"Take risks, fail early and fail often, make mistakes- that’s how you learn!" These are things we say all the time to our students and to our teachers!

What better way to test out ideas and think creatively than to Tinker? Tinkering is an exercise in taking risks, getting real results, both positive and negative, and innovating. While tinkering, children explore materials and learn new skills such as sewing, coding, hammering, drilling, circuits, cooking, and building. Tinkering is one of the Signature Practices at The Cove and promotes creativity across all grade levels.

This student-directed learning time allows students to play, pursue passions and develop a sense of competency and purpose. What better way to innovate than to think with your hands to explore your creativity.

Visual Art education is a critical part of every student’s educational and developmental journey. At The Cove School, students are guided to embrace the joys, struggles and triumphs of art making. Both the process and the results are equally valued. Students explore interesting projects, often inspired by artists, in a variety of mediums such as; watercolors, oil pastels, collages, prints and clay. Examples of typical projects include watercolor technique exercises, succulent and cactus garden painting, gingerbread houses using oil pastels, and line/shape castles inspired by contemporary artist Rob Dunlavey. Through the concentrated focus of art instruction, students build persistence, creativity, ingenuity and confidence.

Music and dance are a big part of The Cove Community. The whole school starts the day dancing to music with Cove-in-Motion! During the week, students participate in music classes where they learn about music, play a variety of instruments and engage in captivating musical activities. Dance classes are also provided. And when students reach fifth grade, they take part in either The Cove Choir or The Cove Band. Many Cove Students also choose to participate in the after school offerings such as the school musical, African drumming lessons or Ukulele Club.

Physical Education at The Cove School consists of huge amounts of fun-filled activities and skill building opportunities. Encouragement, healthy competition and school-wide spirit is all part of the fun. The youngest students, kindergarten through second grade, focus on movement skills, muscle building exercises and object manipulation. While grades three through five focus on team building activities, fitness and strength training, object manipulation and a variety of sports.

Our school whole-heartedly embraces the idea that exercise and improved cognitive performance go hand in hand. As such, we have dedicated 16 minutes 3 times a week to exercising to fun and inspiring music as a group! Learn more about My School In Motion here.

Cove in Motion will be Tuesday-Thursday each week. On Fridays, students will meet their teachers and come to the gallery or blacktop for an assembly each week. On Mondays, each class conducts their own morning movement.

Important Procedures

• Arrive by 8:10 and have your child drop their backpack off outside their classroom and then meet us on the blacktop by 8:15 sharp!

• Early arrivers should head out to the track and WALK around the track. Please do not linger in the Cove Courtyard. Once the track music starts (8:05), playground play ends. Parents, please help by joining us in walking around the track and encouraging the kids around you to walk.

• Parent Participation Expectation: If you are on the blacktop during CIM, please join us in the exercise program along the sides and back of the classes. Do not stand in front on the side of the stage area. If you are not going to participate, we ask that you leave the playground.

• Students who arrive after CIM starts will be marked tardy. They will be missing out on very important, fun and beneficial part of their instructional day.

• CIM Expectations: Bodies forward, participate/try, follow the leader.

Thank you for your support.