From music and drama to visual arts, creative expression is central to a Ridgefield Academy and Landmark Preschool education. The arts not only inspire imagination but also build confidence, collaboration, and resilience. As our holiday performances and showcases light up the season, a few of our faculty share why the arts matter so deeply here—and how they shape students’ growth from Preschool through Grade 8.
For Middle & Upper School Chorus Director Kevin Haines, the impact of arts education reaches far beyond the aesthetic. Yes, students develop an appreciation for beauty, culture, and shared accomplishment—but something much richer happens beneath the surface. Through rehearsals, group work, and creative projects, they learn accountability, time management, emotional expression, and collaboration. “A wealth of studies show that the arts increase neuroplasticity and improve memory,” he notes. “They help students integrate everything they’re learning in their other classes into long-term memory.”
In the Preschool and Lower School art room, Michelle Manning sees this same transformative power daily. The studio becomes a place where critical thinking, innovation, problem-solving, and flexibility come alive. “Students bring their own unique selves to their work,” she explains. “They incorporate their passions, and they celebrate what makes them special.” The arts, in her eyes, open a door to self-expression that strengthens every area of learning.
That cross-disciplinary connection is intentional across RA|LP. Manning collaborates closely with classroom teachers so that art deepens students’ understanding of broader themes. Young artists might explore endangered species, global celebrations, or U.S. states through their projects. Preschoolers move through monthly themes—Dinosaurs, Space, Seasons, Architecture—using paint, clay, and mixed media to make meaning in ways words alone cannot.
"Art and music connect deeply to RA|LP’s themes of belonging, creativity, and identity....Creating and performing allows students to express their ideas and emotions in unique ways."- Jamie Kaye, MS/US Band
Meanwhile, step into the Chorus room, and you might find a very different kind of creative energy: joyful noise. A typical class is buzzing with anywhere from 10 to 30 students lifting their voices in harmony. When not preparing for concerts, they work in small groups on inventive projects—writing and recording educational songs for their Kindergarten buddies, learning national anthems in other languages, creating mash-ups and parodies, or experimenting with loop-recorded sound collages at the music technology desk. These moments of discovery and play are, for many, where confidence blooms.
Some projects become student favorites year after year. Haines points to the 8th Grade educational video project as a highlight. Students choose a concept that Kindergarteners will soon encounter, then write an original song and produce a music video to teach it. Some groups compose original melodies; others rework familiar tunes with clever new lyrics. Still others focus on audio mixing or video editing. The project begins in Chorus, ends in Technology class, and mirrors the interdisciplinary creativity that defines modern artistic careers.
In the Lower School art studio, Manning loves watching Grade 3 students dive into their Modern and Contemporary Art unit. After years of learning traditional techniques and the progression of art history, students encounter artists who break every rule and redefine what art can be. “It’s thrilling to watch them experience work that bends expectations,” she says. “They see that art isn’t fixed—it evolves, just like they do.”
Across their years at RA|LP, students’ artistic journeys reflect both technical growth and personal development. Haines sees students build musical skills—from harmonization to vocal projection—but also grow into more self-assured individuals. Manning describes a progression that begins with fine-motor practice in Preschool and expands to fluid creativity, independent thought, and risk-taking in Lower School. By Middle School, students have both the technical foundation and the creative mindset to tackle more complex artistic challenges.
"The experimenting, the problem-solving, the course-corrections—that’s where the real learning happens."- Michelle Manning, PS/LS Visual Arts
Performances, exhibitions, and displays punctuate this journey, serving not just as culminating events but as expressions of community. “They’re opportunities for students and families to come together and show support and love for one another,” Haines reflects. These shared experiences deepen students’ sense of belonging—an essential thread woven throughout the school’s mission.
For Jamie Kaye, Middle & Upper School Band Director, that sense of belonging is inseparable from the arts themselves. “Art and music connect deeply to RA|LP’s themes of belonging, creativity, and identity,” he says. “They bring people together through shared sounds and teamwork, helping students feel part of a community where everyone’s voice matters. Creating and performing allows students to express their ideas and emotions in unique ways.”
Each of these teachers hopes families understand just how powerful arts education can be. Haines emphasizes that the arts nurture executive functioning and emotional regulation—skills critical for lifelong success. Manning reminds parents to celebrate the creative process even more than the final product. “The experimenting, the problem-solving, the course-corrections—that’s where the real learning happens,” she notes. And Kaye points to research showing that sustained engagement in music and art correlates with higher academic achievement, from reading and math to SAT performance.
At Ridgefield Academy and Landmark Preschool, the arts are not an add-on or an enrichment—they are the heartbeat of a learning community that celebrates childhood, pursues excellence, and cultivates kindness. Every chorus rehearsal, paint-splattered apron, bold brushstroke, and shared performance strengthen students’ confidence, creativity, and sense of self. And as our students continue to sing, sculpt, sketch, collaborate, and perform, they remind us that the arts are not just part of education—they are part of who we are.
"Studies show that the arts increase neuroplasticity and improve memory, [helping] students integrate everything they’re learning in their other classes into long-term memory."- Kevin Haines, MS/US Chorus & Drama