A Washington State approved Kindergarten-6th grade
arts integrated elementary school.
Integrated Core Curriculum
Linear - Full Year
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Mathematics
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English Language Arts (Reading, Writing)
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Science
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Social Studies
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Physical and Health Education
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Applied Design, Skills & Technology - Electives choices build on student's natural curiosity, inventiveness and desire to create and work in practical ways
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Spanish Language
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Music Education
Learning through the arts enlivens instruction, increases student involvement, and deepens both memory and meaning. The arts are infused throughout curricular areas to engage the whole child and provide for various methods of expression. In the integrated core, academic learning, such as Reading, Writing, and Mathematics, are delivered through both skill instruction and experiential interdisciplinary projects.
When students receive an age appropriate arts-integrated lesson, they improve their ability to assess their learning. Arts integrated instruction creates greater intrinsic motivation, encourages learning for understanding, turning what students perceive to be barriers into opportunities to be solved, and motivate students to continue learning. Students will build community through shared work. Projects will have a real-world connection while being supported by learning partners and the community at large.
Students will develop core competencies that support them to:
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Problem solve
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Make good judgements
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Learn there is usually more than one solution and answer to their questions
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Celebrate multiple perspectives
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Small differences can have large effects
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Think critically and creatively
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Understand, plan and reflect on their thinking
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Collaborate and communicate
ART
Arts Rotation
6-8 week rotations
Rotation choices may include:
Music
Drama/Theater
Movement/Dance
Culinary Arts
Ceramics & Sculpture
Drawing & Painting
Poetry & Spoken Word
Creative Writing/Script Writing
Media Arts & Design
S.T.E.A.M.
Fiber Arts
Photography
WHAT ART
MATERIAL DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO ?
Teacher Molly, Jennifer and Xan are sharing about the incredible variety of art materials their students have access to in their classrooms.
ART MATERIALS
Our goal is to offer students the opportunities to connect with and explore areas of interests and passion. Based on their age and developmental level, student select from a variety of art and technology areas in order to build the skills needed to showcase learning within the integrated core. Students deepen discipline specific skills and understandings by focusing on creating and artistic processes. Rotations support students to work in collaborative teams and connect to the local community.
Arts Education - Students develop artful and creative habits of the mind and engage in self expression.
Applied Design, Skills and Technology - Electives choices build on each students natural curiosity, inventiveness and desire to create and work in practical ways.
English Language Arts - Students develop further skills to express themselves in creative writing, poetry and performance skills in spoken word.
Rotations will be based on 6-8 week blocks and will evolve based on student interest. Still will have an increasing number of rotation opportunities yearly as they grow in age and experience.
Immersive Exploration
One week - 3 times a year.
Students will explore a variety of curriculum competencies in their Immersive Experience.
Examples may include:
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Drama/Theater
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Media Production
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Sculpture & Ceramics
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Poetry & Spoken Word
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Dance & Body Movement
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S.T.E.A.M. Intensive
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Culinary Arts
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Digital
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Textile Arts
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Coding and Game Production
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A variety of other options based on student interest
Immersive Explorations are dynamic and engaging learning opportunities for students to go deep into interests within specific arts and technology focus areas. During this exploration, students will collaborate with peers, teachers, experts/professionals, and creative professionals in the community to partner on real-world projects and problems.
These intensive learning opportunities support students to discover and grow in personal passion areas and prepare for even deeper focused learning in future explorations and begin to learn with age and skill appropriate industry standard tools. These experiences prepare students for self-directed personalized learning projects at the 4th - 6th grade levels.
During the week these Immersive Explorations take place, learning in the integrated core and arts rotations are paused.
What is an Arts Integrated
Elementary School ?
The arts are as important as academics, and they should be treated that way in school curriculum. This is what we believe and practice at Gabriel’s Art Kids - RWSAS. While the positive impact of the arts on academic achievement is worthwhile in itself, it's also the tip of the iceberg when looking at the whole child. Learning art goes beyond creating more successful students.
