Special Subjects
Please access the information listed for each related arts class by clicking the tabs for each subject.
Art
Art Curriculum
Elementary Art focuses on elements and principles of design while introducing students to famous artists, cultures, and interdisciplinary parallels. Students explore art forms such as drawing, painting, collage, printing, ceramics, sculpture, and more, using a multitude of techniques and media. Watercolors, tempera paints, pastels, oil pastels, sponge painting, printmaking, weaving, sculpture, ceramics, perspective, and figure drawing are just a few of the techniques and mediums we will cover in a year.
Highland Park Elementary School's art program offers 30-minute classes once or twice a week.
The Elements and Principles of Art are used when introducing a variety of mediums, including:
- drawing
- painting
- collage
- sculpture
- printing
- Interdisciplinary lessons are used to tie the arts in with the school-wide curriculum.
The Art Club
- Open to fifth-grade students
- Involved in an artist-in-residency program
Upper Darby's diverse culture gives us, as educators, the perfect opportunity to engage students in embracing all of our students' history and culture.
The Upper Darby art educators strive to bring students and the community together through student engagement in the arts.
Health & PE
Health & Physiclal Education
Physical Education class at Highland Park Elementary School offers the opportunity for your child to develop habits for lifetime fitness and health.
We encourage you to participate in your child's physical development and fitness.
Children need a minimum of at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day and what better way than playing together.
Go for a walk, take a bike ride, or toss a ball.
It is so very important for your children to see you being physically active as role models.
Annual Events
- 4th & 5th-grade Fitness Club
- Annual Jump Rope Championship
- Daily physical fitness competitions
- UDSD Elementary Marine Corps Fitness Competition
- Royals Day
- Family Fun Nights
Athlete Alley
If you know someone who attended Highland Park who plays or played sports at the middle school, high school, collegiate, amateur, or professional level, please have them send an 8" x 10" picture of themselves to Mr. Dunn at hisemail@upperdarbysd.org
Please include the following in your submission:
A brief description of their sports career.
Any special honors (if applicable)
Their picture will be displayed on the wall in Athlete Alley to recognize their athletic achievements while encouraging our present students to follow in their footsteps.
Sports Wall of Fame
Highland Park Elementary School has been home to countless wonderful students who have let their talents shine in the world of athletics.
Because of this, the Highland Park Sports Wall of Fame has been created and needs nominees.
Please nominate someone that should be inducted into the Highland Park Sports Wall of Fame!
The following criteria must be met in order to nominate someone:
- Must have attended Highland Park Elementary School
- Must have excelled in sports/athletics in either high school/college/professional levels
- Must be a good citizen and represent the Highland Park Community well
Library
Library
The Highland Park Elementary School Library is committed to helping students discover joy, peace, power and liberation through literacy (reading and writing). We want each and every student to enjoy what they read, it is our goal that students also begin to see that “reading and writing are transformative acts that improve self and society” (Muhammad, 2020, pgs. 9-10) Through curating a collection of texts that feature characters from a wide variety of backgrounds, on a wide variety of topics, and in several languages, we hope that students see literacy as a means to “make sense of who they are, develop proficiencies in the content they were learning within, become smarter about something or gain new knowledge and concepts in the world, develop the ability to read texts, and understand power” (Muhammad, 2020, pg. 12). We truly hope that students leave the library with the confidence to own their own narratives and futures.
Students may check out books during their library class, or during the first thirty minutes of the school day (8:45-9:15 AM) as long as they have returned their library books. We understand that sometimes it takes more than a week to read through a library book, we ask that students bring their books back every week to either return, or renew (if they need more time). Returning and renewing books ensures that as many students as possible get to read the books in our collection. The library staff ask that all students are safe, respectful and responsible with their library books, and notify us if any damage has happened to their library book as soon as it happens so that we can attempt to repair it and get it back into the hands of an eager reader!
Check out the resources below to learn more about the books at the Highland Park Library as well as online resources to continue learning at home!
Music
Music at Highland Park
Highland Park offers its students many musical opportunities.
Highland Park has two major performances each year, one in Winter, one in Spring.
Both of these performances are held at the Upper Darby High School Performing Arts Center.
The Choruses (Winter-Fifth and Spring-Fourth) as well as the Singing Royals (select singing ensemble), the Band, and the String Ensemble are part of the Winter and Spring Concerts.
The Third, Second and First Grade students perform in a program at Highland Park during the school year.
Highland Park is also proud to offer the students in Fourth and Fifth Grade an opportunity to participate in the production of an on-stage Musical through the Theater Arts Club.
Highland Park Band students also have the opportunity to play in the Elementary Jazz Band.
These students are chosen by audition.
From the Singing Royals, String Ensemble and the Elementary Jazz Band, a representative group is chosen to take part in the Upper Darby Cultural/Educational Foundation Gala.