Savannah Arts Academy

Savannah Arts Academy
Savannah Arts Academy
	Savannah Arts Academy Logo
Location
	500 Washington Avenue, Savannah, GA 31405
Information
Type	Charter Public High School
Established	1998
Principal	Odessa Richards (Interim)
Faculty	?
Enrollment	589 (2005-2006)
Information	(912) 201-5000
Mascot	Black Panther
Website	Official Homepage

Savannah Arts Academy is the first dedicated performing and visual arts school in Savannah, Georgia. It is part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School District. Savannah Arts Academy was granted charter school status and the former Savannah High School building in July, 1998, and opened its doors for the first time in August of the same year. The initial enrollment was 397.

The School

Savannah Arts - Front Steps

The school is designed to provide high level training in the arts to 600 students within the context of a comprehensive college preparatory and technical preparatory high school education. The curriculum is integrated, encouraging students to explore common themes in different subject areas. Students concentrate in one of one of six arts majors: communications technology, dance, instrumental and/or vocal music, theatre arts, and visual arts. All elective courses offered are either in core academic areas or the arts. SAA is continually growing and is leaving a good mark on the community. It is considered by many to be the top high school in the world.

History

The Savannah Arts Academy building is located on a site that was originally planned as a luxury tourist hotel called the Hotel Georgia. The developers envisioned the Hotel Georgia to "be a palace outside and inside. The grounds will be a dream of beauty."^{[citation needed]} The hotel was to be located at the apex of the Chatham Crescent, a long, sweeping crescent-shaped drive.

Work began on the hotel on August 15, 1912, but due to litigation, steel shortages, funding problems and architectural changes, the foundation sat unfinished for about 20 years.

The Works Progress Administration, in the midst of the Great Depression, expressed interest in the site for use as the new Savannah High School. Permits were granted, construction began, and Savannah High School was dedicated on June 15, 1937.

After 61 years on Washington Avenue, Savannah High School classes were moved to a new building on Pennsylvania Avenue, leaving the structure available for the newly formed Savannah Arts Academy for the school year beginning August, 1998.

Admission

Admission to Savannah Arts Academy requires an 80% or greater overall academic average in the previous year of schooling, as well as satisfactory marks in conduct.

Incoming students are also required to audition for their chosen arts major, which can range from an on-the-spot demonstration (Music and Dance) to creating a portfolio (Visual and Communication Arts).

Additionally, students must perform ten hours of community service each year (twice the district mandate), maintain that 80% average, and have very good discipline. Each child's parents must also do a total of ten hours of service, but parent service can include attending performances or parent meetings.

Arts Majors

Upon admission, students must choose and audition to join an arts major. A student's arts major can be changed, but this is looked down upon.

Communication Arts

Mary Ann King, Department Chair

The Communication Arts department offers intensive courses related to Information Technology and Broadcast/Video Production. As freshmen, students become proficient in basic computer applications and gain knowledge of the communication system through applying and transferring their academic knowledge and skills to a variety of interesting activities, problems, and settings. Next, students develop skills in information technology, software systems management, operating systems, data communications, and the Internet. Students explore their creativity when taking classes geared towards digital media production and web design. Broadcast and video production courses provide advanced training in video production techniques, including program production, editing, lighting, and graphics. Students in Communication Arts also have the opportunity to take Journalism I and II, which are the newspaper staff, and Journalism III and IV, which are yearbook staff.

Communication Arts majors are required to participate in Future Business Leaders of America. FBLA is an education association of students preparing for careers in business and business related fields. The mission of FBLA is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.

The Visual Voice

The students of the Journalism I and II class release, four times a year, a black-and-white, 12-page, tabloid-size newspaper called the "Visual Voice." It covers school, arts, sports, and club news, as well as an opinion section with essays from within and without the staff.