We believe that it creates more successful human beings.
Our students use the arts — dance, music, visual art, and theatre — as a way to learn core academic subjects. This fusion of art with academics sparks the imagination and challenges the intellect, preparing students for vibrant, successful lives in secondary school and beyond.
PROJECT BASED LEARNING ?
Teacher Jennifer will explain to us what project-based learning is and the benefit of art integration in our classroom.
’’Learning through mistakes for arts students come from taking risks, making mistakes, and applying feedback.”
Learning through the arts enlivens instruction, increases student involvement, and deepens both memory and meaning. The arts are infused throughout curricular areas to engage the whole child and provide for various methods of expression.
Researchers found that when students received arts-integrated lessons compared to more traditional teaching practices, they improved their ability to assess their learning, and reported that the arts integrated instruction created greater intrinsic motivation, encouraged learning for understanding, turned what students perceived to be barriers into opportunities to be solved, and motivated students to continue learning.
WHY ARTS INTEGRATION ?
It’s long been known that drawing something helps a person remember it. A new study, at the University of Waterloo, they conducted experiments to better understand how activities such as writing, looking at pictures, listening to lectures, drawing, and visualizing images affect a student’s ability to remember information. This study shows that drawing is superior to activities such as reading or writing because it forces the person to process information in multiple ways: visually, kinesthetically, and semantically. Across a series of experiments, researchers found drawing information to be a powerful way to boost memory, increasing recall by nearly double.
PROJECT BASED LEARNING
THE SCHOOL
We created a series of videos to help you understand the magic behind the Robert Williams School of Arts and Sciences!
Learn about our story and get a guided tour of our school and programs.
THE TEACHERS
GABRIEL MILES
-FOUNDER OF RWSAS-
I grew up in Westchester County, NY and received a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in NYC and an MS in Art Education from Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY. I am WA State certified, K - 12 with an endorsement in Visual Arts. I have taught students in age from preschool through adults, in both the public and private school setting as well as at community centers, non profit organizations, museums and taught art to children, ages 7 – 18, with Down Syndrome and other special needs. I have taught 2-D; mixed media, watercolor, acrylic, pastels, colored pencils, charcoal, printmaking, etc. 3-D; book binding, clay, plaster, mixed media sculptures (recycled materials).
I moved to Bellingham in 2003 with my husband, Joe, and our two dogs. We welcomed our first child in March 2008, she is now in middle school. We love the great outdoors, especially the beaches, hiking and camping and always bringing along a sketchbook or camera.
In 2010 I created the toddler art program that was offered at the Family Interactive Gallery (FIG) which is part of the Whatcom Museum at the Lightcatcher building. In 2012 I opened Gabriel’s Art Kids and I haven't looked back since! I love my school, my students and families and most of all my teachers, all of who help to make GAK what it is !
TRINN MURRAY
Legacy Leading for Excellence
Trinn’s educational adventures began in Brooklyn, New York, at the knees of her grandmothers, Anna Murray and Naomi Gottlieb. Their early influence inspired her to pursue specializations in elementary education and K-12 special education, leading to significant roles in school and district leadership before her arrival at GAK/RWSAS to serve as our new assistant director.
Trinn obtained her B.Ed from the University of Hawaii, focusing on early literacy with a minor in dance. She taught 5th grade and led an arts-integrated preK-6 program on Oahu before pursuing graduate-level studies. Trinn holds an M.Ed from Chaminade University of Honolulu and both resident teaching and principal certificates from Washington State. A lifelong passion for cultivating creative thinking and excellence in arts and education remains her guiding light.
Trinn eagerly anticipates the learning journeys ahead with the staff, students and families of GAK/RWSAS and the ASAP; she is excited to meet everyone and co-create a legacy of possibilities together.
-ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-
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JENNIFER LINDSTROM
Jennifer Lindstrom has a Bachelor's degree in Art Education with an emphasis in Painting from San Francisco State University. After graduating she moved back to Los Angeles to be closer to family, where she is a proud Auntie of 5 nieces and nephews.
