The Arts
At Sussex School, the arts are a cornerstone of our educational philosophy, woven into both our curriculum and extended-day programs.
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Our arts curriculum is designed to immerse students in creative exploration through six-week, in-depth units that build skills and foster a deep connection to each discipline. For K–4th grade students, arts integration is key—our arts and core teaching staff collaborate to design interdisciplinary units that enhance learning across subjects. In 5th–8th grades, students enjoy choice-based, elective programming that lets them focus on topics they’re passionate about while encouraging them to explore new creative challenges.
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Beyond the school day, our extensive extended-day arts program offers a wide range of classes, including clay sculpture, rock bands, and theater productions. Open to the greater Missoula community, these programs make arts education accessible to even more students.​
Discover how the arts at Sussex School inspire creativity, collaboration, and confidence in every student.
Music
Music is a vital part of the Sussex School experience, empowering students to become dynamic, engaged, and collaborative lifelong musicians. Research shows that music education boosts literacy, memory, and peer connections while promoting happiness and well-being—especially when making music with others. As we continue to uncover the ways music connects the brain, the benefits of music education become even clearer.
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Our music program is built on four pillars: Literacy, Improvisation, Composition, and Performance. For K–4th grade students, the focus is on building a strong foundation in each area. In 5th–8th grades, students explore their passions through choice-based electives, allowing them to dive deeper into one or more pillars.
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Music units include exciting topics like Historical Remix, Instrument Study, Blues, Rhythmic Fractions, Songwriting, and more. At Sussex School, music isn’t just a class—it’s a pathway to creativity, connection, and lifelong joy.
How playing an instrument benefits your brain.
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Learn more about the power of music in this TED-Ed video from Anita Collins.
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Interested in reading more about the Sussex music curriculum? Explore our curriculum guides and academic journies at a glance for a more detailed view of how we engage music literacy, improvisation, composition, and performance across all grades.
Theatre
The Sussex School Theatre program inspires students to connect with the world through creativity, innovation, and exploration. While learning to express ideas and emotions through storytelling, students also develop essential skills like collaboration, awareness, trust, and respect. Theatre encourages them to explore diverse perspectives and enhance their communication—both on stage and off—while fostering the values of creativity, critical thinking, and honest dialogue.
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Our theatre curriculum focuses on voice, sharing focus, understanding and playing objectives, movement, and story structure. Students engage with these concepts through scene study, monologues, creative writing, group and individual performances, structured storytelling, and improvisation. These activities grow in complexity and depth as students advance through grade levels, providing a rich and dynamic experience in theatre arts.
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At Sussex School, theatre is more than performance—it’s a powerful tool for building confidence, empathy, and connection.
Visual Art
The Visual Arts program at Sussex School empowers students to become creative and courageous changemakers in a global community. Using the Teaching for Artistic Behaviors (TAB) framework, our program embraces the philosophy that every student is an artist and the classroom is their studio. Rooted in research from Harvard University’s Project Zero, TAB encourages students to take ownership of their creative process and develop the skills needed for artistic expression and problem-solving.
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At the heart of TAB is choice. By allowing students to decide what to create, how to approach their work, and with whom to collaborate, we maximize engagement and foster a culture of experimentation and innovation. This choice-driven approach nurtures creativity, builds confidence, and promotes self-efficacy, while encouraging students to develop skills that last a lifetime.
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At Sussex School, visual arts is more than a subject—it’s a pathway to exploration, expression, and transformation.