activities · 34
what they do
direct service · 32
- Academic and Post-Secondary Transition Support College Preparation & Empowerment ProgramsProvides academic readiness resources and counseling to support students in transitioning to post-secondary education, with 80% of graduates enrolling in post-secondary institutions.
- Arts and Academic Recognition ProgramsConfers the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency on qualifying graduates and offers the Seal of Personal Finance in alignment with Arizona Department of Education requirements.
- Arts-Focused Curriculum and Instruction Arts-Focused Secondary EducationProvides specialized arts instruction across visual and performing arts disciplines, including Painting and Mixed Media taught by long-term faculty, Film, Digital Art, Digital Photo, Yearbook, and other courses requiring Adobe software.
- Award arts and finance proficiency sealsIs approved to bestow the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency and the Seal of Personal Finance upon graduating students who meet state and school requirements.
- Community Engagement and EventsParticipates in various Valley events and hosts community festivals to provide exhibit and performance experiences for its student artists.
- Dual Enrollment Programs Dual Enrollment & College Credit ProgramsOffers dual enrollment courses in partnership with Rio Salado College, allowing high school students to earn college credit in subjects like Art History & Literature.
- Dual Enrollment and College Credit Programs Dual Enrollment & College Credit ProgramsOffers dual enrollment courses in partnership with Rio Salado College, including Art History & Literature and other college-credit-bearing classes, enabling high school students to earn college credit.
- Engage with the community through arts eventsParticipates in various Valley events and hosts community festivals to provide exhibit and performance experiences for its student artists.
- Extracurricular and Community Engagement Requirements Student-Led Artistic Capstone ProgramsRequires all Visual Art students to participate in national Portfolio Day, all Performing Arts students to engage in at least one community production, and all students to complete 60–80 hours of arts-related extracurricular activities, which must be logged using a provided form.
- Facilitate student artistic development and exhibition Student-Led Artistic Capstone ProgramsRequires students to participate in various artistic activities, including publishing original works in an online literary magazine, participating in national Portfolio Day for Visual Art students, and engaging in community productions for Performing Arts students. Students also complete a student-led artistic capstone project and present their work in Senior Exhibitions for Visual Art students and Senior Showcases for Performing Art students.
- Facilitate student artistic showcases Student-Led Artistic Capstone ProgramsOrganizes a Senior Exhibition for Visual Art students to create, curate, and present a body of artwork, and a Senior Showcase for Performing Art students to create and perform an audition piece. Students also publish original works in the online literary magazine, Interwoven, and complete student-led artistic capstone projects.
- High School Arts and Academic Education Arts-Focused Secondary EducationProvides high school education with a focus on arts, including visual arts, performing arts, film, digital art, digital photo, and yearbook classes, alongside academic readiness resources for post-secondary education. Students are required to complete arts-related extracurricular activities and participate in national Portfolio Day or community productions.
- Middle School Arts and Academic EducationOperates a middle school offering arts and academic curriculum, including daily sustained reading time, designed to feed into the high school program.
- Offer dual enrollment programs Dual Enrollment & College Credit ProgramsProvides dual enrollment courses in partnership with Rio Salado College, allowing high school students to earn college credit, including a specific class in Art History & Literature.
- Offer specialized arts and academic instruction Arts-Focused Secondary EducationProvides specialized classes such as Film, Digital Art, Digital Photo, and Yearbook, which require specific software, and employs dedicated staff like Kyllan Maney for Painting and Mixed Media instruction and as Visual Arts Department Director.
- Parent and Community InvolvementEngages parent volunteers to support school events, fundraisers, and field trips, and participates in Valley-wide events and community festivals to provide performance and exhibition opportunities.
- Post-Secondary Readiness and Certifications College Preparation & Empowerment ProgramsSupports students in transitioning to post-secondary education, with 80% of graduates attending such institutions, and offers certifications such as the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency and the Seal of Personal Finance.
- Provide arts-focused secondary education Arts-Focused Secondary EducationOperates a middle school and high school providing arts and academic curriculum, including specialized classes in Film, Digital Art, Digital Photo, Yearbook, Painting, and Mixed Media. The curriculum requires students to participate in community productions, national Portfolio Day, and complete arts-related extracurricular activities.
