More t han a School
Elisabela A. Valls, Ed.D.
CEA shapes boys and girls into strong young men and women who are actively exploring interests, methodically honing talents, and passionately advocating ideas. More than a school, CEA is a transformative experience that transcends the conventional idea of school, tests and textbooks. Conchita Espinosa Academy aims to create a learning environment that works like a microcosm of life, a community where children can bring their full selves and feel a sense of belonging and love, where learning is not siloed, but rather, children learn through living a multitude of life experiences and have the opportunity to try different things and become multidimensional human beings. In addition to the school’s K-8 program, in which all students participate in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and sports alongside the academic curriculum, CEA offers a wide-ranging after-school life for its students. The athletic program offers competitive and non-competitive sports, as well as cross-training opportunities, for students as young as K4 and through the eighth grade. The athletic program is thoughtfully designed to increase offerings as students mature. The Athletic Department aims to develop and challenge students in a developmentally appropriate way, while trying to instill a sense of confidence, develop each player’s emerging abilities, establish a sense of community, and underline the importance of sportsmanship. CEA is proud to hold several regional and state titles in Cross Country for both elementary and middle school boys and girls, as well as multiple soccer and volleyball championships, among others.
14 l PRIVATE SCHOOLS GUIDE / 2021
The Conservatory of the Arts, which functions within the same campus, offers students from CEA and the community at large the opportunity to continue their education in the Arts through private and group classes in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and martial arts, under the instruction of professional and renown faculty all under one roof. “Arts and sports, they really make that child kind of stand out a little bit. You see students walking in with their book bag, their lunch box, their guitar, their dance bag. Those people are going to be people that, later on in life, are not going to be overwhelmed.” – Upper School Teacher Not only is it a convenient system for parents, who more often than not find themselves functioning as their children’s chauffeurs, as they drive from one child’s soccer practice to another’s violin lessons or dance class, but having a unified educational program that functions within the same campus does wonders for a child’s sense of pride, belonging, and sense of self. “I think that our children become receptive to everybody, they become open-minded and accepting of other people. They support one another because they realize that yes, I may play the piano and I may be good at math, but my best friend is a great dancer and she’s a great reader. Students learn to see and accept people for who they are, and since we value it all at CEA, not just one aspect of who they are, we value them as a whole, we show them that everything about them is important.” – Lower School Teacher When a child’s teacher or principal has the ability to peek into a piano room, or speak to the coach, or attend a dance or theatre performance in the school theatre, that teacher has gathered an incredible amount of insight about his or her students. When the guitar teacher knows what a child
is working on in social studies and can collaborate with the academic teacher and help that child prepare a piece to present in class, that teacher gives that child an opportunity to shine in a very unique way. When a teacher sees a student completely transform onstage and can access and use that knowledge and that intimacy to bring out the best in a student, to tailor a lesson to the interest or talent of a student, it allows for that child to experience a very curated learning environment that feels personalized, that feels like home.
“I try to go to every after-school activity related to the arts, just to see the work they put into it… And every time I go to a show, I am blown away by how good they are, how professional they are… And the kids always love when you go.” – Upper School Teacher The Conservatory of the Arts extends beyond a traditional after-school class or activity. Students learn to cultivate a passion. They develop a deep respect for their discipline, whether it is dance, music, art, martial arts, or theatre, and have opportunities to collaborate with students who specialize in other areas. Students are held to high standards of both artistry and technique, and are guided by the faculty to become better versions of themselves, as artists and as people.
