The Arts Schools Network (ASN), the nation’s largest professional membership organization of specialized arts schools, has designated SCPA as an “Exemplary School,” the highest honor they can bestow. And US News &World Report has ranked SCPA as one of the Best High Schools in 2022.

SCPA artistic departments include: 

• Creative Writing* 
• Dance* 
• Drama*
• Instrumental Music 
• Technical Theater *
• Visual Arts*
• Vocal Music 

* Denotes a career tech certification major

Students receive quality training from certified teachers and resident faculty members who are highly skilled professional artists and performers. 

At SCPA, students have the opportunity to participate in one or more of the 250 school performances and gallery events, including our Mainstage performances; the Major Musical, High School Drama, Junior High Drama, Elementary Drama, and the Corbett Mayerson Awards. 

SCPA offers career technical courses in dance, drama, costuming, lighting, scenic design, visual arts, and creative writing. The SCPA career tech programs fall under the Ohio Department of Education Arts and Communication pathways: Media Arts, Performing Arts, and Visual Design & Imaging.

These programs of study involve a multiyear sequence of courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to postsecondary education and careers. They follow content standards specific to their field and require completing a career-technical assessment. 

Regardless of whether students are headed for college or the workforce, career technical education will help them prepare for their futures. 

Private music lessons are also available to any student who attends SCPA. 

Semester Arts Board Proficiency Exams

All SCPA students in grades 4-12 are required to take the Arts Board Proficiency Exams each semester. The instructors in your child’s department review your child's work (performance, portfolio, or presentation). The instructors then assign scores based on a set of rubrics developed by each art department to determine your child's success in meeting the established exam standards. All 4th-12th grade students must meet or exceed the standards established by their department in order to remain in their current art department and to be promoted to the next level of art study. Students and parents are informed of their exam scores by their art teacher. 

All student board portfolios, presentations, and performances that meet Excellent and Passed criteria are promoted to the next level of art study. All Warning and Failure portfolios, presentations, and performances will result in departmental probation or dismissal from the Arts Department. As the student handbook indicates, any student in grades 7-12 that receives a rating of warning or failure in two of three consecutive semesters will be removed from that art major. If this major is the only major that your child is carrying, he/she will be required to successfully audition for another major in order to remain at SCPA.   

Board evaluation scores

• Excellent is the rating given to performance, portfolio, or presentation that clearly exceeds all of the standards criteria for the arts proficiency review.
• Passed is the rating given to a performance, portfolio, or presentation that clearly meets the standards criteria for the arts proficiency review.
• Low Pass/ Warning is the rating given to a performance, portfolio, or presentation that is inconsistent in meeting all the standards for the arts proficiency review.
• Failure is the rating given to performance, portfolio, or presentation that either (1) does not meet the standards for the boards/ proficiency review or (2) is the result of the student not attending their assigned arts examination time.