New Creative Connections High School
Who Says Schools are Cutting the Arts?
New Creative Connections High School Bucks the Trend
Working with their local school district, North Highlands families started a new kind of school just five years ago - a kindergarten through eighth grade program designed to offer a large variety of exploratory classes and utilize the arts to make core classes more engaging. For the last few years, Creative Connections Arts Academy (CCAA) has had more applicants than space and selects students through a lottery system. However, students wanting to continue CCAA curriculum lacked a high school option.
Next year, CCAA families and students will get their wish with the creation of the new Creative Connections Arts Academy High School.
With the restoration of Highlands High School (HHS) as a 9-12 school and the growth of area elementary kindergarten through eighth grade schools, the campus to the west of HHS (also known as the former Don Julio Campus) became available. The new CCAA High School will engage parent and student volunteers this summer and work with the Twin Rivers Unified School District to repurpose the campus.
The planning of CCAA High School is well underway. Families can expect to find a wide variety of exploratory courses similar to CCAA's K-8 campus. Students currently enjoy opportunities in choir, dance, drama, claymation, set design, filmmaking, gardening, and yoga.
In addition to rigorous coursework meeting state graduation and University of California requirements, CCAA High will offer a Media and Design Arts Pathway, a Performing Arts Pathway, and a Production and Managerial Arts Pathway. Each pathway will offer both in-depth and broad academic preparation as well as cultivation of flexibility, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. The idea is to help students fulfill their potential whether that takes them to higher education or directly to careers in or supporting the arts.
The new high school will continue many of the successful elements of CCAA's kindergarten through eighth grade program: student community service requirements, field study days, and family involvement and engagement standards.
Applications are available at the current K-8 campus located at 7201 Arutas Drive, North Highlands, and on the Twin Rivers web site. The new school will accept applications through the end of April. For more information about the new CCAA high school call 916-566-1870.