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Sayles School
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Fine Arts

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The John Sayles School of Fine Arts
Awarded the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education

 The John Sayles School of Fine Arts (SSFA) is a smaller learning community of approximately 650 students at Schenectady High School. We carry the name of one of our famous district graduates internationally known filmmaker, John Sayles. The school provides an integrated Regents high school curriculum with an interdisciplinary focus in visual art, music, theatre, and dance. Schenectady High School, with an enrollment of approximately 2900 students, is divided into five communities, including the Sayles School. The Sayles School of Fine Arts provides unique arts opportunities in the region. The John Sayles School of Fine Arts was recently awarded the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education and its students performed on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center.

Students in the Sayles School have the chance to study visual art, music, dance, media arts, and theatre. Consistent and sequential course work provides students at all ability levels opportunities to explore the arts. Course work is taught during the school day and includes classes in Acting, Tap, Jazz Dance, Drawing, Piano, Filmmaking, Chamber Choir, and International Baccalaureate Music and Art, to name a few. All subjects and grade levels integrate the arts. There are four grade level teams including teachers in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Reading, and Foreign Language work together to create relevance, rigor, and relationships for our students. 

The Sayles School of Fine Arts is housed in a 42,000 square foot wing at Schenectady High School, built as an addition in 2001. The facilities include: a Black Box Theatre, Dance Studio, Video Production Studio, Media Arts Lab, Piano Lab, Music Studios, Art Studios, and Gallery. The SSFA is home to our own theatre company Blue Roses Theatre Co., the district television station, which we operate, Schenectady City Schools TV, and our art gallery, the Henry and Miriam Butzel Gallery. 

In the John Sayles School of Fine Arts community partnerships provide our students extensive opportunities to work with artists in residencies, see live performances, view professional art work, as well as, to exhibit and perform in our community.  

Theatre/Media Arts

Since its 1998 debut, the Sayles School of Fine Arts Blue Roses Theatre Co. (BRTC) has put on more than 40 performances in its impressive 250-seat Black Box Theatre. From classics such as A Raisin in the Sun and A School for Scandal to a series of original short plays by SHS students. The plays continue every year. Various interdisciplinary units have occurred. For example; while BRTC was in production with Crumbs From the Table of Joy, students in English classes read and studied the play. A mural for Crumbs from the Table of Joy was created by students in Set Design, Drawing 1, and Study Hall. Theatre/Media Arts courses taught during the school day include – Introduction to Theatre; Acting I, II, III, and IV; Video Production; Filmmaking I; Electronic News Gathering; Perspectives on Air; and Economics in Action

The Media Arts program at the Sayles School of Fine Arts (SSFA) includes TV and video production, filmmaking, and news gathering. It is home to the Schenectady City School District TV (SCSTV), the district’s TV station on cable channel 17. The students from the station have produced a training video for Price Chopper Supermarkets and Zone 5 Law Enforcement Training Center. SSFA students and staff produced full length film capturing the Patriots’ (The Schenectady High School Basketball Team) passion, pride in “Rebound.” This film followed the Schenectady High School Basketball Team and premiered at Proctor’s Theatre. The Fine Arts Showcase which airs on SCSTV highlights the artwork and achievements of our visual arts students from all grades. Each summer since 2002, The SSFA offers a Summer Film Festival. This project, in cooperation with Proctors Theatre, offers students the opportunity to write, direct, edit, and star in their own films.  

The Blue Roses Theatre Company

What's in a name? Jim: ...Being different is nothing to be ashamed of. Because other people aren't such wonderful people. They're one hundred times one thousand. You're one times one! They walk all over the earth. You just stay here. They're as common as - weeds, but - you, well you're - Blue Roses!                    from The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams

On October 21, 1998, The Blue Roses Theatre Company made its official debut with a performance of Williams' lyrical masterpiece, The Glass Menagerie. As part of the Schenectady City School District's John Sayles School of Fine Arts, the BRTC continuously strives to present something unique and beautiful to its audiences in Schenectady's schools and the surrounding region as well. At the core of its mission lies the belief that students learn best while working side by side with artists of varied backgrounds and levels of experience. For this reason, Blue Roses incorporates the collaborative efforts of student and adult artists, from both within the school district and the regional artistic community at large, in every production it takes on. Accomplished performers, designers and technicians, that often bring years of professional credits with them, work with our students on every show. We at The Blue Roses Theatre Company hope to continue bringing something worthwhile, pleasing and perhaps just a bit out of the ordinary to theatre audiences in our community.  Blue Roses Theatre Co. produces four major theatre productions annually. Productions are supported in various courses throughout the school and continue afterschool with daily rehearsals –2009-10 season includes The Bluest Eye, Over the Tavern, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Fantasticks 

