Educational Enrichment

List of 6 items.

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  Dance

  Lexington is unique in offering a dance program for students in preschool through high school. The dance program provides students with a safe place for expressing ideas and feelings via movement. Dancing helps to develop muscle tone, improve balance and coordination, and promote greater flexibility. Dance gives students an outlet for creativity, while also teaching them how to focus and follow directions. Students are empowered through the process of dance-making.

   

  Lexington’s dance classes are taught by a certified dance teacher. Our dance studio includes mirrored walls for visual feedback. A wooden dance floor and a sound system with a strong bass range give feedback via vibrations so students can coordinate their movements with music. In addition to our preschool students’ annual dance show for parents, students and staff, students have opportunities for formal and informal dance presentations throughout the school year.  
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  Graphic Arts

  
  

  Students in elementary, middle and high school  have the opportunity to take graphic arts classes. In the younger grades, students learn to create simple images using Adobe Illustrator. In the upper grades, students are introduced to Adobe Photoshop, 3-D printing and digital photography.  
  
  High school students may elect to learn Computer Aided Design (CAD). This Project Fast Forward course allows deaf and hear of hearing high school students to earn college credit in STEM-related fields. The program is administered by the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the  Rochester Institute of Technology.

  
  
  
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  Library

  Lexington’s library is an important resource for student literacy. Our collection includes print and e-books, as well as access to on-line resources. Students and faculty use the library’s collection for both class assignments and individual reading enjoyment. The library includes computer work stations, group and individual reading areas, and space for small group meetings.
  
  

  With the support of our Parent Staff Association (PSA), Lexington hosts two book fairs each year. Our annual Pick A Reading Partner (PARP) program, for preschool and elementary students, includes special activities to support literacy and reading. 
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  Physical Education

  Lexington’s physical education program helps students develop coordination, balance and strength. Participation in physical education provides students with the knowledge and skills to participate in a variety of recreational and organized sports. Through participation in physical education classes, we hope that students learn the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and incorporating physical activity into their daily lives.

   

  All students are required to participate in physical education classes. Students in preschool to 3^rd grade receive daily physical education, students in 4^th and 5^th grade attend physical education three times per week and students in middle and high school participate in physical education two to three times per week. High school students are required to earn the equivalent of two units of credit in physical education to be eligible for a diploma. Physical education classes are taught by certified physical education teachers.
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  Technology Education

  In technology classes, students acquire the skills to successfully use digital tools and resources. Software applications are carefully selected to support age-appropriate learning and classroom content areas. Basic coding and keyboarding skills are introduced in the lower grades. High school students can obtain college credit by enrolling in a Project Fast Forward technology class through a collaboration between Lexington and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
  
  

  Our technology classroom includes i-pads, laptops, desktop computers and SMARTboards. Classes are taught by a certified technology teacher. 
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  Visual Arts

  Lexington School for the Deaf recognizes that playful and creative classroom explorations through the arts are critical to early childhood learning. Our preschool art program helps to stimulate and establish the wide sensory foundation required for a successful education.

   

  Throughout our elementary and middle school art programs, the child’s creative core is expanded by exercises that promote valuable artistic skills. Instruction includes awareness of our diverse cultural histories, resulting in original artworks by students whose evolving identities are affirmed by experiencing creative authorship.

   

  In high school, the vital creative development for the young adult mind is fine-tuned through the immersive study of art mediums, from ancient to contemporary. Through drawing, painting and sculpture to photography and software programs, art provides a solid sense of achievement for future success. We believe that this interdisciplinary creative approach serves and benefits all career areas, ultimately enriching contemporary deaf culture.