Fine Arts Programs in our Phillips County Schools

If you’re visiting the Malta Middle and High Schools and want to see a sampling of the visual artwork that is being created, you have two options. You can walk down the Middle School corridor and look above the lockers or you can look to your right as you enter the school doors near the office and see the High School artists’ work displayed in the showcase!

Mrs. Anna LaBrie is the Fine Arts Teacher for the Malta Public Schools middle and high school students and Kalli Reintjes is the 4th grade teacher that works with the 4th and 5th grade students on art projects. Kalli is in her third year of teaching art and has approximately seventy 4th and 5th graders whom she teaches on Fridays. The 4th grade projects are hung in the hallways above the lockers and some are placed inside the classroom. Fifth grade projects are hung on a huge bulletin board in the hallway across from their classrooms and sometimes overflow goes above the lockers.. The elementary students prepare some of their projects for entry into the Phillips County Fair Art Competition.

Mrs. LaBrie has been teaching art for 11 years. She taught for two years in Saco, grades K-12. She’s been guiding the fine arts program in the Malta Middle and High School since 2007. There are 5 art classes each day – 6th through 8th grade and two high school classes from levels one through four. There are 13 high school students and an average of 11 students per class per trimester in the middle school classes. The 6th Graders have been traveling through the world of art, going to different countries and learning about specific techniques from each one. Their first project took them to Australia and they learned about the Aborigines (native Australian people). They used construction paper and glue.

The 7th graders learned about line and how to really draw. They created bugs and dealt with color schemes and mixing. Symmetry was also emphasized and materials included watercolor paper and acrylic paint.

8th graders in Malta learn about specific artists including Klimt and Van Gogh, usually working with patterns and color theory. Their first project dealt with complimentary and split complimentary color schemes while adding tints and shading. They also used watercolor paper and acrylic paint.

The Whitewater Schools have art lessons interwoven with their normal daily studies according to Rana Jesson, the school administrative assistant, and their works are displayed in the hallways. The more serious students work on art projects that can be entered into the Phillips County Fair every year to place and win prizes.

Saco and Dodson schools also have similar set ups and displays for their arts program, although we weren’t able to get particulars in time for this article. We’re looking forward to more insight in the coming months as we highlight art projects that are being created by students.

There are always many events happening at the schools in the arts – musicals have been performed, concerts and district and state competitions are happening, and visual fine arts are on display through the school year. For the most part, the parents and family members of the students involved get the most exposure to these events and displays. It is evident, though, that many members of the Phillips County community use the arts events for entertainment and their support is greatly appreciated. Every time a Phillips County resident visits the schools and contributes to ticket sales and concessions, they are helping the school grow their arts programs for the enjoyment of everyone and the education of the students.