Performing & Visual Arts
Magnet High School Program
Welcome to PVA High School!
Designed to provide a high quality education in and through the arts, the AACPS Performing and Visual Arts High School (PVA) is a four-year (grades 9-12) program designed for the serious artist interested in developing their full artistic potential as they prepare for post secondary institutions and career success.
The PVA Magnet program gives students the opportunity to foster their artistic passions both in front of an audience and behind the scenes through premiere arts venues. From performances in dance, music, and theater, to hands-on stage management training, to producing exhibitions and literary publications, PVA students work to develop their artistic skill through real-world experiences.
Before we begin…
General Magnet Program Information
All AACPS Magnet Programs…
Offer students a specialized course of study or an emphasis on instruction that is different from the traditional curriculum offered in AACPS.
Are a key component of Anne Arundel County’s vision for Programs of Choice.
Attract qualified students from all areas of the county who complete an admission process.
Are public school programs and do not involve any additional cost to attend.
o Some programs may have lab, field trip, or exam fees.
Provide transportation through regional consolidated bus stops.
o Private transportation is required to and from the community bus stops. Most bus stops are located at local elementary schools, middle schools, or libraries.
What benefits does the PVA High School offer?
An integrated arts curriculum that weaves the arts through all subjects; Studio/performance based instruction that fosters creative-critical
thinking, student-centered inquiry, and effective communication;
A problem solving/production environment that allows students to further their own individual aesthetic;
Challenging academic coursework;
The chance to work alongside regionally and internationally recognized professional artists;
The opportunity to showcase artistic work and performances through partnerships with arts organizations and agencies; and
Educational partnerships with arts colleges and institutes, such as the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and the Peabody Institute.
PVA students get to choose from one* of the following Arts Areas to follow through their four years in the PVA Magnet Program:
Creative Writing Dance
Film Guitar
Instrumental Music (Band, Strings, or Guitar) Music Composition
Technical Design and Theatre Production /Arts Management Theatre Visual Arts Two-dimensional Art Three-Dimensional Art Digital Media Vocal Music
*Students may audition for up to two Arts Majors, but will only register for one.
A student’s Magnet School is determined by their chosen Arts Major:
PVA students will attend their Magnet School for their regular school day but will also meet and learn with students from the other PVA school.
Transportation will be provided between schools.
Our Home
Annapolis High School & Broadneck High School
Annapolis High School Broadneck High School
• Creative Writing • Dance
• Technical Design and Theatre Production/Arts Management • Film • Theatre • Visual Arts • Band • Strings • Guitar • Music Composition • Vocal Music
School Phone: 410-266-5240
School Website: http://www.annapolishighschool.org/ Acting Principal: Susan Chittim
Annapolis High School (AHS) is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. As such, all AHS 9th and 10th grade students participate in the IB Middle Years
Programme (MYP).
The IB MYP whole-school program offers all students in grades 9 and 10 a teaching style focused on promoting 21st century leaders who are able to:
Communicate effectively in multiple languages,
Connect what is learned in the classroom with the real world, and
Develop an understanding of their place as an integrated part of both local and global communities.
Annapolis High School also hosts the Magnet IB Diploma Programme (DP) for students in grades 11 and 12 who applied for and were accepted into the IB DP Magnet
program.
While PVA students are not a part of the Magnet IB DP, as members of the Annapolis High School community, all PVA students attending AHS are automatically also a part of the IB MYP whole-school program. In this school, students will experience the unique curriculum of the PVA program taught through the IB teaching methodology.
School Phone: 410-757-1300
School Website: http://www.broadneck.org/ Principal: David Smith
Arts Major Instruction PVA Walking Wellness
PVA Social Issues/Global View Social Studies
Mathematics Honors English Honors Science
Honors World Language
Extended Arts Instruction(extended days, four days a week) Interdisciplinary Arts Instruction (evenings and weekends)
In their Arts Major Instruction, students will…
Receive dedicated instruction from highly qualified teachers and
professional artists-in-residence to enhance their creative and artistic skills Discuss artistic theory necessary to understanding their Arts Major and
how that major is linked to other academic subjects; and
Plan, develop, and execute projects for exhibitions, performances, and publication.
Credited courses are offered in extended days that occur four days a week.
These sessions give students extra time to take many courses, including: Arts Elective – that provide students with access to professional artists
and small group instruction.
These courses occur both at a student’s PVA school and through Partner Arts
Companies (AACC, Maryland Hall, Chesapeake Arts Center, and more)
PVA Social Issues/Global View– a discussion based class that challenges
students to consider 21st century arts issues that are relevant in the world
today.
