Sarah Tokazowski, a K-8 music teacher at Mountain View, shared her excitement about how the showcase turned out. "It’s two things that go really well together," she said. "We had art hung in the hallway for students who have been in art class this quarter, and for music, students in each grade performed three songs that they've been working on."
The performances had a fun, animal-themed twist. Kindergarteners sang songs like “The Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree” and “Hickory Dickory Dock,” where they paired the lyrics with motions to help keep the youngest students engaged. Tokazowski explained, “For kindergarten, they need that motion to focus and keep their hands to themselves. Plus, they’re only two months into school, so we add that movement to keep things fun.”
One of the favorites parts of the evening was when the second graders performed “Apples and Bananas,” a song that has kids changing vowel sounds to create silly variations. "Some of the audience started singing along with that one," Tokazowski shared. “The same thing happened when they sang ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy.’ It was great seeing the crowd get into it."
On the visual arts side, the hallways were lined with projects from various grade levels. Students from second and third grades created stained-glass-style pieces, while middle school students focused on black-and-white portraits and colorful paintings. “The middle schoolers did everything from close-ups of eyes to paintings of strawberries and sunsets,” Tokazowski noted.
More than just a showcase, the event was a reminder of how important these forms of expression are for students. “Music and art give students a place to be expressive in a way they may not be able to in the common core classroom," Tokazowski reflected. "Students who might not be successful in English or math find a place where they can thrive—and sometimes, that’s the reason they want to come to school."
Great job keeping students engaged and learning while showcasing their creativity!
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About Mountain View Academy
Mountain View Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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