Beyond the Classroom

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Band and String Ensemble

Instrumental performance is highly valued at Crestview, and students have many opportunities to play a variety of instruments in lower elementary. In fourth grade, students are invited to join our beginning band. In this enrichment program, young musicians build on what they have learned musically while developing the skills of self-expression and self-discipline. Once they have completed a year in beginning band, the students continue on to the advanced band program in fifth and sixth grades. The strings ensemble is open to all students who have completed at least one year of private or group lessons on a string instrument. Both bands and the strings ensemble participate in the winter and spring school-wide musical performances.

Choir

At Crestview, we celebrate the joy of vocal music through our upper elementary and lower elementary choirs. In our upper elementary choir, students in fourth to sixth grade explore a rich repertoire of choral pieces as they hone their vocal skills and musicality. Meanwhile, our lower elementary choir introduces students in kindergarten to third grade to the magic of singing, laying the foundation for a lifelong love of music.

Clubs

For those children who want to explore their own interests, we offer many different clubs, including a creative writing club, a surf club, and a debate club. Students propose and run these clubs with support of a faculty advisor.

Crestview Council

Crestview's Student Council provides student leadership for school pride and outreach activities. Composed of class representatives elected from fourth to sixth grade, the Spirit Council provides leadership for morning assemblies, hosts Spirit Days for the entire student body to celebrate their school pride, and sponsors all-school community service projects each year. Class representatives are elected each fall to serve for the year.

Debate Team

Crestview students in fifth and sixth grade have the opportunity to join our competitive school debate team. As a member of the debate team, they learn to debate using the three-on-three parliamentary style of the worldwide Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP). This year-long activity meets weekly to practice and competes in quarterly tournaments against sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Students develop many skills in our debate program, including critical thinking, collaboration, and public speaking.

Gifted Education

For students who qualify, Crestview offers advanced math curricula designed by the highly-regarded Art of Problem Solving (AOPS) organization. These challenging courses are taught using a blended approach that incorporates asynchronous and synchronous online instruction as well as the chance to collaborate with other students and receive one-on-one support. The courses are demanding and paced to meet the needs of gifted students. To learn more about AOPS please visit the following:

Art of Problem Solving (grade 4-5)

Art of Problem Solving Online (grades 5-6)

Musical Theater

Founded by a former sixth-grade student, this captivating program takes center stage during the winter and spring months, allowing third to sixth grade students to shine both on and off the stage. Our musical theater program fosters creativity, teamwork, and self-expression, giving students the unique opportunity to explore the magic of the performing arts. Through dynamic rehearsals and exhilarating performances, students develop confidence, discipline, and a lifelong appreciation for musical theater. The program culminates in a performance in May.

Outdoor Education

Students in fourth to sixth grade participate in off-campus outdoor educational programs. The goals of these trips are to allow our students to experience learning outside the classroom; to develop a greater appreciation and understanding of the natural environment, and to build personal independence by traveling with the class rather than with family along with a spirit of unity and teamwork with classmates. The fourth grade participates in a California History and Science exploration through The Ocean Institute at Dana Point Harbor. The fifth grade attends Astrocamp in Idyllwild. The sixth grade travels to Catalina for the Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (CELP). All trips are coordinated with our curriculum to provide valuable educational experiences.

Reading Buddies

Crestview prides itself on the strong sense of community within our school and our students. The relationship between older students and younger is warm and caring, and nowhere is that more apparent than in our Reading Buddies Program. Students in third to fifth grades serve as mentors, friends, and, of course, Reading Buddies for students in transitional kindergarten to second grade. Together they share many a good book as well as field trips, class presentations, and other engaging activities. Our oldest students in sixth grade serve as school wide role models and leaders as their former young buddies become mentors for the incoming kindergartners.

Sports Program

All Crestview fourth to sixth-grade students have the opportunity to compete against nearby independent schools in a variety of sports, including co-ed flag football and basketball. As part of these teams representing our school, our students not only develop athletic skills but also practice the values of sportsmanship, leadership, and perseverance. Our sports program inculcates a strong sense of discipline, cooperation, and fair play as our students forge lasting friendships on the field and court. Crestview’s athletics program instills confidence, fosters a love for physical activity, and encourages a healthy competitive spirit.