St. Matthew’s offers a number of fine arts opportunities for its students, including beginner and advanced Band, Choir, and Handchimes. At St. Matthew’s these performance music opportunities are considered to be to be “co-curricular” because they rehearse during the school day, enhance the overall education of our students, and have scheduled performances outside the school day. All students in grades 5-8 include at least one of the three music programs in their weekly schedules. Because these performance groups are deemed to be co-curricular, all costs are covered as part of a child’s tuition.
Participation in music helps a child’s overall intellectual development (read about it here) which corresponds to higher grades and better test scores. Music also teaches critical skills that are important in today’s workforce: self-discipline, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and self-expression. Music is really important for a sound education! (pun intended).
Students in all three groups have opportunities to use the skills they develop as part of regular worship services at St. Matthew’s church during the school year. In addition, all three groups perform at Winter and Spring Concerts put on by St. Matthew’s each year. The Band and Choir both have additional opportunities, as they compete in the annual Fine Arts Fair, which is held at Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills, WI.
In addition the fine arts opportunities listed above, St. Matthew’s offers opportunities for students in grades 5-8 to be part of the Cardinal Forensics Team, which competes in the fall each year.
School musicals are also a large part of the fine arts experience at St. Matthew’s. All children have opportunities to be on stage or back stage according to ability and preference.
Finally, each classroom, in addition to regular morning and afternoon devotional singing, is scheduled to sing in church several times times during the school year.