MELLIFLUOUS
Metropolitan School of the Arts Newsletter - December, 2022
What Exactly is Mellifluous?
In coming up with a catchy newsletter title - we searched for a term that incorporates so many of our art forms. Mellifluous = sweet, melodious, harmonious
2023-24 Registration to Open Soon!
1. Complete online application
2. Complete a request of school records from current school (to determine educational placement)
Look for upcoming announcements for Open Houses in January through March to check out the space and learn more about our unique educational program.
Location! Location! Location!
Open Houses and "Meet and Greets" will be planned after the first of the year. Be prepared to see how Atonement makes a perfect fit for MSAKC and how Atonement is an arts-based church in their ministries.
Virtual Option Still Available
Do you feel that traditional school is getting in the way of dance/theater/music/performing?
MSAKC offers an online curriculum through Imagine Edgenuity - credits earned through Imagine Edgenuity are accredited through Cognia and the North Central Association on Accreditation and School Improvement. Additionally, the NCAA Clearinghouse also approves the curriculum for athletes seeking college admission.
We have a wide range of core content (math, English, science, and social studies) as well as electives (world language, speech, etc) to fulfill the requirements to meet the MSAKC graduation requirements. We can make accommodations to meet any student's level of learning - offering regular courses, honor courses, and AP courses. Here is the course catalog available for Kansas
What is the cost for this program? Parents will pay a $500/year fee for access to the online curriculum from Imagine Edgenuity. You will also pay $50/monthly for student maintenance fee - meaning the time needed to grade work ongoing throughout the month and access to our student information system (Rosario). Parents may opt for a $100/monthly fee for tutoring or academic assistance.
Check out our program at our website
In-Person School Opening for 2023-24 School Year
We will offer the following VPA disciplines: vocal music, instrumental music, theater, musical theater, visual arts, and dance.
We offer a unique block schedule where students will have 6 core/elective classes over two-days and two arts-based classes every afternoon. We are also scheduling every Friday afternoon to be used for field trips, master classes, performances, or other special events. Our philosophy is to allow every student to "shine".
Curriculum Integration
One national program that supports the arts - academic integration is A+ Schools. This is a national consortium that began in North Carolina in 1995 and has spread to Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma with two pilot schools in Kansas. There are also A+ schools in Switzerland and South Africa.
A+ Schools have adopted A+ Essentials: A Set of Commitments:
- Arts
- Curriculum
- Multiple Learning Pathways
- Experiential Learning
- Enriched Assessment (reflection)
- Collaboration
- Infrastructure
- Climate
When parents, art-partners, students and others ask what makes MSAKC different than your traditional school THIS IS IT!
Why MSAKC Chose to Open as a Private School
More importantly, being a private school we will not be subject to the mandate state curriculum and extensive academic testing mandates. In a typical Kansas high school, there are quarterly formative assessments to track student growth towards the standards. School teachers are usually required to develop individual tier 1 growth plans to assist with filling the gaps. The spring assessment window will be for grades 10 or 11 with subject level state assessments. All of the testing throughout the year can take over 15 hours of instruction from learning.
MSAKC will use the ACT test at the junior year to measure academic performance. Using the ACT assessment data, staff can find out the criteria where our students excel or where instructional/curricular improvement needs to occur.
Proposed Academic Program - International Baccalaureate.
MSAKC also would like to investigate becoming an IB (International Baccalaureate) school. We would like to implement the IB Career-related Program (IBCP). This unique program provides the rigorous IB curriculum and allows integration of the career-related fields in the visual/performing arts. IB offers courses in: dance, literature and performance, music, theater, film, and visual arts, art history, and world arts and culture.
Students would complete 2 IB courses, a reflective project, personal and professional skills, and service components. These blend in perfectly with our intent to provide our students with arts-related internships during their senior year. Student scoring at a certain level on their end-of-course IB exams may also receive college credit by many post-secondary institutions.
The IB program is recognized internationally. Our students will be fully prepared for whatever the next step will be following graduation - advanced studies at a conservatory or college/university.
For more information: Check out this IB website
To see an IB Career Programme VPA school - Check out Irmo International School of the Arts, Columbia SC>
Metropolitan School of the Arts
Email: msakc@msakc.art
Website: www.msakc.art
Location: 9948 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS, USA
Phone: 913-440-0066
Facebook: Facebook.com/msakansascity
Twitter: @MetroArtsKC