- Provide arts-focused secondary education Charter & Alternative School OperationOperates a middle school and high school in Arizona, offering academic and arts curriculum. The high school was established in 1995 and the middle school in 2003, with both campuses physically joining in 2005.
- Provide arts-related extracurricular opportunities Student-Led Artistic Capstone ProgramsRequires high school students to complete 60-80 hours of arts-related extracurricular activities, logged using a provided form, and offers opportunities to participate in Valley events and community festivals.
- School Operations and Facilities Charter & Alternative School OperationOperates a campus in Tempe, AZ, originally opened in Scottsdale in 1995, expanded to a new facility in Tempe in 2002, and added a middle school in 2003 that joined the high school campus in 2005; maintains public access Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, and posts meeting notices on-site and online.
- Special Education Records ManagementManages special education records, storing current records electronically and destroying dismissed or withdrawn student records after four years from the current academic year.
- Special Education Records ManagementStores current special education records electronically and destroys records of dismissed or withdrawn students after four years from the end of the academic year.
- Structured Academic Practices Early Childhood Literacy Support for Caregivers and EducatorsProvides daily 15-minute sustained reading time for middle school students during 4th period class to support literacy development.
- Student Advising and Academic Monitoring Student-Led Artistic Capstone ProgramsRequires all students to meet quarterly with the Visual/Performing Arts Coordinator or lead teacher to support academic and artistic progress.
- Student Capstone Projects and Showcases Student-Led Artistic Capstone ProgramsGuides students in planning and executing artistic capstone projects, including Senior Exhibitions for Visual Art students and Senior Showcases for Performing Art students, to demonstrate their skills and knowledge.
- Student Counseling Services Youth Mental Health Education & Peer SupportOffers counseling sessions to students with a dedicated counselor.
- Student Literary Magazine Publication Supported Literary Publication ProgramsFacilitates the publication of at least two original works by students in NSAA's online literary magazine, Interwoven.
- Student Publications and Creative Output Supported Literary Publication ProgramsSupports students in publishing at least two original works in Interwoven, the student-produced online literary magazine.
- Student-Led Artistic Capstone and Exhibition Programs Student-Led Artistic Capstone ProgramsRequires all students to complete a student-led artistic capstone project; Visual Art students organize a Senior Exhibition to create, curate, and present a body of work, while Performing Art students prepare and perform an audition piece in a Senior Showcase.
- Support post-secondary transitions College Preparation & Empowerment ProgramsSupports students in transitioning to post-secondary education by providing academic readiness resources and counseling sessions. The organization also helps students earn the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency and the Seal of Personal Finance.
- Support post-secondary transitions College Preparation & Empowerment ProgramsSupports students in transitioning to post-secondary education by providing academic readiness resources and counseling sessions. 80% of graduates attend post-secondary educational institutions.
capacity building · 2
- Engage parent volunteers Parent & Family Engagement ProgramsEngages parent volunteers to support various school activities including events, fundraisers, and field trips.
- Parent Volunteer Program Parent & Family Engagement ProgramsEngages parent volunteers to support school events, fundraisers, and field trips.
strategies · 16
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Arts integration and experiential learning across curriculum arts_integrationArt is integrated into all classrooms using Universal Design for Learning, project-based lessons, and performance-based assessments, supported by a teaching philosophy centered on active, hands-on, experiential learning.
- College and Career Readiness through Early Access and Standards-Aligned Education college_readinessThe organization prepares students for post-secondary education by prioritizing college readiness, offering early college access through dual enrollment partnerships, and aligning teaching methods with Arizona and National standards to provide comprehensive and stimulating coursework.
- College and Career Readiness through Early Access and Standards-Aligned Education college_readinessThe organization prepares students for post-secondary education by prioritizing college readiness, offering early college access through dual enrollment partnerships, and aligning teaching methods with Arizona and National standards. This approach aims to ensure a smooth transition to higher education and future careers.
- College and post-secondary readiness through dual enrollment and financial support dual_enrollmentThe organization prioritizes college readiness by offering dual enrollment opportunities with community colleges, supported by financial need-based assistance to reduce barriers, ensuring students are prepared for a smooth transition to post-secondary education.
