Boston Arts Academy

Boston Arts Academy
School building
Address
174 Ipswich St.
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215
United States
Information
School type Public high school
Founded 1998
Dean Fernadina Chan
Anne Clark
Headmaster
Linda Nathan
Carmen Torres
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 405
Classes offered Academics, the arts
Hours in school day 8
Affiliations ProArts Consortium
Website bostonartsacademy.org

Boston Arts Academy (BAA) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA is Boston's first and only high school for the visual and performing arts and is a partnership between Boston Public Schools and the ProArts Consortium.[1] ProArts, a group of six arts colleges and universities in the Boston area, pushed the city to open the school, which was founded in 1998. The Consortium continues to support the school with performance space, music lessons and free college-level classes to BAA students.[2]

BAA won the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education Award for the 2009-2010 school year from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network.[3]

Contents

Programs

BAA is Boston's only public school dedicated to the arts.[4] The school day has no sports, yet is eight hours, two hours longer than normal schools, to allow for classes in the arts disciplines.[5] The school offers a rigorous arts and academic education to challenge students and inspire them to pursue higher education. BAA was also Boston's first full-inclusion high school; students with disabilities are fully integrated into the school program. Alumni achievements demonstrate the school's value as a step to success.[6][7][8][9]

Although admission is academic-blind, eighth graders must audition to be accepted to the performing arts program.[5] Competition is tough. In 2007, only 27% of the dance applicants would be accepted, just 6% would be accepted to the drumming program; and just 25 of the 81 theater applicants.[5] Competition in the era of budget cuts is tougher still. With projected teacher layoffs and increased class sizes, BAA had 800 applicants for just 150 students in 2011.[4]

BAA offers an elite education to urban youth whose background sometimes includes violence and tragedy, such as the murder of a friend or family member.[5] Because of BAA's success with urban students, the school is involved in public education reform. Its use of the arts as a strategy for improving teaching and learning has attracted national and international attention. Through the school’s Center for Arts in Education, BAA’s best practices are documented and shared with educators, administrators and policymakers worldwide.

In 2010, the school ran a pilot program for 125 ninth graders in summer school, who spent Fridays at BAA in remedial courses with recent BAA graduates as teachers.[10] The ninth graders were children who had very poor attendance records and other school and social problems, such as direct experience with violence. Most were in danger of not being promoted.[10] The program was set up to rekindle an interest in school through non-traditional learning using theater, music, martial arts, poetry and other art forms.[10]

BAA is a member of the ProArts Consortium. Other members include Berklee College of Music, the Boston Architectural Center, The Boston Conservatory, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Art, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.[11] ProArts coordinates programs among its members to expand educational opportunities and resources for participating institutions and works to enrich the arts and arts education in Boston and throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ Boston Arts Academy: Overview Professional Arts Consortium Retrieved February 16, 2011
  2. ^ Grace Rubenstein, "How to Grow Students' Opportunities Through Private Partnerships" Edutopia, The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (October 2006). Retrieved February 15, 2011
  3. ^ "National Schools of Distinction Winners" 1998 - 2011 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Retrieved February 15, 2011
  4. ^ a b Kirk Carapezza, "Arts Academy Sees Record Auditions" Radio Boston, WBUR FM. (February 14, 2011) Retrieved February 15, 2011
  5. ^ a b c d Tracy Jan, "Aiming for Fame" The Boston Globe (February 4, 2007). Retrieved February 15, 2011
  6. ^ "Students of Color: Joseph Truss" Tufts University. Retrieved February 17, 2011
  7. ^ Iris Fanger, "‘Dance Across the City’ returns" Boston Phoenix. (January 7–13, 2005). Retrieved February 16, 2011
  8. ^ a b c Mark Shanahan, "The krumper: Russell Ferguson" The Boston Globe (January 2, 2011). Retrieved February 16, 2011
  9. ^ "Derek Walcott’s Ti-Jean and His Brothers" Central Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Blog post. Retrieved February 17, 2011
  10. ^ a b c June Q. Wu, "With art, students express unspeakable anxieties" The Boston Globe (August 4, 2010) Retrieved February 15, 2011 (subscription required)
  11. ^ Mission Statement Professional Arts Consortium, official website. Retrieved February 16, 2011

External links