Fine Arts Department

The 16 centuries of Benedictine education have always highlighted the importance of fine arts. In accord with that tradition, St. Scholastica Academy has emphasized this aspect of learning since its beginning.

The Arts Building stands as witness to commitment to the arts. It includes two art rooms, teachers' studios, a choral room, student practice rooms, and a 1000-seat theatre with a hydraulic lift stage. There is also a Lecture Hall/Little Theatre with a seating capacity of nearly 300 where speech and drama classes take place and individual recitals are held. Both theatres are used for guest speakers, and both have movie screens.

The Fine Arts Program is a program that builds over four years. The International Baccalaureate (I.B.) curriculum, with its emphasis on individual creativity, is offered in both Theatre and Visual Arts.

The freshman year program offered to all students includes an Appreciation Cycle with the option for introduction to Music, Choral Music, Theatre Appreciation or Art Appreciation.  Speech/Communication Arts is a required semester course in sophomore year.   Elective courses in the arts are available beginning in the sophomore year

Private voice, piano and organ lessons are available all four years either for full or half credit. Student concerts and assemblies provide the young artists an opportunity to learn performance skills.

All students are able to participate in the SSA Chorus, the Instrumental Ensemble and the SSA Dance Troupe. These groups perform at many school functions and for the public as well. Stage Crew can be chosen as a co-curricular activity. Besides working on two major productions of the year, a play and a musical, crew members are hired to oversee technical aspects of auditorium rentals to outside groups as well

Ms. Donna Martin
Ms. Donna Martin has served as the Fine Arts Department Chairperson since 1986.  She has a B.A. in Theatre from Loyola University of Chicago and received a fellowship from Northwestern University School of Speech.  Ms. Martin has directed over 50 plays and musicals in her career; she directs two major theatrical productions at St. Scholastica Academy each year.  She also moderates the backstage technical crew. As a communications consultant, Ms. Martin conducts public speaking workshops for corporate employees.  She was also a Program Director for the Summer Musical Theatre Workshop for High School students sponsored by Loyola University of Chicago. Ms. Martin has attended I.B. Theatre workshops in Florida and Georgia.

Ms. Mary Clare Cadieux
Ms. Mary Clare Cadieux has been a member of the Fine Arts Department since 1995.  She holds a B.A. in Music and an M.A. in Religious Studies from Mundelein College, as well as post-graduate work in choral arranging and conducting from Northwestern University.  Ms. Cadieux directs the Morning Chorus and Instrumental Ensemble and is musical director for the annual musical.  She also teaches private piano, voice and organ at SSA, as well as the music classes.  Away from SSA, she is a church organist and works professionally with various theatre companies as an accompanist and musical director.  She has toured the Middle East as accompanist for the Pegasus Players.

Ms. Maria Ambre
Ms. Maria Ambre has a B.A. in Art Education from Western Michigan University and an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Art from Columbia College.  Ms. Ambre is a member of Illinois Art Education Association and the National Art Education Association.  She has taught the visual art courses at St. Scholastica Academy since 2000.