St. Mary’s High School,

Woodstock, developed the Media Arts Program in 2001. It embraces Visual Arts and Computer Technology. We started with half a mega pixel Apple digital camera. As digital photography and computer technology progressed so did our program. This website shows work done in class by the students. All the photography is original, done by the students themselves. The program also teaches web page design and Flash Animation, sound recording and editing. Our lab has thirty two PC computers, two Epson printers, strobe lights with soft boxes and digital SLR cameras.

Specialist High Skills Major in the Visual Arts and Culture

St. Mary’s High School is the only school in Oxford County that offers a Specialist High Skills Major in the Arts. Students are able to concentrate their area of study providing a specific area of focus in their courses. Additional opportunities in training, workshops, reach ahead opportunities, co-op and links with community agencies are integrated with the students regular academic credit package. Life drawing, large scale dark room photography, ceramics, encaustic painting, illustration and animation are some of the areas where professional artists have been brought in to work with students over an extended period of time. This enriched learning experience provides a greater depth of experience than what can be offered through the regular classroom experience. Additionally fieldtrips to post secondary institutions, major art events and galleries have also been supported through this program.
Students must be registered in a grade 11 Visual Arts course which can include one of any of the following: media arts, photography, visual arts to be eligible for the program.