PVA Walking Wellness—45 minutes for students to discuss relevant arts
and academic social issues in an informal setting while improving their full-body health.
What will students do during Extended Arts
Monthly Arts Experiences…
Provide students with the opportunity to see the arts in actions and connect what they’ve learned with the professional art world.
Give students the chance to study along side professional artists in workshop and Master classes.
Include trips to theater performances, museums, and local colleges.
Saturday in the Arts events may include:
A visit to a local art museum followed by participation in a local artist workshop,
A lesson on musical theatre followed by a professional theater performance,
A discussion of music composition theory followed by a trip to the ASO.
What will students do during…
*This schedule serves as an example of a typical ninth grade student’s schedule. Your student’s schedule may look different.
**Students will register for the Math course appropriate to their current Math level.
***9th grade PVA students may only chose one elective. A student may take 1 credit of the same elective all year or ½ credit of different
electives each semester in ninth grade
Here is a sample Grade 9 schedule*
Grade 9—Fall Semester
Period/
Block A-Day B-Day
Traditional School Hours
1 Algebra I** Honors Biology
2 Honors English 9 World Classical Language
3 US History Arts Major Instruction
4 Elective*** Arts Major Instruction
Extended Day Hours (Monday--Thursday;
2:30-4:55)
5 (home school) Arts Elective 21st Century Design (AHS)
6 Art s Major Elective (home school) Wellness (AHS) PVA Walking
PVA Social Issues/Global
Applying to the PVA Program
As with all AACPS Magnet Schools, students must
complete an application process and be determined
eligible for the PVA High School program.
Students can apply to the PVA program in the fall of
their 8
thor 9
thgrade year.
1. Information Nights: Attend the PVA Information Night in the fall to visit
the magnet school, meet the PVA facilitators and teachers, and learn more about the program.
Visit the Magnet Website (www.aacps.org/magnet) for details on any upcoming Information Nights
2. The Application: Complete the online Magnet Application by the posted
deadline.
The Magnet Application opens in the fall and will remain open for approximately two months.
The Magnet Application is posted at https://magnet.aacps.org.
3. The Audition: Sign-up for and complete an Audition.
Information about the Audition is available on the PVA Website
(www.aacps.org/pva). This information may vary from year to year.
The Magnet Application Process:
4. Evaluation: The magnet office uses the following criteria to determine
whether or not a student is eligible for PVA:
a) 7th and 8th grade academic record b) MSA scores
c) Audition scores
Students may be eligible through one of two pathways
These pathways are not a ranking system, but rather determine what the
student will need to complete during the application process.
Pathway I* Students must have:
A minimum of a “B” average (3.0 grade average) in grade 7
Scores of Proficient or Advanced in MSA Reading and Mathematics in grade 7
or scores in the 60 percentile or above on nationally-normed tests in Reading
and Mathematics
An average rubric score of a 7 or better on the Audition
The Magnet Application Process:
Pathway II* Students must have:
A minimum of a “mid-C” average (2.5 grade average) in grade 7
An average rubric score of a 7 or better on the Audition and an average rubric
score of a 3 or better on the Academic Interview
Scores of Proficient or Advanced in MSA Reading and Mathematics in grade 7 or
scores in the 60 percentile or above on nationally-normed tests in Reading and Mathematics
Two letters of recommendation from a recent teacher and a community member
(teacher, coach, mentor, etc)
*Please note that the only distinction between these two pathways is that students in Pathway II will complete an academic interview and will need letters of
recommendation. Both Pathway I and Pathway II students are treated equally in the Lottery.
The Magnet Application Process:
5.
The Lottery:
If there are less applicants than seats available for each Arts Majors, all eligible students will be offered seats. However, if there are more eligible applicants than seats available, a computerized, random Lottery will occur for those Arts Majors to place students either in the program or on a wait-list. It is the belief of the Magnet Office that a Lottery is the most fair way to all
students to determine who is given a seat in a Magnet Program.
Students placed on the wait-list will be offered a seat as space opens up in the program
6.
Registration:
Attend a the Welcome and Registration Night for information about the Enrollment process
PVA Summer Bridge—a summer experience for students
to engage in focused arts experiences
The Magnet Application Process:
The Lottery and Registration
Need More Information?
Contact a member of the PVA team:
Lori Snyder, PVA Senior Manager
Phone: 410-224- 2784
Email: [email protected]
Ken Skrzesz, PVA Teacher Specialist
Phone: 410-570-0315