Dance

Andrea Martinez, Department Chair

The Savannah Arts Academy dance department consists of approximately 60 students who are required to take technical training in ballet and modern, plus additional training in the jazz, if interested. Students round out their total dance experience by engaging in two academic dance courses-- one year of dance history and one year of dance composition. The dance department traditionally performs in two large productions annually with dance works created by faculty, students and guest artists. Choreography is produced both in class and in afternoon rehearsals. There are also multiple opportunities for performing in venues from the fall Student Choreography Concerts to the large spring musical production, as well as touring local area schools and events. Each year interested dance students may attend the National High School Dance Festival and have the opportunity to work with local and national guest artists throughout the school year. Given the relatively small size of our department, students work closely with each other and faculty which allows for a great deal of personal interaction and growth.

Music

Dianne Gardner, Department Chair

The Music program at Savannah Arts Academy is a comprehensive program featuring instruction in winds, strings, percussion, piano and vocal music. Ensembles include String Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Mixed Choruses, Men’s Choir, and Women’s Choir. The faculty is a highly trained group of professional musicians still active as performers, clinicians and adjudicators. The program through the years has garnered every award available to it through the Georgia Music Educators Association. Students who graduate from the program, electing to pursue music in higher education, have been awarded scholarships to the leading institutions in the country including Indiana University and Oberlin Conservatory of Music. The jazz band is also a point of pride. The Skyelite Jazz Band has performed all over the globe, including China, London, Washington D.C., and much more. It is directed by Mr. Michael Hutchinson. Many students, under the direction of Michael Hutchinson, make All-State Jazz Band or Concert Band.

Theatre Arts

Andrea Verdis, Department Chair

The Theatre Arts Department at the Savannah Arts Academy offers a comprehensive theatre education. Its mission is to foster talent and develop creativity through professional training and a wide variety of courses including: Fundamentals of Drama, Acting I & II, Technical Theatre I & II, Acting II, Theatre History, Musical Theatre I & II, Technical Theatre III, a design course, and Advanced Drama, a performance group. Students have the opportunity to practice the skills learned in the classroom through after school productions, competitions and festivals.

Visual Arts

Napoleon Wilkerson, Department Chair

The visual arts department offers Art History and Criticism, Drawing, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, Fibers, Ceramics, Pottery, and AP Studio Art.

Academics

The school is also strong academically, offering classes from the normal level up to the AP, or college level.

Academic Department Heads

Foreign Language - Terry Finlay
Science - Kathy Maher
Mathematics - Nancy West
Language Arts - Bradley Wallace
Social Studies - Margaret Sheehan
Health and Physical Education - Peggy Johnson

AP Courses

AP Chairperson - Terry Finlay

Advanced Algebra & Trig, AP Calculus, AP French, AP Spanish, AP & Advanced History Courses, Advanced Literature/Composition courses, AP English Language Composition, Advanced Biology & Chemistry, AP Compositon/Literature, AP Physics, Advanced Physics, Advanced Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology

Recognition

The Arts Academy has achieved much recognition, including, but not limited to:

Awarded "Pay for Performance" by the State Board of Education.
SAT scores exceed the state and national average.
Member of International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools.
#1 in the state on the GHSGT passage rate: 100% in Writing, English, Mathematics, and Social Studies and 98% in Science (04-05 school year).
Voted "Best Public School" by the readers of Connect Savannah.
90% of graduates are HOPE Scholarship eligible.
Named "School of Excellence" by the Atlanta College of Art.
Received a "Superior School" commendation from State School Superintendent.
Largest number of Governor's Honors Program finalists in the district (twelve in 2005-06).
Thirteen students recognized by the College Board as 2004 AP Scholars, AP Scholars with Honors, or AP Scholars with Distinction for their excellent achievements on the AP Exams.
SAA Placed Gold and Silver at the All-State Festival of Art & Design! Sixteen SAA student artists were chosen to go to the Georgia All-State Festival of Art and Design at Brenau University.
SAA students and faculty have performed most recently in China and London.

Extracurricular Activities

Savannah Arts holds an abundant number of school-related events, numerous performances, increasing numbers of student clubs, and the many sports teams.

External Links

Savannah Arts Academy Official Homepage