Welcome to Mr. Patterson and Mrs. Conover

Del Mar Heights School is proud to welcome Mr. Patterson and Mrs. Conover to our school family as they take the helm in guiding our thinkers and creators in their artistic pursuits. Both of these fine teachers have extensive experience both as artists and educators. Prepare for excitement and innovation in the art room this year!

Sixth Grade Legacy Project: Our California

Del Mar Heights School Sixth-Grade Legacy Mural Installed

    Del Mar Heights students are challenged to develop a broad range of twenty-first century skills during their time in elementary school. Collaboration, technical ability, problem-solving, evaluation and revision, and personal and collective responsibility were all qualities exhibited by sixth grade students as they worked together on the annual Del Mar Heights Arts Sixth-Grade Legacy Project. Each year, Del Mar Heights sixth-graders are tasked with taking a large-scale public art piece from concept to completion. The class of 2015 completed a truly wonderful piece in recognition of their time at Del Mar Heights School. This mural, a landscape of their own vision of California, was installed with pride on the Del Mar Heights Campus and will hang in the school as a reminder of the legacy that the class of 2015 leaves behind. It was my honor and great joy to mentor these youths as they created such a striking piece.

Printed Rainbow Serpents as inspired by Aboriginal folktales

The fantastic First-graders concluded their year with a literature and art study that combined traditional folktales of Australian Aborigines with color theory, printmaking, and basic composition themes. The results are whimsical and wonderful. Well done!

Optical art as inspired by M.C. Escher

In continuation of the studies that our whole school enjoyed during our Master Artist Exhibit focusing on M.C. Escher, students in fifth and second grade have undertaken optical art projects that link artistic quality with mathematical skill and understanding.

These works are made using math tools and reasoning to approach precision while offering a trick to the eye that entrances students. Art concepts of contrast in composition and complimentary and triadic color sets are encountered as the pieces are created. These works are both satisfying to complete and a great link between curricular areas as we work towards STEAM+ modeling in instruction.

Great job young artists!

International Music

1) Gajah Mina from Tyler Yamin on Vimeo.


I'm not sure if you've heard, but our World Music Program has been stellar this trimester, with Brazilian rhythm, dance, and song teacher Stefanie Schmitz and Balinese Gamelan musician Tyler Yamin welcoming our young musicians to encounter unique instruments and traditions.

Our PTA, through the Center for World Music, has arranged for a complete Gamelan orchestra to be hosted on our campus for our students' use. As students enter they remove their shoes and take their positions. Within minutes they are creating fascinating, mesmerizing music. Examples of two Gamelan pieces are found above.