Outlook

KRISTEN Guerin • ART Teacher • HIGH School

Ilove creating practical art. By that I mean, art that doesn’t have to hang on a wall to be appreciated, art that serves a practical function. I love making beautiful, useful items and teaching my students how to do the same and introduce them to opportunities where they may earn a living making beautiful, useful items. Thanks to a generous donor and supporter of our school, a dream of mine has been realized this year. I have loved working with clay since high school when my ceramics teacher entered one of my pieces into a college art show where it earned me a small scholarship. I have longed to use my interest in clay to benefit the students of CCA since I began teaching here in 2014. The sculpture and ceramics class uses our newly donated kiln and freshly renovated ceramics room to learn skills that are based in the fine arts and inextricably linked to manufacturing and production, chemistry, physics, and math. The kiln is used to create chemical changes in the clay and glazes by subjecting them to intense heat over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. That change turns the clay pieces from a dry piece of dirt to a durable, glossy, usable work of art. All of this sounds very lofty and exciting, but the reality of having the necessary equipment, tools, and building upgrades in order to make this dream a reality came with a hefty price tag. I am blessed to be part of a community of faculty, staff, parents, and other supporters who recognize how influential our small school is and are willing to sacrifice to be part of it and help it thrive. I will be forever grateful for the generosity of the anonymous donor that continues to support the arts department, and I look forward to making the most of this opportunity to serve the students of CCA.

Potter’s Wheel

The Skutt KMT1227 is the ultimate low fire production kiln

Through the generosity of both parents and donors, the school building itself received some efficient updates and better functioning spaces over the summer. CCA is committed to continual improvement in both the educational environment and the community culture.

House Huddles

Workers were busy over the summer in many of the spaces in the building. The front hallway walls were painted white to match the rest of the halls. Wood panels were installed along with wooden radiator covers to warm up the space. The Auditorium doors and displays branded in CCA blue to pop with Crusader spirit. Look for giant letters on the tall stairwell walls to inspire and encourage. More signage is outside on our campus perimeter to direct visitors and families with new in-ground signs. A fourth grade classroom was painted a calming dark blue and accented with matching curtains. The rest of the room was updated with built-in bookshelves, custom boards, air conditioning, a dedicated reading corner and curriculum specific decor. The welcoming feel of the room invites the students for a full day of learning. The new House System inspired new spaces. Carving out designated hangout space from the corners at the top of the stairs provided the opportunity to give students a place to gather in community.

NY State theme

Front Hallway Facelift