A recent New York Times article reminds us of the importance of the arts. For educators, this comes as no surprise. And at a school like Lesley Ellis, the article highlights a long held foundational educational philosophy — that the arts are integral to the academic success and emotional and social health of our students. The Lesley Ellis School mission includes two key tenets — collaboration and creativity. Underscoring their importance in the broader educational environment, the article states:

When children are younger, arts education helps develop their capacity for collaboration, for creativity, and even for asking questions. As they get older, Paul T. Sowden, a professor of psychology at the University of Winchester in England, says, “their executive function is much more developed, their ability to sustain attentional tasks is much greater.” For them, arts education can offer the chance to refine and polish  a skill over time, or revise a project until it is as good as it can be.

A Lesley Ellis education is abundant with creative and collaborative opportunities at every level. With the expert guidance of the faculty, our students seamlessly and positively integrate the influences of the arts into their academic experience.