Questions About Arts & Academics
Mesa Arts Academy is unique! Our students experience challenge academics and still given creative space to grow in the arts.
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- 24 max students in Kindergarten
- 248 is the cap of all students at MAA.
- 1st - 8th are capped at 28.
- For each classroom, we have a certified teacher and qualified paraprofessional. This is two adults per classroom at MAA, which is very good. In other schools, it's not uncommon to have 1 teacher for 30-40 kids.
- 40 students are Special Education
- Performing Arts: Singing, dancing, drama / acting
- Music:
- K-5 music class (regular instruction).
- Upper grades can choose between percussion and guitar.
- Visual Arts: Drawing, Painting, Sketching, and sometimes Clay / Ceramics.
- Computer: Computer Graphics, 3D Design
- STEAM: Science, technology, Engineering, Arts, Math
- Photography: Digital Photography and Theory
- Health and PE
- Mindfulness: Social and Emotional Learning (Curriculum is Vetted by the State)
- K-8 All students perform two shows - Winter Showcase and Spring Showcase.
- K-8 Once a year a big art gallery (for visual arts)
- Theater performance. Usually in the spring. “After-school Musical”
- Performances at MCC twice a year. Perform “Week without Violence” and showcase artwork there.
- Parades
- Showcase our artwork at AZ State Fair and Maricopa County Fair and a variety of museums.
Yes!
- Reading Morning: Parents come into child’s class (light breakfast) and sit with child and read with them.
- Reading Evening: Fun-themed night focused on reading, encouraging parent engagement.
- Math Night: Help parents do everyday objects to learn math concepts.
- Family Fun Night: Carnival vibe
- Buy tickets
- Food
- Games
- Dunk the principal
- Bounce houses
- Community reps (Mesa Police)
- Honor’s Assemblies: each quarter we recognize students that made Honor Roll (All As and Bs) and Principal’s list (All A’s) and parents come to the event.
- Kinder graduation: 8th grade graduation. We plan off of other schools around us so that we don’t compete with high school graduations.
- After School Musical
- Kindergarten-2nd grade. 70 minutes / day, 5 days a week.
- 3-5 90 minutes, 4 days a week.
- 6-8 2 hours, 4 days a week.
- Academic Teachers and Art Teachers work together. Teaching mythology? Art teachers will try to incorporate it into lessons. Same with showcases (they play the songs in the class so they can sing as they work).
The Mesa Arts Academy has adopted the following curriculums-(vetted by the state, approved curriculum)
- K-5 - “Ready Math”
- K-6 “Benchmark Advance” is the reading program
- For grades 7-8
- GoMath! (6,7,8)
- Scope (Reading Program)
- For grades 7-8, students change classes and have more than one teacher. (small intro into High school class switches)
Mesa Arts Academy firmly believes in Arts Education and it is integrated into the student’s schedule daily for a minimum of 70 minutes four days per week. By using different parts of the brain, students do better. This helps students. (Student who struggled in math did well by taking guitar lessons.) Arts are required. Other schools? Art is not required.
Reading and Math interventions are provided to student both during the school day and after school at the Grant Woods Boys & Girls Club.
Our school follows the multi-tier instructional model.
Mesa Arts Academy is a designated Lighthouse School. This award was granted to the Mesa Arts Academy for "Bridging the Gap in Student Achievement for All Students with Response to Intervention in Reading and Mathematics" by the Arizona State Department of Education Exceptional Student Services State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG)
Mesa Arts Academy works closely with the Grant Woods Boys & Girls Club. This partnership shines in our after school program.
MAA teachers can work closely with BGC staff to help with tutoring support. “Power Hour” is really productive. Strong connection. Keep grades up and work done! Very family oriented. Teachers get to know students well, club staff needs to know kids well.
Other after-school programs offered at the Grant Woods Boys & Girls Club:
- Sports
- Cheerleading - led by our MAA dance teacher
- Color Guard - Students in 4th grade and up can join, which is a rare opportunity for these young students. However, our Winter Ensemble regularly competes with with 5th, the 7th, and 8th grade ensembles and we WIN!!
- Reading and Math interventions are provided to student both during the school day and after school at the Grant Woods Boys & Girls Club.
- Meals - Students have breakfast at school, lunch at school, dinner at the club.
The Grant Woods Boys & Girls Club closes at 7pm.
Did you know Mesa Arts Academy is a designated Lighthouse School. This award was granted to the Mesa Arts Academy for "Bridging the Gap in Student Achievement for All Students with Response to Intervention in Reading and Mathematics" by the Arizona State Department of Education Exceptional Student Services State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG)