Arts & Communications Technology Focus Program
Kenmore Middle School is entering its 24th year as an arts and communications technology focus school. The middle school curriculum is taught through the arts as well as communications technology. Students at Kenmore inquire, connect, create and communicate. Throughout the school day they are actively engaged in learning activities that integrate communications technology, visual art, drama, music, and movement. Students from throughout Arlington may apply to attend Kenmore. Bus transportation is provided for those living outside the neighborhood attendance zone.
The school’s art and technology focus provide student with alternative ways of learning. This approach is based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences and seeks to encourage students to use eight intelligences: musical, visual, verbal, logical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and environmental. Students are challenged to think critically and to work collaboratively through classroom instruction. Learning is active and engaging. Social and emotional development is supported through the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework which is aligned with the Arlington Tiered System of Support (ATSS) model. Academic intervention is augmented by flexible teacher advisory groupings as well as extra electives and after school support. Kenmore offers elective courses through the after-school ACT II program on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The school has a tradition of supporting the art and has a longstanding relationship with The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Kenmore offers multiple performances throughout the year for the theater arts, chorus, orchestra, and band programs. Students at Kenmore may also take Dance PE, which also includes performances for the community. Teachers receive professional development for integrating the arts into their content. Tableau, readers’ theater, visual art, and other techniques are integrated with the curriculum throughout the year.
Creative applications of technology are a hallmark of the school’s instructional practice. Students have access to iPads, SMART boards, interactive response systems, a television studio and a variety of software applications that support learning. Students attending Kenmore have an opportunity to take Robotics as we as Design Thinking as an elective. These courses support the integration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). Students also may elect to participate in a certification program offered by the school to recognize successful completion of a series of STEAM-related courses and experiences. The school has a multi-use fabrication lab (STEAM room) as well as technology-enhanced classrooms. All classrooms have SMART boards. One classroom is outfitted with multiple SMART boards and the other has an interactive wall.
Following the middle school model, students are divided into grade level teams for core classes. Student are assigned to a group of five or six teachers who work together to provide the students on their team with a challenging and supportive academic experience. Faculty and staff members regularly participate in professional development for the integration of arts and technology. Additionally, teachers meet routinely in collaborative learning teams to discuss and monitor student academic progress to ensure that the needs of all students are met.