minutes on a 6-day rotation. Each student has an opportunity to perform each year in a variety of disciplines.

The many opportunities students have to perform in front of their parents and peers and to attend performances by visiting artists give them invaluable experiences as both performers and as audiences. The self-discipline and confidence they gain through artistic expression carry over to learning in the classroom and in real-life situations.

Morehead’s goal is not for every child to become a professional artist, but to teach them an appreciation for the arts that will impact their lives in many positive ways.

The Expressive Arts Defined

The expressive arts provide students with opportunities to experience art, music, drama, dance and literature through integrated classes. While formal study of the arts at Morehead is taught by full-time specialists in art, music, drama, dance and violin, these specialists work closely with other teachers to help them integrate arts into the total curriculum. Literature is an art form at Morehead, and the stories and books that students read serve as the basis for many of the expressive art activities at the school, especially the drama performances. 

"Expressive" arts differs from "Performing" arts in a variety of ways.

Performing arts refers to the product made by doing art. The goal of performing arts is to perform. While the process of building a performance is an invaluable exprience, giving students the opportunities to participate in arts that are not meant for performance/product is highly important.

Expressive arts includes the creative and informal side of the arts. Students engaged in expressive arts learn the creative process, learn empathy, investigate their world, research and generate artistic ventures, use critical thinking skills, and respond to a variety of stimuli in various ways.

Arts Academy 

Morehead’s Arts Academy program provides opportunities for students to expand their interests through participation and performance in art, drama, choral music, handbell ensemble, recorder ensemble, world drumming, strings/violin, dance, sport stacking, and GO FAR (running group). The school provides all instruments, and the program is free of charge. Parents must provide transportation for the Arts Academy program. Morehead also has an After-school Care Enrichment Services (ACES) program that is open until 6 p.m. Parents must pay a fee for ACES participation. This program runs separately from Arts Academy.