Strong Academic Focus

Our curriculum teaches students the needed skills and content of the Utah State Core. We teach many topics, or ?units? through thematic integration. We design courses to challenge students at a personal level by differentiating materials, expectations, and assessments.

Students are tested through the same State assessments as other public school students.

Coursework is taught by State certified teachers and supported by community experts and arts professionals.

• Curriculum based on Utah State Core
• Exemplary mathematics programs that places students based on competency level
• Hands on science labs
• Differentiation to meet student needs
• Accountability

Making Core Connections

As a public school, the Salt Lake Arts Academy is required to follow the core curriculum and meet accountability expectations laid out in the No Child Left Behind mandates. How we do this is up to us! Here at the Academy, we are using an integrated approach to learning that hleps students link what they are studying. Through integration, learning has greater meaning and person relevance.

Science and Social Studies is grade-level specific to ensure students learn the State Core Curriculum. Content is taught thematically through the Basic School core commonalities that allow all of the school to pursue common themes throughout the year. As an example: in science, the core commonality may be “Life Cycles”. The fifth grade students study the concepts specific to their core that relate to this theme while each of the other grade levels pursue the concepts that are required in their core. In addition to the work specific to their grade level, all students pursue projects of interest that are generated out of real life issues and problems that relate to this theme. The projects require field research as well as traditional research that may be conducted in multi-aged groups, as all students are under the same “thematic” umbrella. Students are set up to work with experts from the community during their project field studies. See what is happening in Science.[Back to the top]

Reading and Writing Instruction is linked to the school wide themes in addition to the study of specific genres. Instruction, assessment and materials is differentiated to meet the specific interests and proficiencies of the students.
In the 5th and 6th grades, students explore the arts through 4 eight-week classes taught by an arts specialist in that field. The students learn the skills, concepts, and principles that are the artists’ tools. The teacher specialists also link to the core commonalities that are being taught in other subject areas. For example, as students explore “Life Cycles” in science, social studies, health, and language arts, they also use the arts to extend their understanding of this theme.
In the 7th and 8th grades, students select two art forms that they study in greater depth. These is taught by specialists and also link to the core commonalities that are being taught throughout the school. [Back to the top]

The arts specialists meet with the teams weekly to design curriculum and organize student instructional activities.

Technology instruction is provided by specialists as well as the classroom teachers. Students learn word processing, publishing, and multi-media techniques. Technology instruction and projects relate to the content that students are currently pursuing and teach students to apply concepts from their arts disciplines. It is not taught in isolation. [Back to the top]

PE emphasizes lifetime fitness and take students off of Library Square and into the community recreation facilities such as the Central City Community Center, the YWCA, Gallivan Center ice rink, or the University of Utah. The faculty provides instruction and supervision. [Back to the top]

Foreign Language Students may elect to take Spanish, French or German at the beginning or end of each day. A fee is required to cover this option. Tuition waivers and scholarships are available for interested students. [Back to the top]

Parent/Teacher Conferences to coordinate Personal Educational Plans (PEPs) and evaluate student progress is scheduled twice each school year. A Back-To-School night is conducted within the first month of the school year. Daily consultation periods also provide students, parents and teachers opportunities to meet over student needs. [Back to the top]