Boston Arts Academy



About BAA
Boston Arts Academy
Printer-Friendly Version

About Our School

fern_kids0.gifFounded in 1998, Boston Arts Academy (BAA) is the city’s first and only high school for the visual and performing arts.  It was founded on the conviction that academics and the arts are equally important to student development and achievement. The arts are integrated throughout the academic curriculum motivating students with a variety of learning styles to succeed in high school and pursue higher education.BAA is committed to providing a rigorous arts and academic education to urban youth who seldom have the opportunity to focus on the arts.  

Its 405 students reflect the diversity of the seventeen Boston neighborhoods from which they come: 49% are African American, 29% Latino, 17% Caucasian, 3% Asian, and 2% self-identified as Other. Nearly 60% come from low-income households. Because of its success with urban students, BAA is a recognized leader in public education reform movement. Its innovative use of the arts as a strategy for improving teaching and learning has attracted national and international attention. Through the school’s Center for Arts in Education, BAA’s best practices are documented and shared with educators, administrators and policymakers worldwide.
Habits of the Graduate: RICO

Students and families will hear an ongoing refrain throughout the Arts Academy: How does my work connect to the Habits of the Graduate? These habits are akin to the “Habits of Mind” described the educational philosopher John Dewey—the orientation towards learning that we wish our graduates to demonstrate. These habits also form an intellectual framework that our students and staff use in every classroom, arts and academic. They represent the best aspects of both the artistic and academic processes. We sometimes refer to them by the acronym “RICO”: Refine, Invent, Connect, and Own.     

Refine
Have I conveyed my message?
What are my strengths and weaknesses?
Invent
What makes this work inventive?
Do I take risks and push myself?
Connect
Who is the audience and how does the work connect?
What is the context?
Own
Am I proud of the work I am doing?
What do I need to be successful?