She went into education running an after school tutoring program for elementary students and on the side she and her husband volunteered at a nonprofit program called LA Works where they painted murals at schools in the LA Unified School District.
She then moved on to have an interior design painting business working in Malibu, CA and spent time as a set painter for the movie industry.
After moving to Bellingham and working for GAK, Jennifer is finally able to bring her two passions together, working with kids and a love of art. With the expansion of our new school, Jennifer has taken on the challenge of being the main teacher of our new elementary school, along with co teacher Xan and specialty music teachers Julie and Spanish teacher David.
-UPPER ELEMENTARY TEACHER-
MOLLY FURGUSON
Greetings! My name is Molly Ferguson and I’ve spent my life calling Bellingham home.
Early on, I found myself drawn to art - taking long-forgotten and miscellaneous items, I would construct creatures to line the kitchen windowsill.
Today, my love for creating has carried on into my adult life and career. I attended Western Washington University where I became a certified elementary educator while majoring in art education. Art and working with children are my two greatest passions, which led me to the Robert Williams School of Arts and Sciences (RWS). Since I began working here, I've grown significantly as an instructor and an artist and I’m excited to continue my journey.
Being surrounded by those who share similar passions is inspiring and I feel lucky to work with such amazing people.
Beyond RWS, I spend a lot of time outdoors. You may find me walking the harbor, birdwatching, or visiting the beach.
I also like to read, spend time with my family, and play card games. If you have any questions about me, feel free to ask!
-LOWER ELEMENTARY TEACHER-
XAN JONHSON
Xan Johnson has lived in Bellingham for 20 years, starting her education career in the Outdoor Education BA program at Huxley College.
Though her love of art started with music and theater in her youth in Tacoma, she has been teaching in public schools since 2004, and as an ELL Specialist for 10 years serving multilingual populations in Skagit and Whatcom counties.
Endorsed in TESOL, Elementary Education and Middle School Science, Xan is thrilled to be coming full circle to a new position that combines art, education, and science, with rock-star co-teacher Jen and a talented and dedicated staff. Xan spends most of her time attempting the Art of Parenting, joyously stumbling through life with Aurora (9), Marina (6), her husband JR and 2 hound dogs Tyrone and Acai
-UPPER ELEMENTARY TEACHER-
SIDRA WILLIAMSON
Sidra "Sid" Williamson is an experienced educator with a passion for nurturing creativity in young minds. With 5 1/2 years of teaching elementary visual arts under her belt, Sid has honed her skills in diverse settings, from Hanoi, Vietnam, to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a pause in her international teaching journey, but it also paved the way for her return to Bellingham, Washington. Sid is thrilled to be teaching at Gabriel's Art Kids and Robert Williams Elementary.
A graduate of Western Washington University, Sid holds a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts and Film Production. She never anticipated that her educational journey would come full circle, leading her to complete her Master's in Education through student-teaching in Bellingham, at an exceptional art school no less. Sid is committed to creating an open-minded, supportive, and inspirational environment where children can freely explore their interests in art.
Recently, Sid has taken on a new role as the Kindergarten Teacher at Robert Williams Elementary, further expanding her impact on young learners.
For more about Sid and her work, visit her website and art account: Sidra Williamson Art Teacher.
-KINDERGARTEN TEACHER-
BAILEY MCCULLY
Bailey McCully (she/hers) has taught and performed across North America and Europe, and she's thrilled to once again call Bellingham home.
Swing dancing and tap are both specialties and favorite dances, but she loves learning about all other forms of dance. Bailey teaches movers of all ages, working in Western Washington schools to provide accessible dance classes to young dancers. Her background in education has made pedagogical excellence both a passion and defining quality.
Bailey always aims to create a class culture in which students feel safe to try, explore, experiment, and learn to become the best dancers they can be. While technique is always a component, Bailey focuses on encouraging students to find all the possible ways to move and express. She loves to explore personal style and creativity with her students, using the music as the constant source of guidance and inspiration.
