School of the Arts
Encyclopedia
Many Performing Arts projects are left up to students. Students have directed theatrical productions including The Glass Menagerie
(dir. Kathryn Robinson, 2007) and The Last of the Darling Brent Girls, the latter also written by a student (dir. Kaylie Rainer, written by Roland C. Carette-Meyers, 2007). All productions, most directed by teachers, star only SOTA students—exceptions are rare, such as The Trojan Women
casting a very young non-student in the silent role of the toddler Astyanax
(performed in autumn 2007).
While students are expected to take a wide variety of classes, they are also expected to specialize in one department, or "major". Departments offered include those of the Visual Arts (photography, sculpture, graphic design, film, drawing, and painting) and those of the Performing Arts (songwriting and audio recording, instrumental music conservatory, vocal music, dance, and technical theater). Some students may announce a "renaissance
" major where they take classes from all the disciplines. There is an Actor's Studio class at SOTA taught by an adjunct artist, and students perform in all of these theatrical productions as well as many of the film productions.
Beginning the 2012-2013 school year, a Freshman class will enter the School.
artists teach only part-time, though some teach full-time.
Internship sites have included talk radio stations, City of Tacoma, Hospitals, among around 100 other hosts in the Puget Sound Area.
and the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts
. On Fridays, students arrive at 10:30 am for grade-specific activities; sophomores focus on math and science, juniors have writing classes, and seniors have advisory on their culminating projects. Showcases are also held on Fridays, where students perform and present their art in front of their peers.
Annual events include mentor day in the park, the Maquerade Ball, and Camp SOTA.
, and other local partners/venues.
Like the arts, the academics are rigorous and arts are commonly integrated into curriculum. SOTA has one of the highest number of students pursue a post-secondary education in the area. SOTA has implemented Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment. Classes for college credit are offered.
SOTA has an extremely low average class size, thanks to adjunct artists and more class periods.
team with the help of Team 360 from Bellarmine Preparatory School
. They were Team 2557, SOTA Bots, with the robot they created known fondly as the SOTA Bot. The SOTA Bot came in second and won Rookie of the Year in the FIRST Microsoft Seattle Regional and went on to get 22nd place in their division in the Atlanta International Competition
.
; the guitar store in the film is now part of the SOTA music department, as well as Club SOTA, an all-ages club hosted by the school.
The Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie is a four-character memory play by Tennessee Williams. Williams worked on various drafts of the play prior to writing a version of it as a screenplay for MGM, to whom Williams was contracted...
(dir. Kathryn Robinson, 2007) and The Last of the Darling Brent Girls, the latter also written by a student (dir. Kaylie Rainer, written by Roland C. Carette-Meyers, 2007). All productions, most directed by teachers, star only SOTA students—exceptions are rare, such as The Trojan Women
The Trojan Women
The Trojan Women is a tragedy by the Greek playwright Euripides. Produced during the Peloponnesian War, it is often considered a commentary on the capture of the Aegean island of Melos and the subsequent slaughter and subjugation of its populace by the Athenians earlier in 415 BC , the same year...
casting a very young non-student in the silent role of the toddler Astyanax
Astyanax
In Greek mythology, Astyanax was the son of Hector, Crown Prince of Troy and Princess Andromache of Cilician Thebe. His birth name was Scamandrius , but the people of Troy nicknamed him Astyanax In Greek mythology, Astyanax was the son of Hector, Crown Prince of Troy and Princess Andromache of...
(performed in autumn 2007).
While students are expected to take a wide variety of classes, they are also expected to specialize in one department, or "major". Departments offered include those of the Visual Arts (photography, sculpture, graphic design, film, drawing, and painting) and those of the Performing Arts (songwriting and audio recording, instrumental music conservatory, vocal music, dance, and technical theater). Some students may announce a "renaissance
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
" major where they take classes from all the disciplines. There is an Actor's Studio class at SOTA taught by an adjunct artist, and students perform in all of these theatrical productions as well as many of the film productions.
