The Salt Lake Arts Academy is a public charter school, founded by a group of educators and parents who believe that
	...	public school choice is an engine for educational improvement,
	...	a strong academic foundation with an emphasis in the arts will foster creative, disciplined thinking, and
	...	learning in the context of an urban setting will promote an understanding of complex issues.
The school offers a unique middle school experience for grades 5-8 in the rich educational environment of downtown Salt Lake City.

Intimate School Size

We have 245 students in four grades. Classes are structured to ensure a personalized learning environment where students are taught in flexible, mixed-age groupings. Students work closely with teachers who have been selected for their commitment to students at this important age in addition to their teaching expertise. Our small size also allows for exciting fieldwork in downtown Salt Lake City, in settings as varied as the Main Library, the new Clark Planetarium and the University of Utah.

• Individual attention
• Mixed age groups
• Highly qualified faculty

Quality Arts Education

Students understand and experience visual arts, dance, drama, and music throughout their school year. Our curriculum provides a strong academic program that integrates these various art forms. We aim to train our students to respond to the world, to look beyond themselves, to see the connectedness of human society through their arts instruction.

• Daily instruction by professional arts educators
• Arts integration in science, math, literature, and social sciences
• General exploration of the arts in Grades 5 and 6
• Specialized instruction in Grades 7 and 8 based on personal interest

Principal

CAO & Principal, Amy Wadsworth leads a team of state-certified teachers at the Salt Lake Arts Academy. Ms. Wadsworth has more than two decades of teaching and administrative experience in public schools. She has won many awards for innovative program design and leadership. Specialists in music, dance, drama, and the visual arts also work with academy students. The school offers varied opportunities for parent involvement.

Vibrant Location

We are housed at 844 South 200 East in beautiful downtown Salt Lake City. In addition to our humanties classrooms, our building also has new science labs, a new dance room, art studio and music studio.

The Arts Academy campus extends beyond the classroom and into the community. All students purchase a UTA pass that allows them to travel throughout the city as we access rich educational resources. Our curriculum includes lessons in civic responsibility, social etiquette and public safety.

• Real life learning
• Opportunities for outdoor class instruction and field research
• Access to city libraries, community centers, theaters, museums and U of U departments
• Collaboration with many education and arts organizations

Public/Private Partnership

As a public charter school, the Salt Lake Arts Academy does not assess tuition. But, the Academy is engaged in a public/private partnership around quality education. By encouraging private donations along with public support, the Academy can ensure the highest quality in arts-integrated education. We welcome contributions from individuals, businesses, corporations, civic groups, and foundations. Call the Salt Lake Arts Academy today and learn how you can partner in our efforts.

It is our goal to create a middle school program that trains young adults to become the future designers and decision makers of their community. Through an education that is rooted in arts, academics, and action, we prepare students to be in tune with the complexity of their world as we equip them with the necessary skills and sensitivities.

Admissions

Any Utah student entering grades 5-8 may seek admission to the Salt Lake Arts Academy. Applications are accepted from September 1 to the 3rd Friday in February for enrollment the following fall. If applications to the academy exceed the capacity of the school, a lottery will be held in February to determine who will be admitted.

Additional Reading

•The Genesis of the Salt Lake Arts Academy

•Salt Lake Arts Academy Executive Summary.

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