- Comprehensive Arts and Academic Curriculum standards_based_arts_educationThe organization provides a comprehensive curriculum that integrates technology into digital arts education, fosters analytical and critical thinking through literature and writing workshops, introduces students to art history and ethical concepts, and builds foundational skills in world languages and STEM fields through discovery and experimentation.
- Financial Accessibility for Educational Opportunities financial_need_based_assistanceThe organization reduces barriers to participation in educational programs, such as dual enrollment, by offering tuition assistance based on financial need.
- Financial Accessibility for Educational Opportunities financial_need_based_assistanceThe organization reduces barriers to participation in educational opportunities, such as dual enrollment, by offering tuition assistance based on financial need.
- Holistic Arts Education with Process-Oriented and Experiential Learning process_over_productThe organization cultivates artistic literacy in all students by emphasizing "process over product" in arts education, integrating art into all classrooms using Universal Design for Learning, and employing active, experiential, hands-on learning as a core teaching philosophy. This approach is delivered by professional artist faculty and structured around five artistic disciplines and four artistic processes.
- Holistic Arts Education with Process-Oriented and Experiential Learning process_over_productThe organization cultivates artistic literacy in all students by emphasizing "process over product" in arts education. It integrates art into all classrooms using Universal Design for Learning, performance-based assessments, and project-based lessons, and employs professional artists as faculty to inspire excellence through active, experiential, hands-on learning.
- Holistic Arts Education with Process-Oriented and Experiential Learning process_over_productThe organization cultivates artistic literacy in all students by emphasizing "process over product" in arts education, integrating art into all classrooms using Universal Design for Learning, and employing active, experiential, hands-on learning as a core teaching philosophy. This approach is delivered by professional artist faculty and organized around five artistic disciplines and four artistic processes.
- Instruction by professional artist faculty professional artist facultyThe school employs professional artists as teachers who are active in their artistic communities, leveraging their real-world experience to inspire student excellence and authenticity in arts education.
- Integrated Technology in Arts Education technology-integrated arts educationThe organization supports digital arts education by utilizing updated computers equipped with industry-standard software like Adobe, specifically for classes such as Film, Digital Art, Digital Photo, and Yearbook.
- Parent and community engagement through involvement and tax credit incentives parent_involvement_modelParents are engaged in school operations through volunteering and events, while the organization leverages Arizona’s tax credit program to incentivize individual donations, strengthening community support and financial sustainability.
- Process-centered arts education with standards-aligned structure process_over_productThe arts curriculum emphasizes "process over product" to cultivate artistic literacy, is structured around national and state standards, and organized across five disciplines and four artistic processes—Creating, Performing/Presenting/Producing, Responding, and Connecting.
- Structured access to student support services consent-based counseling accessCounseling services require student consent via completed forms, ensuring ethical access and rescheduling appointments when consent is not provided, reflecting a consent-based model for student support.
- Technology-enriched arts and academic instruction technology-integrated arts educationUpdated technology, including computers with Adobe software, supports digital arts education, while platforms like Remind enable efficient communication with multimedia capabilities to support school activities and engagement.
named programs · 3
what they call their work
Advanced US / Arizona History
Designed to be equivalent to a college-level U.S. history course, focusing on significant events and developing historical analysis skills.
Creative Writing
Focuses on images, energy, tension, pattern, insight, and revision in the writing process, culminating in the publication of original works.
Environmental and Sustainability Science
Teaches ecological principles and the sustainable use of natural resources, encouraging students to instill change in their systems.
relationships · 10
who they work with
- AZ Charter School Association Network — Member of the association.
- AZ State Board of Charter Schools Government — Must be in compliance with the board and fulfills goals and items described in charter contracts with them.
- Academic Director Partner — Point of contact for questions about academic readiness
- AdvancED Partner — Accredited by AdvancED.
- Arizona Department of Education Government — Administers the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency.
- Arizona Department of Education Government — Progress in state performance labels is based on their criterion.
- Claudia Smith Partner — Parent representative coordinating volunteer opportunities
- Remind Partner — Uses the Remind platform for communication with teachers, students, and parents.
- Rio Salado College Partner — Partner institution offering dual enrollment college credit courses to NSAA high school students
- State Board of Education Government — Adopted the board rule for the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency.