Oakbrook Preparatory School is a independent, inter-denominational, Christian school, serving grades K4 through 12 located in Spartanburg, SC.
Oakbrook Preparatory School Arts Programs
   

Visual Arts - Band - Dance - Drama - Journalism/Yearbook

 

Oakbrook Preparatory School has a rich visual arts program

VISUAL ARTS

The visual arts department at Oakbrook reaches all students with every student in K4 through grade five participating in visual art classes once per week. 

Beginning in grade 6, students can choose art as an elective class. Oakbrook’s middle school art classes include an introduction to the elements of art and principles of design as well as modern art, multicultural art and a look into art careers such as graphic design, architecture, automotive engineering, and illustration.

The high school art program includes Sculpture, Drawing 1, Painting 1, Women in the Arts, Surface Design, Mixed Media, Painting I, Book Arts, and The Bible Through Artists’ Eyes, which is a study of Biblical themes and symbolism in Christian art throughout history and may be taken for either Art or Bible credit. 

For the highly advanced art students already working at a very independent skill level, we offer Advanced Studio Art that leads into the final advanced course of AP Studio Art.  These students are highly motivated to stretch their abilities even further while working carefully on building a portfolio of artwork that shows the breadth of subjects and media they can handle at a high skill level as well as a concentration series on a particular theme of interest.

Upper school students also have the option of becoming a member of the Art Club, which meets once per month.

Visit our student Art Gallery.

 

 

Oakbrook Preparatory School's band program reaches students in grades 5 through 12.

BAND

Band students begin with Beginner Band in grade five, designed for students interested in learning to play a musical instrument, understanding musical notation, and performing in public and continue through middle school. Each year the students learn fundamentals that increase expertise on their instruments.

The high school program is dedicated to the advancement of good band literature. The band is made up of a select number of students based on specific instrumentation. The band will begin to learn how to sight read difficult music and make mature musical decisions. Participation in band classes allows opportunities to participate in concerts, solo and ensemble festival, region and all-state auditions, parades, pep rallies and community events. Besides several concerts and clinics throughout the year, these students are strongly encouraged to participate in Region and State wide auditions/competitions. This group of students marches in the city-wide Christmas parade each year.

Oakbrook's band received an Outstanding Performance award from the South Carolina Band Director's Association in 2010. This was after participating for the first time in Concert Festiva,l which is sponsored by the SCBDA.

Students are also encouraged to take private lessons and participate in other musical opportunities such as church and community bands.

 

 

Oakbrook Preparatory School's dance program begins with creative movement in elementary school and continues through advanced dance classes in high school.

 

DANCE

Oakbrook’s dance program began three years ago and has grown significantly each semester. Students begin dance classes in the lower school and may continue through middle school, where they explore the basic levels of a variety of dance genres, including ballet, jazz, modern, and ballroom.

Dance is an interactive and innovative class designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn and appreciate the art form of dance. One of the main standards explored is dance technique, which enables the students to become literate in dance fundamentals, in a variety of genres, such as ballet, jazz, modern, and tap, and to be engaged in activities involving body awareness, movement exploration, and the understanding of the dance elements-body, time, space, and energy. Emphasis is also put on understanding choreographic principles, processes, and structures while acquiring the skills to create and interpret ideas and feelings through dance. Students will use critical and creative thinking skills, learn history and culture, connect dance with healthy living, and relate dance with other disciplines.

Advanced Dance course, offered to students by audition, is designed to emphasize and refine all main technique areas and master specific dance vocabulary related to the efficient and artful use of the body as an instrument.

Creative Movement is an option that 1st-5th grade teachers can choose and sign up for this first semester.  Creative Movement provides the students with opportunities for noncompetitive, success-oriented and creative experiences. Through movement, children learn about their bodies, the space around them, and each other.

As dance is a growing program, teacher Jenny Howard continues to experiment with new performance opportunities, conventions, and clinics. The class’s biggest fundraiser for the year is its Dance Clinic that is held for grades 1-5 in January. Students learn the basic fundamentals of dance and they also learn a dance sequence that is performed at halftime of one of the basketball games.

 

   

 

Oakbrook Preparatory School has an extremely strong drama program.

DRAMA

Students can choose drama as their elective beginning in the 5th grade. They can continue to study drama through the 12th grade.

Drama gives the student an increased appreciation of and additional experience in theater as an art form. The students act, direct, or are technically involved in scenes, one-act plays or full length production. They read, write, and evaluate plays as well as view and critique electronic and live performances. History, culture and technology of theater are examined and explored. Through creating theater, students grow in their ability to comprehend the world and to communicate with others. 

Students have the opportunity to attend theater competitions and present smaller productions. Out of the past two years, Oakbrook's drama team won first place in the SCISA State One-Act Play competition and won the regional title in both years.

Students have the opportunity to audition for the annual school musical each spring. Students do not have to be enrolled in a drama class to audition. Past musical performances include: The Wizard of Oz, The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, and Into the Woods. Coming in 2009: Beauty and the Beast

Drama Club is also available to students interested in Drama. This club meets once per month for upper school students, and membership is not eexclusive to those in drama class.

 

 


JOURNALISM/YEARBOOK

Oakbrook’s journalism program includes newspaper and broadcast media. This year, the two programs have converged. Media convergence, defined as the sharing of content and/or staff with another media platform, is the most significant development in the news industry in the last century. Convergence has enabled media companies to gather and share information over a variety of platforms. Oakbrook’s two journalism staffs – broadcast and newspaper – work together while learning each trade. The newspaper prints five to six times a year, while the broadcast show, "The Update," airs each Friday. In addition, the broadcasting staff produces special documentary shows as well as public service announcements.

The Yearbook staff works tirelessly throughout the year creating the annual. The staff is reponsible for writing, editing, and laying out the yearbook using complex computer software.

 
  Oakbrook Preparatory School - 190 Lincoln School Road - Spartanburg, SC 29301
  Phone 864-587-2060 - Fax 864-587-2092

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Oakbrook Preparatory School is a independent, inter-denominational, Christian school, serving grades K4 through 12 located in Spartanburg, SC.
Oakbrook