District Newsletter Vol. 7

Arkansas Arts Academy High School has been recognized by the Office for Education Policy (OEP) at the University of Arkansas as a school where students demonstrated high growth on the ATLAS!

We are so proud of our high school staff and students for this phenomenal success. You demonstrate what it looks like to excel in both arts and academics.

ATLAS, or Arkansas Teaching, Learning & Assessment System, is the statewide academic accountability test that provides information about Arkansas student mastery of the college and career readiness, academic, and language proficiency standards.

OEP creates an annual report entitled the Outstanding Educational Performance Awards where they recognize schools with high student academic growth. OEP believes that growth is the best indicator of the positive impact that your school is having on students.

Arkansas Arts Academy High School received the following awards:

High Overall Growth (Statewide)

High Math Growth (Statewide)

High Overall Growth (Northwest region)

High Math Growth (Northwest region)

Awards are based on the 2024 content growth score calculated by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). These growth scores reflect how much students at Arkansas Arts Academy High School improved from 2023 compared to how much other students with similar prior achievement improved.

For more information on OEP visit:https://oep.uark.edu

For more information on ATLAS visit: https://atlasportal.org

Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, AAA is developing a school within a school for our 7th & 8th grade middle school students. The Middle! This new design will approach learning through the lens of adolescent learners, in a space separate from the 9th-12th grade students. The Middle will offer a different class period schedule, opportunities for students to learn differently, and approaches to physical, socio-emotional and cognitive development that will prepare them for credit baring classes. The Middle teachers will plan together using a thematic approach and incorporate our community partners for engaging connections and open space learning. Students will stay within The Middle for all classes, except lunch which they will have together. For select students who are interested in taking higher level arts classes, they will have the opportunity to experience advanced classes upon recommendation. AAA sees The Middle as an area providing comfort for our 7th 7 8th graders to growing but not limiting if they are ready to expand.

The Cleveland Clinic defines adolescent development as the period of transition between childhood and adulthood where children are going through many changes in their bodies and brains. Including physical, intellectual, psychological as well as the development of their "moral compass". These changes take place at a rapid rate as children become more independent and begin to envision themselves as adults. AAA Middle school will drive all instructional and arts integrated experiences as an approach to help students develop; abstract thinking, reasoning skills, impulse control, creativity and problem solving abilities. Students will experience more freedom than they had at elementary school, but not as much as high school. A well thought out release appropriate for their development and success. Students will be guided towards appropriate decision making skills and opportunities to build upon their daily success in order to increase their confidence and self-esteem in healthy ways. The Middle will focus on academic excellence while moving students toward grade level mastery and acceleration into higher level courses. The individualized learning will shape our future high school students into positions where they can take concurrent enrollment as early as 9th grade if they are ready. The Middle students will learn, grow, problem solve and understand how innovation and creativity can make learning fun. When learning is fun, they are more engaged and participating in class. Which increases their understanding and improves grades.

Keep your eye on the new Middle signage coming up and informational meetings. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jerrie Price, Secondary School Principal. jeprice@artsk12.org

Emma Gastineau, a senior at AAA is being recognized by the Arkansas Times as a 2025 Academic All-Star. Emma is welcomed into a select group of students chosen across the state of Arkansas for her academic success and social contributions. Since 1995, the Arkansas Times has been the only statewide magazine to recognize Arkansas students for their academic achievements, humanitarian efforts and involvement in extracurricular activities. Emma will be in the 31st class of standout students joining the ranks of 561 other Academic All-Stars alumni selected over the past 30 years. This highly competitive process honored only 20 students this year. AAA is so proud of you Emma. Look out for the Arkansas Times All-Star Academic issue for 2025. Please share your congratulations with this amazing student.

AAA is finalizing its summer camp options and will provide a comprehensive list next month. To kick off summer planning we are highlighting a summer favorite- Art Camp with Mrs. Joy Price.

Mrs. Joy Price is running the "Wild and Wonderful Summer Art Camp" in the Art Room at the elementary campus. June 16-20, 2025 and June 23-27, 2025 with two sessions daily. 9:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. There is a limit of 20 students per session with the registration fee of $75.00 per session. Any interested party should email Mrs. Joy Price at jprice@artsk12.org for a registration form.

Currently on exhibit at the A3 Gallery is the work done by AAA middle school students. The impressive collection of work features true arts integrated learning, combined with brilliantly crafted aesthetic masterpieces. On display is the true embodiment of what we believe is the an approach to learning that involves knowledge acquisition demonstrated at the highest levels of learning, creation.

In 1956 Benjamin Bloom created what he felt was a hierarchy of learning, a framework to better categorize educational objectives. Shown as a pyramid that shows different types of learning, basic to the most complex, including action works reflective of cognitive processes. Simply a guided framework to achieve content mastery. At the top of the pyramid is CREATE- defined by the action of designing, assembling, constructing, developing, authoring or investigating. The end result of any learning at AAA, should be the ability to create a "response" that allows the student to demonstrate the highest of complex learning. Hands on, moving, innovative, creative, inclusive and multi layered with meaning.

This is why arts integration works and this is why the A3 gallery is the best venue to house some examples of. AAA is the only school district in the state that focuses on arts integration K-12 and the only district that has a gallery to show it.

Students will have an early release day on Friday, March 21, 2025 at 1:00 (Elementary) and 1:30 (High School) as staff receives professional development and informational support from the Children and Family Advocacy Center. The early release begins our two week break, March 24- April 4. After break AAA will have 7 weeks until the end of the school year. The last 7 weeks of school will be filled with 4th quarter units of study, ATLAS testing, AP testing, semester finals, senior showcases, theatre performances, music performances, art exhibitions, dance performances, graduation and much more. It will be a busy 7 weeks.

Parents, these next two weeks is a great time enjoy your students, celebrate their accomplishments, do something fun and provide them the respite and encouragement to end the year strong. Enjoy the break. Enjoy your students. We are so thankful you are a part of our community.

Share this newsletter with someone who might be interested in AAA- or fill out the prospective family link. We would love to welcome your friends and family.

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