Boston Arts Academy
Center for Arts in Education
To address the need in the field of education for innovations that work, BAA has established the Center for Arts in Education at Boston Arts Academy. The Center disseminates the best practices of BAA – most especially the integration of arts and academics – through a variety of avenues.
The Goals for the Center include:
- To serve as an incubator for innovations in education.
- To inspire positive change in schools across the country and throughout the world, by disseminating BAA’s best practices to educators locally, nationally, and internationally.
- To influence and promote the vital role of the arts in the growth and development of children and in the improvement of schools.
BAA offered its first Summer Institute for Arts in Education in July 2004. It was a huge success, with over 35 teachers and administrators from across the country in attendance. The second annual BAA Summer Institute for Arts in Education brought in nearly 60 participants from local to international schools and districts. Many districts expressed interest in working with BAA on a consulting basis as they prepare to open new schools or reform existing schools.
In the past year, BAA has hosted one, two and three day visits of educator groups from across the country and world including educators from Oregon, Wisconsin, Great Britain and Australia. These represent just a small percentage of educators eager to study and learn from BAA.
BAA has been recognized as a national model of innovative education by the Coalition of Essential Schools. CES has awarded BAA a three-year grant – funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - to participate as a mentor school in its Small Schools Project.
Major Initiatives of Center for Arts in Education
Mentor School Program
BAA has been named a CES National Mentor School. This gives BAA the unique opportunity to participate in regular national meetings, exchange information with other schools and serve in a mentor role to other schools.
BAA Summer Institute
- BAA hosts an Annual Summer Institute for Arts in Education. This is a 4-day intensive workshop presented by BAA staff for outside educators on local, national and international levels.
Consulting Services
- School Visitor Program: Outside educators, administrators, etc come to BAA for school visits that include tours, on-site workshops, presentations and informal coaching by BAA staff.
- Workshops and Presentations:
Requests are made to BAA on a regular basis for workshops or presentations by BAA staff at conferences or special programs.
- Community Outreach
: BAA receives regular inquiries from local schools for assistance in community partnerships and arts programming. BAA works to help schools maximize community resources and assists schools to create partnerships with community organizations.
- Curriculum Coaching:
BAA Faculty work on curriculum building and coaching with local middle and high schools. BAA Teachers use art as a catalyst in developing new curriculum for local schools.
For more information, contact:
Corey Evans, Center Director
Boston Arts Academy
174 Ipswich Street
Boston, MA 02215
cevans@bostonartsacademy.org