Saint Thomas Aquinas
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Catholic Art Traditions (CARTT)

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St. Thomas Aquinas Grade School receives
Catholic Schools for Tomorrow Award

Congratulation to St. Thomas Aquinas School.  The CARTT program was named a 2005 winner of the Innovations in Education Award from the Peter Li Education Group.  The program was awarded this honor because of its emphasis on promoting Catholic identity in education.  The award will be presented to the school at the National Catholic Education Association meeting in Philadelphia later this month. 

Catholic Art Traditions' innovation in promoting Catholic identity lies in:

  • The spotlight on the unique art of the new parish church
  • The integration of community resources
  • The community's involvement in the program, and
  • The curricular integration of art and religion

Two major components comprise the progam:

  • Art Component - studying and recreating a Catholic art tradition integratd with each year's religious curricular studies
  • Art Masterpiece Component - discussion and evaluation of masterworks of art with parent volunteers, keyed to each grade's religious curriculum and the liturgical seasons

Eighth grade students cap off studies with an in-depth discovery of the Catholic art of the United States Southwest. They serve as information assistants at the parish Arte Sagrado, a liturgical and religious arts festival, and as docents to describe the art in the parish church.

Click here to learn more about the award. 

Click here to view the CARTT Brochure

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Program Mission

The Catholic faith has a rich artistic tradition which comprises our identity as a Catholic people.  To expose students to this aspect of their heritage, the Catholic Art Traditions program (CARTT) was created.  The art and architecture produced by our ancestors constitutes a major portion of art history through the centuries.  Each contains signs and symbols that directly relate to our faith.

The Saint Thomas Aquinas Grade School opened its doors to children for the 2003-2004 school year.  The Catholic Art Traditions program was conceived and developed during that school year and is currently in its first year of implementation.  The goal of the program is to enrich our students’ understanding of their faith through an integration of art and religion.

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Program Overview

     In this structured program, students learn the foundations of Catholic art around the world and throughout the centuries.  By eighth grade, students culminate their studies with an in-depth discovery of the Catholic art of the Southwest regions, particularly Spanish Colonial New Mexico.  This program has two major components—The Art Class Component and The Art Masterpiece Component, as well as an Eighth Grade Capstone Year.

The Art Class Component --During each grade’s art class, they will study and recreate a particular Catholic Art tradition so as to integrate with their religious curricular studies. 

The Art Masterpiece Component  --To correlate with each grade’s religion curriculum and the Church’s liturgical calendar, masterworks of art are presented, discussed, and evaluated with children.  This program is implemented entirely by parent volunteers who are trained by the Masterpiece Art Coordinator, who is also a volunteer.  This team researches, procures, and assembles the materials for each presentation.  The materials include prints, actual vestments, or digital images which are the focus of the presentation.  Background information about each piece of art and discussion questions are included in the packet.  This method seeks to impart a deeper understanding of our Catholic heritage.

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For more information about the program, please contact the school office.

Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Community
13720 W. Thomas Road, Avondale, AZ 85323
(623) 935-0945
email:  webmaster@stacc.net
   

 

Diocese of Phoenix

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