our programs

Villa seeks to help students develop a lifelong appreciation of the visual arts, through a study of art history as well as exploration and experimentation in a variety of art media and techniques – including painting, sketching, collage, ceramics and more. We are proud of our artists (and they are proud of themselves), as their many wonderful creations are displayed throughout our school for all to see.

Music is a universal language, a bridge between verbal and non-verbal expression. Music education promotes self-discipline, higher order thinking skills, and perceptual motor development. Villa believes all students can learn to perform and appreciate music, as we provide a wide range of musical experiences for our students. Our younger students experience music through movement and hands-on activities, songs and games, while our middle school students experience music through project-based learning – composing pieces using digital audio workstations, creating parodies using simple melodies, and conducting research on performers and music from around the world.

Our physical education program has a primary focus on team building and cooperation. This is accomplished through both independent and group fitness based activities. Some of those activities include: basketball, yoga, cross-fit, soccer and footskills, obstacles course challenges, building full body strength and agility, and more.

At Villa, we explicitly teach social and emotional skills through school-wide monthly practices. Each practice is connected to a CASEL-5 competency to encourage whole-child learning. These skills are woven into their classes, supported during lunch and recess, and targeted through all school projects and community building activities.

Our speech and language pathologists support our students in their ability to use language to comprehend, to think logically and critically, and to be clear, effective communicators. As members of our integrated service team, our SLPs provide small group instruction in the classroom as well as pull-out support throughout the school day.

Villa’s Occupational Therapist provides individualized instruction through push-ins and small group pull-out sessions in order to enhance each child’s participation and performance of school-related activities. Students develop skills related to visual-perceptual, gross motor, fine motor, self-care and sensory processing skills.

The Villa Maria School library has over 8,000 volumes consisting of award winning books, non-fiction, fiction, biography, reference materials, and class sets that support the curriculum and interests of our students. Every book is color-coded to indicate its reading level, which makes it easier for our students and teachers to find appropriate reading material and promote student independence when choosing a book. The students frequent the library with their reading teachers on a weekly basis to check out books for leisurely reading. Classes also visit the library as particular units of study are introduced in order to find books to support their learning. Throughout the year, students participate in reading events such as “Read Across America Day” and our annual Storytelling Festival.

Through collaboration with the Bartlett Arboretum, membership with the Pollinator Pathway and employing an Environmental Educator, Villa students have the opportunity to learn and explore through hands-on activities and learning experiences. Students have helped plant and grow the school garden from seed and ultimately plan and organize a school plant sale!