New World School of the Arts
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| Established | August 1987 |
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| Type | Public Magnet |
| Students | 497 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | Miami, Florida, USA |
| District | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Cyan, magenta and gold |
| Mascot | Fightin' Pigeon |
| School hours | 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. |
| Average class size | 19 |
| Website | New World School of the Arts |
New World School of the Arts (NWSA) is a conservatory in Miami, Florida with programs in visual arts, dance, theatre, musical theatre, instrumental music, and vocal music. The school's main building is located at 25 NE 2nd Street, Miami, and holds other classes on the Miami-Dade College (MDC) Wolfson Campus.
The provost of the conservatory is Mercedes Quiroga. Also known as New World College, the conservatory awards both the Associate of Arts degree from MDC, as well as both the Bachelor of Fine Arts and the Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Florida (UF). UF and MDC are the governing bodies of the institute.
New World School of the Arts also has a high school program with the same art programs listing above. The principal is Frederic Conde. High school students are only accepted through auditions or art portfolio reviews during the months of January through March of each year, and are notified of their acceptance status in April. Students are taught by teachers employed by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) system for their basic core curriculum, as well as many of the same adjunct professors for their arts programs as in the conservatory program. Students graduate with a high school diploma, as well with 30 dual enrollment arts credits awarded from Miami Dade College. The governing bodies of the high school are MDCPS, MDC and UF.
Both the conservatory and the high school are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
[edit] High School History
NWSA opened its doors to high school students in grades 10-12 in August 1987. It was the successor to P.A.V.A.C. (Performing and Visual Arts Center), a magnet school program for high school students, under the artistic direction of Richard A. Klein, the former principal of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts at New York City's Lincoln Center from 1969 to 1987, which New World is modeled after, and the academic direction of founding Principal Alan Weiss. New World has the distinction of also being known as the Fame School of the South.
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Much like the school today, all of its classes were held in different buildings in downtown Miami when the school opened, including the main building of MDC Wolfson campus, as well as a downtown church within walking distance. The school's current main building (a former AT&T communications department building) was first used for the 1990-1991 school year, as an electrical fire destroyed the school's original administration headquarters. The main building (the 5000 Building) houses most of the high school academic classes there, as well as both the high school and college administration units, dance studios, theaters, and art studios. The MDC Wolfson Main building (the 1000 Building; located at 300 NE 2nd Avenue) houses some science facilities. All music classes are held across the street from the MDC Wolfson Building at the aptly named Music Building (the 4000 Building; also houses MDC's Alumni Association, located at 401 NE 2nd Avenue).
New World School of the Art's mascot, the Fightin' Pigeon, first appeared in the 4th issue of the 1987-1988 school year, in the school's original underground newspaper, The Casting Couch. The Fightin' Pigeon won out in a contest against the other proposed mascot: The Fighting Sea Monkeys. The Casting Couch initially was circulated nearly a dozen times each year, but now circulates the school once a year, usually near the end of the school year.
Weiss was replaced in 1989 by Mandy Offerle, then, several years later, by Ellery Brown. Brown retired in 2007 and was replaced by Frederic Conde.
[edit] See also
- Magnet school
- Hernan Bas, alumnus