Dance

The Sayles School of Fine Arts is one of the few schools statewide to offer dance. Students study jazz, tap, ballet, and Afro-Brazilian dance.  Dance Connection is the school’s performance troupe. Courses taught during the school day include – Introduction to Dance; Ballet; Jazz Dance; Hip Hop; Tap; Afro-Brazilian Dance and Dance Connection. We have been told that we are the only school in the State to have developed our dance curriculum and received approval to award Dance credit that supports the New York State Standards for the Arts. Students can earn their physical education requirement through dance in grades 11 and 12. 

The dance program welcomes students of all abilities, students with limited dance experience as well as those that have studied dance privately. The dance staff differentiates instruction to challenge the abilities of all students. Advanced students take their knowledge to developing choreography and demonstrating and assisting other students. Dance Connection is the only course requiring audition. This advanced class expands students’ performance ability and repertoire as well as develops their technical skills. All students do perform as part of each course requirement. Extensive dance residencies and opportunities to see professional dancers have expanded students’ knowledge of this art form. The dance program often collaborates and integrates with other areas. Everything from teaching students the Charleston during a study of the Great Gatsby to a cultural exploration recently in a performance and residency by the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company “Branches of Words,” a cross cultural show featuring music, dance, and poetry of the Middle East. 

Music

The Sayles School of Fine Arts has two jazz bands, a wind ensemble, a full band and orchestra along with four select choirs. The SSFA Music program performs four major concerts annually involving approximately 250 students in each. Also, several piano recitals and community performances occur. Courses taught during the school day include - Music in Our Lives; Band; Show Choir; Women’s Choir; Orchestra; Piano I, II, III, and IV; Music Theory; Voice Seminar I, II, and III; Jazz Ensemble I and II; Serenaders ; Chamber Music; Drumming; Wind Ensemble; Chamber Choir; and IB Music. 

Our select chorus and instrumental programs have received numerous awards for performance. Chamber Choir has performed at level 6 New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) and received a gold award.  Instrumental music recently received a gold award at the Oneida Jazz Festival. Collaborations with our music program have been extensive. Noteworthy regional choral groups have invited the SSFA to perform with them including the Octavos; Empire State Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble, and the Electric City Chorus. Our Jazz Combo opened for and performed at Proctor’s Theatre with Blood, Sweat and Tears. The music program has worked with other curriculum areas. A recent example includes a field trip for our 9^th grade students studying culture and religion in Global History class to a Catholic Church, Hindu Temple, and a Jewish Synagogue. In each location the students studied the architecture, listened to the culture’s music, and spoke with the religious leader.  

Visual Art

The visual art curriculum offers a range of sequentially designed courses. The program is designed to stimulate and teach visual awareness, perception and criticism of the arts through drawing from observation.  Portfolio development is emphasized as an ongoing decision making process.  Students select methods, materials and visual forms to communicate their personal investigation of ideas.  It is expected that students demonstrate a high level of quality and growth through content, technique and process.  Students have many opportunities to work with visiting artists through The Henry and Miriam Butzel Gallery located in the Sayles wing. The gallery showcases local and regional artists throughout the year, as well as, serving as a satellite classroom for artist lectures, faculty and student exhibits. Courses taught during the school day include - Myths and Legends; Studio in Art; Intro to Drawing; Color and Design; Intro to Ceramics; Intro to Computer Art I and II; Intro to Sculpture; Craft Design; Drawing I; Computer Art and Electronic Imaging I; Drawing and Painting; Ceramics I; Sculpture I and II; Visual Art Portfolio and Career Preparation; Advanced Placement Drawing; and IB Visual Art.

Visual arts students collaborate with students in other art areas. They can be found working with the theatre department creating sets for the upcoming production such as the annual 10x10 show. Numerous collaborations between visual art and other curriculum areas are noted below under the grade level teams. Students exhibit their work throughout our own building community and in our community including juried regional art competitions such as “Media Arts Competition” and the “Annual High School Regional Juried Art” exhibitions. Several visual arts juniors and seniors have had solo shows in local community arts venues.

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