Admissions process
Students apply during their freshman year of high school. The School accepts 115 in-district students and 35 out-of-district students. Students first attend an information night during the fall or early winter. At the information night they schedule an appointment for a "community interview." At the interview students are interviewed by a SOTA student, a community member and a parent of a student. They must provide their portfolio and all of its contents at the interview.Beginning the 2012-2013 school year, a Freshman class will enter the School.
Faculty and staff
In addition to the regular staff, local artists are also hired by the school to teach their art forms. Included in this innovative "Artist in Residence" program are the Audio Recording and Jazz Combo classes. Many of these adjunctAdjunct
Adjunct may refer to:* Adjunct , words used as modifiers* Adjunct professor, a professor who does not hold a permanent position at a particular academic institution* Adjuncts, sources of sugar used in brewing...
artists teach only part-time, though some teach full-time.
J-term
J-term is a period in January between 1st and 2nd semester. During this time, instead of going to regular classes, students can attend a month-long class or various internships arranged by the school. Some students plan to go on service trips instead of internships. Previous service trips have included China, Mexico, and India. Sophomores must take a class during J-term.Internship sites have included talk radio stations, City of Tacoma, Hospitals, among around 100 other hosts in the Puget Sound Area.
Daily life
The school day is arranged to have four periods a day, in block periods over the week. Mondays and Wednesdays at SOTA students attend periods 1-4, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays students attend periods 5-8. There are 15 minute passing periods, as classes are held in over 10 different buildings and businesses. Three of these buildings are owned by Tacoma Public Schools and they are all within one square mile. Students use these 20 minutes to take buses and the Tacoma Link light rail to their next class. Some classes are housed in the University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma Art MuseumTacoma Art Museum
In May 2003, Tacoma Art Museum opened a new facility twice the size of its previous home, allowing the museum to expand on its vision and mission. American Institute of Architects AIA Gold Medal winner Antoine Predock designed the building located in the heart of Tacoma’s Cultural District...
and the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts
Broadway Center for the Performing Arts
Broadway Center for the Performing Arts is a 501 non-profit organization located in the historic Theater District of downtown Tacoma, Washington. Encompassing the Pantages, Rialto, and Theatre on the Square, the Broadway Center manages the largest complex of theaters between Seattle, Washington...
. On Fridays, students arrive at 10:30 am for grade-specific activities; sophomores focus on math and science, juniors have writing classes, and seniors have advisory on their culminating projects. Showcases are also held on Fridays, where students perform and present their art in front of their peers.
Annual events include mentor day in the park, the Maquerade Ball, and Camp SOTA.
Academics
The Humanities classes are taught on a 3 year revolving curriculum, so sophomores, juniors and seniors are all placed in the same classes together. SOTA offers all math and science classes that a typical comprehensive high school would offer, except for Advanced Placement classes. Students are welcome to take higher level science classes or science classes for UW credit at the Tacoma Science and Math Institute. Classes are held in the 3 buildings owned and leased by the Tacoma Public Schools, as well as the UW Tacoma campus, Urban Grace ChurchUrban Grace Church
Urban Grace Church, formerly First Baptist Church, was built in a Gothic Revival style in 1924 by Heath, Gove and Bell in Tacoma, Washington. The building's 53 rooms include an auditorium with 1,250 seats, a 500 seat banquet hall with stage, a kitchen, nursery room, small chapel, choir rooms, and...
, and other local partners/venues.
Like the arts, the academics are rigorous and arts are commonly integrated into curriculum. SOTA has one of the highest number of students pursue a post-secondary education in the area. SOTA has implemented Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment. Classes for college credit are offered.
SOTA has an extremely low average class size, thanks to adjunct artists and more class periods.
MPG
MPGs, or Mentor Project Groups, are groups to which students are assigned in their sophomore year. About 20 students are in each group, along with a "mentor" or staff member. The groups meet on Fridays from 1 to 4, and use the time to work on projects that benefit the school and greater Tacoma community.FIRST Robotics Competition
In 2008, SOTA created its own FRCFIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
team with the help of Team 360 from Bellarmine Preparatory School
Bellarmine Preparatory School
Bellarmine Preparatory School is a Roman Catholic high school in the Jesuit tradition in Tacoma, Washington, USA. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. Today it serves just over 1,000 students from the Greater Tacoma area....
