Academics and Programs

In Art at MCES students will learn about the Elements of Art and Principles of Design as the students are taught how to express themselves creatively through a variety of art mediums such as: drawing, painting, sculpture/installations, textiles and clay. We will discuss famous artists, art history and cultural art forms. Students will discover, through collaboration with the Art and classroom teachers, the connections between different subject areas such as social studies, science, language arts and math, reinforcing material learned in their academic classrooms.

Kindergartners will specifically focus on developing their fine motor skills through centers in the classroom as they build their knowledge of the Elements of Art and experience new art mediums.

There will be multiple opportunities for students to display their artwork including: exhibits at the Frist Center for Visual Arts, Williamson County Libraries and other art exhibition spaces and a digital portfolio, on our online platform, where parents can view artwork all year long and purchase products that will help fund the art program! Some students will also be able to display their work at a variety of art festivals.

The goal is to create an exciting learning environment where students can develop a positive sense of self and community by problem solving, becoming well-rounded, lifelong learners through Art.

Your school counselors enjoy teaching classroom guidance as part of the Specials rotation. We share a teaching slot with library class, thus engaging with every student about twice a month.

To build developmentally appropriate academic, social, and emotional skills, we maintain a consistent structure to our classes. Our curriculum is developed from both our American School Counseling Association’s standards and the Williamson County Counseling scope and sequence. Each month, we align lessons to Quantum Learning’s character keys of excellence. After practicing and promoting each character trait, our Specials colleagues join us to recognize students who modeled the character key as a “Special Key Turner”.

For every Guidance lesson, we begin with an interactive game called, Who are the Bucketfillers of the Day? Students proceed to figure out who are the helpers and role models of that class period, following the “bucketfilling” notion first introduced by Don Clifton. We believe that this grants each student the opportunity to nurture leadership, advocacy, and empowerment. From here, your school counselors utilize multi-media approaches to teaching, facilitate open conversations, and design a creative activity as a takeaway. To conclude Guidance classes, students listen to a song that is carefully selected to enhance the character key of the month.

We hope our students enjoy this facet of our school counseling program as much as we do!

In Mill Creek Health class, we will learn how to develop and maintain lifelong healthy habits! Each class will focus on a different health topic such as nutrition, physical activity, safety, mental health, social health, personal hygiene, etc. There is always some physical movement embedded in the lesson as well. So, get ready to move and discover the amazing body!

Library is a related arts class that follows the color day specials rotation. Students will participate in a lesson, activity, and book checkout during each class. Students will also have the opportunity to check out books during Guidance classes. 

Through singing, playing instruments, and creative movement, students at Mill Creek Elementary School experience the joy of music.  The MCES Music Room is equipped with a wonderful large assortment of pitched and un-pitched classroom percussion instruments.  Each grade level is showcased in a music program once a year.  These performances are a great way for students to share some of what they have learned during music class, as well as gain experience performing for an audience on a stage.  Recorder lessons are a part of the 4th and 5th grade curriculum. We look forward to sharing our love of music with your child at MCES.

The mission of Mill Creek Elementary Physical Education Department is to develop healthy bodies, promote positive attitudes towards lifetime physical activity, practice sports skills, learn about physical fitness, and most importantly to have fun!  Physical Education is an integral part of the total education process.  It gives the students the opportunity to develop physically, mentally and socially through the use of physical activity.