Mission
Statement
During the middle years we aim to increase academic achievement,
and develop a community of adolescent scholars through an arts-based,
integrative curriculum.
Focus
During the middle years, grades 5-9; and beyond the middle years
in grades 10-12 our small, public, arts-based school enrolls a maximum
of 50 urban children per grade level in order to increase high school
graduation rates. Our research component will monitor, mentor and record
the retention of all ScholARTS graduates who reside within a 50
mile radius of the school until they complete high school.
Goals
Research-based, and data-driven, ScholARTS will increase high school
graduation rates, decrease the achievement gap between urban and
majority youngsters, and discipline problems that result in suspensions
and expulsions. Our pivotal goal is for each ScholARTS graduate
to complete high school.
Educational
Program
The educational program integrates the arts throughout the academic
curriculum to motivate children and help them meet or exceed state
performance standards.
The school's Art Gallery or Museum, will be used to stimulate learning,
critical thinking, problem solving, arts integration, community
partnerships, and encourage adolescents' positive participation
in their community. Children will participate in community-based,
extra curricular projects and programs, including sports activities.
Ongoing life
skills instruction addresses adolescents' socio-emotional development
on a regular basis. In addition, unique safety features will encourage
trust and ensure our children's comfort.
Preparing
all urban adolescents for high school, we offer an inclusion model
of special education, and provide equal access to the school's resources,
equipment, and teachers. Importantly the school's research component
will monitor and mentor ScholARTS graduates until they complete
high school.
Curriculum
We adopt fine and performing arts, phonics, and inclusion special
education practices for use in a constructivist, integrative curriculum.
Constructivist education builds on a child's knowledge base and
expands that base in ways that are relevant to the child. An integrative
curriculum is one in which families contribute to curriculum development.
A
rigorous arts-integrated curriculum including mathematics, science,
language arts, music, fine arts, dance, reading, citizenship, and
history will be implemented through team teaching and hands-on projects.
The arts will also be taught in arts classes.
Our fair, consistent discipline program supports the environment
and demands mutual respect between children and personnel. The discipline
program emanates from ongoing character based life skills instruction,
which will also contain conflict resolution exercises designed specifically
to meet the needs of adolescents.
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