. They were Team 2557, SOTA Bots, with the robot they created known fondly as the SOTA Bot. The SOTA Bot came in second and won Rookie of the Year in the FIRST Microsoft Seattle Regional and went on to get 22nd place in their division in the Atlanta International Competition
FIRST Overdrive
FIRST Overdrive was the 2008 game for the FIRST Robotics Competition, announced on January 5, 2008. In it, teams competed to complete counterclockwise laps around a central barrier while manipulating large diameter "Trackballs" over and under overpasses to score additional points.-Game...
.
Notable people
| Name | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jared Pappas-Kelley Jared Pappas-Kelley Jared Pappas-Kelley is a curator, writer, and artist. He was co-creator and publisher of Toby Room magazine. His direction of the arts organization ArtRod led to the creation of the Tollbooth Gallery, which he co-created and curated with fellow artist Michael Lent.Pappas-Kelley studied at The... |
Video & Screenwriting Instructor | Co-creator of Toby Room Toby Room Toby Room is a quarterly arts publication founded in 2001 and a project of ArtRod. Toby Room features work by emerging and established artists who are doing engaging work in their field. Frequently, one might find a rock star interviewing a filmmaker or photography collective writing about riding... magazine and curator of ArtRod ArtRod ArtRod is a nonprofit arts organization located in Tacoma, Washington. It was originally founded in 1958 and went through several name changes including Allied Arts and Artists Exchange. The mission of ArtRod is to facilitate art exhibition in nontraditional public arenas... |
| Luke Sieczek | Filmmaker (IMDb page) and current instructor | |
| Brent Hartinger Brent Hartinger Brent Hartinger is an American author and playwright, best known for his novels about gay teenagers.-Early life:Hartinger was born in Washington State. His family moved to Fircrest, Washington when he was an infant. He attended a Catholic grade school and middle school, and a Catholic high... |
Creative Writing Instructor | Author of the award-winning banned-book Geography Club Geography Club Geography Club is a novel about a group of high school students who feel like outsiders because of their sexual orientations; the narrator, Russel Middlebrook, then finds himself helping to form an after school club for the students, so that they can hang out together without anyone suspecting... |
| Garth Stein Garth Stein Garth Stein is an American author and film producer from Seattle, Washington.-Career:Stein earned a B.A. in 1987 from Columbia College of Columbia University and later received a Master of Fine Arts degree in film from the University's School of the Arts. Subsequently, Stein worked as a director,... |
Author of The Art of Racing in the Rain The Art of Racing in the Rain The Art of Racing in the Rain is a 2008 novel by American author and film producer Garth Stein — told from a dog's point of view. The novel became a New York Times bestseller, has remained on the list for more than 40 weeks, and became a #1 BookSense Pick.-Synopsis:The novel follows the... |
|
| Mary Boone | Author and current instructor | |
In popular culture
Several SOTA buildings were used in the film 10 Things I Hate About You10 Things I Hate about You
10 Things I Hate About You is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film. It is directed by Gil Junger and stars Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz, and Larry Miller...
; the guitar store in the film is now part of the SOTA music department, as well as Club SOTA, an all-ages club hosted by the school.
Sister schools
The Tacoma Science and Math Institute, or SAMI, is a school due to open for the 2009-2010 school year. It is the district's other magnet school, with a schedule and concept similar to SOTA.External links
- Tacoma School of the Arts Official Website
- School of the Arts at the Tacoma Public SchoolsTacoma Public SchoolsTacoma Public Schools is the main school district for Tacoma, Washington, USA.-District facts:-2004-2005 Budget:-School board:*Kurt Miller, President, Term expires: November, 2009*Connie Rickman, Vice President, Term expires: November, 2009...
Site - Official SOTA Bot website
- http://www0.tacoma.k12.wa.us/schools/hsx/sami/ SAMI home