Our mission for Conder students is BRIGHT, where students are: Bold, Respectful and responsible, Intelligent, Gifted, Honest, and Thoughtful team players. LW Conder Elementary is a school where all students will excel academically, emotionally, and socially through arts integration. Our school is a place where faculty and staff encourage students to be critical thinkers, creative, collaborative, and to communicate effectively. Students will be prepared for success in our ever-changing, global world. Conder strives to support and encourage both students and teachers to view the arts as a means with which to strengthen teaching and learning. Integrating the arts into the core curriculum, as well as bringing the core curriculum into the arts classrooms, provides a circle of exposure to arts experiences that helps to solidify and increase overall academic achievement. As a school, the utilization of arts assessments (SCAAP), artists in residence, professional development opportunities and extra programming contribute to our efforts to improve student achievement through the arts. We have had the privilege of welcoming several artists in residence to enhance the experience of arts through the curriculum for our teachers and students. Some of those artists have included: Southeastern School of Ballet (Gabor Toth and Hillary Krieger-Toth); the Orisirisi African Folklore African Musical Theatre Residency with Don and Tutu Harrell; and Bob Doster, an award-winning, nationally acclaimed artist who has been creating and teaching for more than fifty years. As an arts integrated magnet school our students have the opportunity to participate in extra programs as well. Extra programming such as our strings, dance, and steel drum groups (who meet before, during and after school) give students opportunities to perform regularly for the school and its surrounding community, thus creating a sense of self-esteem that contributes to a positive academic life.