Alma d' Arte Charter High School at the Court Youth Center, opened in 2004, is the pioneering arts-based secondary school serving a diversity of learners through a rigorous academic and integrated arts program. Alma's dynamic educational program integrates the visual, performing, literary and culinary arts into academic content areas. Students learn to understand and creatively explore the connections between disciplines and diverse ways of thinking. This integrated approach ensures that students develop into creative thinkers equipped to better succeed in a complex society where personal, professional and artistic boundaries are increasingly fluid and careers multi-faceted.

 

Arts integration provides the skills, methods, strategies, and problem-solving (opportunities) necessary for positive youth development in today's sophisticated multi-media world.

 

Alma d' Arte was chartered by the Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education in December 2002. The arts integration, positive youth development, and multi-cultural awareness that was created by the Court Youth Center, became the basis for starting a charter school. The after-school programs of the Court Youth Center had received local, regional and national recognition. Students asked, "Why can't this become a school?" The seed for starting a charter school was planted. After two years of research and meeting with a variety of focus groups, Alma d' Arte was created.

The school is housed in the historic Court Jr. High School, a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project that opened in 1941. Prior to Court Jr. High School, the land was the site of the original Dona Ana County Court House that existed from the 1890's until 1936 when the construction began for Court Jr. High School. 

Today, students and staff who are a part of the Alma d' Arte learning community are here because they are interested in the value of an educational experience which has arts integration as the foundation to academic excellence.

 

Government Council Application
The Government council is seeking new members. To becoming a member of the government council, please complete this document and via email to Irene Oliver-Lewis (iolewis@almadarte.org) or bring in the completed application to the school.