St. John School of the Arts Reopens with New Classes, World-Class Concert Series, and Art Auction

Nearly two years ago, the St. John School of the Arts suspended all programs, including classes, concerts, and special events, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the school is making up for lost time with an expanding roster of classes for adults and children, a robust concert series designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences, and several special events.

It hasn’t been easy, especially as Kim Wild, the executive director for nine years, relocated to the States in December.

Fortunately, School of the Arts board member Beth Knight agreed to step in as interim director assisted by fellow board member Angie Warren; with guidance from Wild from afar, they’ve figured out ways to fully reopen the school on Feb. 1 in spite of a pandemic that won’t go away.

Knight is uniquely equipped to take on this challenge. She retired in 2020 as head of the Lower Campus of the Gifft Hill School, a position she held since 2001 when it was still the Pine Peace School.

Knight returns to the classroom to read to young children every week, and her connection to the Gifft Hill School has kept her up to date with the latest COVID-19 protocols. “Gifft Hill has done a phenomenal job,” said Knight, noting that the Gifft Hill School has successfully managed in-class instruction almost without exception since September of 2020.

“They’ve done it by having little pods – the kindergarteners stay with kindergarteners, the first graders with first graders,” she said. “But the School of the Arts accepts children from the Julius E. Sprauve School, the St. John Christian Academy, the Gifft Hill School, homeschoolers, and those attending schools on St. Thomas, so that makes it more challenging.”

Technology makes it all possible. As students climb the stairs to the school’s entrance, their temperatures are taken by a new ThermoTrace thermometer. “It automatically reads your temperature from your forehead without contact,” said Knight, adding that “the littlest people,” who aren’t tall enough for their heads to reach the sensor, can reach up and present their hands instead.

Students are screened for COVID before entering the studios and classrooms. (Photo by Beth Knight)

From the entrance, students proceed to the hand sanitizing stations available in every classroom. Before and after each class, each room is sanitized by a misting device.

To mark a new beginning, the school has undergone a “makeover,” including a new brightly-painted exterior and covered porch entrance.

In October 2021, the school began offering a limited number of classes. As of this month, children can enroll in tumbling, creative movement, art, and theater. Adults can take classes in ballet, art, and writing. It’s not too late to enroll. “We are welcoming new students to join,” said Knight. A complete course schedule is available on the SJSA’s website https://www.stjohnschoolofthearts.org. Adults must be fully vaccinated to enroll in classes.