-UPPER ELEMENTARY TEACHER-
DAVID MORENO
David was born and raised in Southern California before moving north to the San Francisco bay area. His family emigrated from México and maintains close family relations to his more than 20 first cousins and two brothers living there. Spanish is his first language, and he understands the challenges and, more importantly, the benefits of bilingualism/ multilingualism for learners of all ages.
In Northern California, he began working as a High School Spanish teacher and an athletics coach. He has also worked in Middle School and Elementary classrooms providing support for students with special needs and learners of English as a second language. He received an AA in Political Science from Berkeley City College and recently completed his Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Washington University.
David moved to Bellingham a few years ago and lives with his wife and two young daughters. They enjoy spending time at parks, hiking the trails all around town, and laughing mightily at life’s funny moments. At home, you will find him happiest in the kitchen (that’s where the food is, duh), or in the garden (because that’s where it grows) hands deep in soil. He believes that creating art is a Super Power, and he is excited to see his students use those strengths as they acquire Spanish at Gabriel’s Art Kids..
-SPANISH TEACHER-
JULIE
Julie Lewis is a new Bellingham resident. She has previously been teaching at independent studios, afterschool programs, and private locations for music, voice, piano, guitar, theater, art and dance in the LA area. She is a well rounded performer and educator and a proud member of AEA - the theater actor's union, AOSA – Orff Level 3 and CMN – the children’s music network. She has been a teacher for over 20 years, in a variety of settings. Her experience with children spans years of full-time pre-school and pre-kindergarten programs, after school programs for ages 6-12, full time integrated classroom for grades K-2, youth outreach visiting artist in schools and theater programs, party clowning and special needs education with children on the spectrums.
Julie traveled the world at a young age, as a military offspring. She began singing and performing in stage productions at the age of 11. After attending high school in North Pole, Alaska, she moved to Seattle, where she continued to reside on and off for more than a decade. She traveled gradually down the California coast in search of warmer weather, finally landing in LA. She has also lived in NYC and Japan following her performing work. Performing, she has been in numerous regional plays and musicals, was a member of improv group - Playback Theater Northwest for three years, has sung in many bands, choirs and an acapella group (featured on NPR in November 2008) and for various recordings of up and coming musicals (such as The Spirit Warrior's Dream - CD release October 2008 and the Burning Opera-CD release 2011). Favorite roles include Cruella DeVille (East Coast TYA tour), Edwin (The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Summer Rep at the JC 2007) and Tap Dancing Orca Whale #3 (Village Theater in Seattle) She has also directed, music directed and choreographed a number of musicals with children in Washington and Northern California and co-founded a theater company in 2012. Most recently she has finished her first children’s album, “Shhh” a lullaby collection and looks forward to making more.
With so many adventures possible, it's always hard to choose, but Julie is grateful for the many opportunities that her work and travels in the arts has brought her and highly values each community and every family she encounters. She is working on ways to stay present in the moment, and making the time and space to manage and prep her many "amazing collections" of art/sewing supplies, musical instruments, theatrical props/costumes/wigs and jewelry making materials in her new Bellingham home, shared with her loving partner of twelve years.
