School of the Arts Kansas City Inc

Metropolitan School of the Arts will open as a private high school school in August, 2015.  The school will attract those students with a strong interest in the arts or those who wish to have a strong pre-professional exposure to the arts prior to advanced training.  We are seeking donations to cover many of the start-up expenses of opening a school (advertisement, publications, etc).

Kansas City is becoming one of the premier art communities in the United States.  The metropolitan area enjoys world class ballet, music, and visual arts in small neighborhood venues or large venues like the Kaufmann Center for the Performing Arts or the Nelson-Atkins Museum to name a few.  The Crossroads Art District is growing where artists from around the US have found a new home to set up their private studios - KC hosts the very popular First Fridays each month to celebrate and enjoy our artists community.  Kansas City is also home to many famed artists, actors, and musicians who will be able to share their expertise with our students through workshops. Kansas City is poised to support an authentic arts-based magnet high school program.

  MSAKC will house 5 arts-based conservatories (vocal music, instrumental music, dance, theater/musical theater, and visual art) in a small learning community format.  We will be using an arts-based approach to embed each respective art discipline in the academic content and vise versa.  As a private school, we will not be tied to the Common Core as well as all the unnecessary testing.  We will implement the testing needed to maintain accreditation through AdvancED or the Independent Schools Association.  MSAKC will experience a Renaissance in education – returning to what we know from our past to educate students academically and in the arts.

What set’s MSAKC apart from your typical high school is our intentional focus on preparing students to be college and/or career ready.  All of our juniors and seniors will participate in a juried recital or gallery showing for high school graduation credit.  Seniors will also participate in a 100-hour internship in their respective conservatory.  For example, a dance “major” may spend time with the KC Ballet where they would observe rehearsal, work in the make up/costuming department, volunteer with ticketing and ushering so that they gain an understanding of the entire operations.  Both the recitals and internships will incorporate self-reflection as an artist.  Our students will leave KCMSA ready to transition to either advanced studies at a university or right in to an arts-related career.  Some students may just want to experience attending high school in an arts environment but go on to college or university to major in some other occupation but will have gained much through a rigorous, arts-infused high school curriculum.

 Time to Reach for the Stars

  The Kansas City Metropolitan School of the Arts’ instructional and organizational models are exactly what major high school reform groups such as the National High School Alliance and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have proposed. Rigor, high expectations, authentic accountability, relevance, adult world immersion, and personalized attention are hallmarks of Metropolitan School of the Arts Kansas City.

Imagine Reaching for the Stars…A Renaissance in Education

Imagine...“Can you believe we’re getting ready to graduate? It’s gone by so fast. I’m glad you found your niche in a career you love. Your artwork is excellent! My Senior Experiential internship really opened my eyes to what it means to have a career in dance, but I’m still going for it. I feel ready, don’t you? These last four years at MSAKC made all the difference. It feels like yesterday we were freshman. Remember how nervous and excited we were? And now look at us! Metropolitan School of the Arts graduates, Class of 2019. Have a great time in college and remember me when you become famous, OK?”