Fine Arts at Menlo

Sixth and Seventh Grade students rotate through a quarter each of Art, Drama, Music and Human Skills. In Eighth Grade, students take two semester-long electives choosing from Art, Shakespeare, Improvisation and Scenes, Percussion and Chorus. One day a week, Eighth Grade students take a Human Skills class.

Many clubs and extracurricular programs focus on the Fine Arts, including Cartooning Club, Jazz Band, musical concerts, two dramatic productions and a spring musical, and three Knight Clubs (informal talent shows).

Upper School

The arts play an important and active role in the lives of Upper School students; over 40% of the student body is involved in an art activity at some time during the school year.

All Freshmen are introduced to the four main areas of art offered at Menlo—Studio Art, Drama, Music and Dance—as part of the Freshman Rotation.

Students in Grades 10-12 are required to take two further semesters in the arts, which complement and extend a student's ability to perceive his/her environment and allow a student to take risks, develop creative responsibility, and attain a sense of self-worth.