-MUSIC TEACHER-
F.A.Q
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What are you class size ?Our class sizes are small and personal, capped at 12 students per classroom. Students mostly work and create in their “home” classroom with peers but also gather in school-wide events for Consortium(a group of octopuses is called a Consortium), Field Trips, performances or guest speakers, as well as break into smaller groups for focused math or literacy instruction. Compared to public schools, our class sizes are smaller by half and offer personalized instruction, collaboration with peers, and student-led project-based learning. We teach creatively to creative kids, so we are well-versed in ways to creatively accommodate students with sensory integration issues, learning disabilities or otherwise. First and foremost, we work with the families and students to best support the whole child. We readily modify environments as best as possible including seating, noise levels, break spaces, and use co-teachers as support when students need breaks. We strongly believe that everyone learns differently and we strive to support each child so they can be successful and happy during the school day. Currently, K-1 class is 8 students, 2-4 class is 7 students. One homeroom teacher each, plus 4 specialty teachers and often a support teacher. Our average teacher to student ratio is 5:1
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Is there one home room teacher similar to public school or is it middle-school styled where students have elective courses with different teachers?Students in Robert Williams School learn in multi-age classrooms with peers in their age group. The breakdown of grades/ages depends greatly on enrollment, but for the 2022-23 school year we have had a Kindergarten/First classroom with Molly and a Second-Fourth grade classroom with Jen. These are their homeroom classes and spend the most time with this small group and one teacher, though their school day is peppered with Specialists and activities. Students have Music class daily, and Science, Dance, and Spanish each twice weekly with separate teachers. We also gather in school-wide events for Consortium, Field Trips, performances or guest speakers, as well as break into mixed smaller groups for focused math or literacy instruction.
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Are there openings during the school year?Yes, we take registrations thorough the year
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What are all the subjects covered?RWS is an arts-integrated school that uses project-based learning as a complementary approach. Though there may be several subjects included in any particular project, they are studying them through real-world application and problem-solving - using the design process from both art and science. However, we also teach subjects discretely, such as specialty classes like Music, Science, Spanish, and Dance, as well as Math and Reading workshops. There are also specific times for skills instruction like phonics in the K-1 classroom and writing informational paragraphs in the 2-4 class. Teachers collaborate to incorporate projects and/or themes into specialty classes, and we often plan field trips, events or holidays around those projects (or vice versa!). Through our project-based learning approach, we use state standards to guide our instruction, ensuring that we teach critical understandings and foundational knowledge in each subject at varying grade levels and degrees of complexity. Our teachers differentiate for each student and meet them where they are - creating emergent learning experiences unique to each child but rooted in research-based practices and pedagogy. We creatively teach creative students!
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What state curriculum is used?We use a variety of curricula, inspiration and guidance to plan our instruction. Through our project-based learning approach, we use state standards to guide our instruction, ensuring that we teach critical understandings and foundational knowledge in each subject at varying grade levels and degrees of complexity. Though we are not bound to state assessments, we use diagnostic and progress-monitoring assessments in literacy and math to track student progress.
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In public school, subjects like critical race theory, sexual education, band/orchestra, etc is covered (though I think you can opt out) How would this school handle these other subjects?This school year, our oldest students are fourth graders, which means that many of these subjects have not entered our conversations as of yet. However, we will continue to use research-based strategies in all of our teaching, including representation of cultural diversity, health education, and music instruction.
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Are students required to complete standardized testing that public school students have to?Though we are not bound to state assessments, we use diagnostic and progress-monitoring assessments in literacy and math to track student progress. These are completed 3 times per year and discussed together with families. These are brief one-on-one tasks with a teacher. Students also complete goal-setting and student-led conferences.
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How does your school ensure a smooth transition for students graduating from your elementary school and moving to a traditional middle school? How can you guarantee that they will be able to adapt to the traditional school system?We understand the concerns about transitioning from our unique elementary school environment to a traditional middle school setting. Although the social atmosphere may be different due to the larger number of students, our focus on individualized learning and skill development will help your child to adapt and succeed academically. At RWSAS, we meet every student where they are and work to build their confidence, academic proficiency, and learning skills. These skills will translate to success in a traditional school setting. In any grade level, students will vary in terms of their academic abilities. Our approach helps your child build a strong foundation for learning, regardless of their starting point. As a result, our students are equipped with the confidence and skills to handle the challenges of a traditional middle school. While the social environment may be different, our students' strong foundation in learning skills and individualized education will prepare them for a successful transition.
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How do you accommodate a child with a specific need?Our goal is to ensure that all of our students are in a safe environment. We encourage play and imagination here and focus on teaching our students the process they explore to learn rather than the products they make. Each child has specific needs and those individual needs would need to be discussed and explored before we could definitively say if it would be a good fit or not.