“Art conveys a message when the words can’t” - Krissy Christofakis
“I believe that the Arts & Sciences program at The Parish School is exactly what Robbin envisioned in terms of the arts at The Parish School,” Terri said. “It gives every child a place to be special. Every child has an ability.” That concept rings true, especially for Terri, who continues to put together plays as the Drama Educator. Over her career, she’s witnessed non-verbal kids grow to shine on stage and take on the daunting task of performing a solo. She’s also seen shy kids go on to portray the hero in productions. She’s cultivated a safe space for her students to feel comfortable and have the confidence to grow into those roles. “I want children to feel free to take risks,” Terri said. “I always want to make sure that I'm never being critical, but very supportive, very nurturing, so that eventually they feel safe enough to perform and speak in front of other people.” The encouragement the department provides is critical. There is a place to excel for all of our students, and when they find it, they’re going to work hard to foster that love and grow it. “As the village of Parish begins doing its work, and in particular in drama, they start to break out of the concrete black and white world,” Terri said. “They're willing to pretend to be a fairy, or they're willing to pretend to eat pretend food, or they're willing to pretend to be a cat stuck in a tree.” A Safe Space to Create Stepping out of the “black and white world” also means embracing creativity – which is especially encouraged in the colorful art room with Art Therapist Krissy Christofakis.
“When you're in my classroom, not everything is so straightforward, and there are a million ways to interpret something, which is a metaphor for real life,” Krissy said. “You get to bend and play with the rules and kind of tailor it to your opinion and your likes and dislikes. You learn a lot about yourself in that process and you learn to share it too.” Art class in a traditional school has students learn about artists, art history, different movements, along with the artwork during those time periods. Krissy’s art therapy class is different as the class is more focused on understanding one’s self – whether it’s through communication, regulating one’s body and understanding what’s going on in one’s mind. It’s about making choices, creating connections and gratitude of being able to create something tangible.
“Art conveys a message when the words can’t,” Krissy said.
For all of Krissy’s classes, she has a therapeutic goal that she focuses on each day, which ranges from expression and impulse control to regulation. She’ll also integrate different tools – such as putting small materials into pool noodles to better grasp it – so that her students have full control of their art and give them the feeling of being successful. “One of my favorite experientials involves bilateral movement which naturally regulates the body. I typically do this activity with paint because I want them to experience the flowing nature and painting back and forth. They love it, and it can be so soothing for them,” Krissy said. “However, if a kid is struggling controlling the paint because they
| 11 SUMMER 2025
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