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• Administrative Departments

  Admissions
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  Office of Teaching & Learning
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  • Student Services
  • Admissions

    Admission to PVPA is by lottery. New applicants must file an application by the deadline. 

    Application deadlines will be posted on the online School Calendar.

    The deadline for the 2012-2013 applications was January 6, 2012. PVPA does not accept application past the deadline. Applications for the 2013-2014 school year will be available the first week of November.

    The lottery for the 2012-2013 school year will take place on February 10, 2012 at the school, located at 15 Mulligan Drive, South Hadley.

    PVPA does not hold auditions. New applicants are encouraged to demonstrate interest in the performing arts at January admissions meetings. In order for an applicant to be scheduled for a demonstration, an application must first be submitted by the deadline. Applicants and their parents are then contacted to schedule an admissions meeting .

    Click here to see the Non-Discrimination Policy.
    Click here for info about educational rights of children with disabilities. 

    For more information:

    • See the Frequently Asked Questions regarding Admissions
    • email Anna Rossi
    • or call 413.552.1580 ext. 114.
  • Employment Opportunities

    For teaching positions, please send letter of interest and resume to:
    
    PVPA Charter Public School
    Office of Teaching and Learning
    15 Mulligan Drive
    South Hadley, MA  01075

    • Openings | School Year 2012-2013
  • Health
• Academic Departments
  • History & Social Science

    Department description here.
    A couple of sentences about the department.

  • Mathematics

    Our mission is to teach students to think, speak, and write mathematically. Embracing the mission of the school, we will foster a positive attitude towards mathematics and imbue students with an appreciation of its power, beauty and relevance.

  • Science

    The science department offers courses in major scientific fields of study including biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, engineering, astronomy, geology, and various other classes. The courses focus on developing problem-solving strategies through experimental and project-based activities and are considered laboratory sciences unless otherwise noted in the course description. Courses that are year-long include seventh grade science; eighth grade science; ninth grade science; biology; chemistry; and physics. Other courses may be year-long or semester-long. See the course descriptions for details.
    
    Each course adheres to the Massachusetts Science and Engineering State Frameworks and prepares students for the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests in grades 8 and 10. In the sophomore year of high school (grade 10) students take the Science and Technology/Engineering Exam as part of the MCAS test. The content of the exam reflects the course that the student is currently taking in the sophomore year. For example, a student taking biology in year 10 will take the biology MCAS exam in June of that academic year.
    
    

  • English & Language Arts

    The goal of the language arts department is to help students develop critical thinking, an effective writing process, and strong skills in comprehension, interpretation, expression, and communication.  To this end, we offer courses which integrate writing, the study of literature, and the exploration of themes relevant to our student body and to our times.  
    
    In grades 7 – 10, students take required year-long courses which allow them to practice and demonstrate specific skill sets according to grade level and individual need. These courses also prepare our students for the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests in grades 7, 8, and 10 .
    
    In grades 11 and 12, we offer students a series of one-semester electives for mixed age groupings. These courses prepare students for college level work and give them the opportunity to pursue individual interests and projects. See course catalogue for more complete details.

  • World Language

    Our goal is to offer a core sequence of study in French, Spanish and American Sign Language which will help students develop a sense of confidence in using the language while laying groundwork for fluency. By using an integrated curriculum that challenges them to blend creative and critical thinking into their work, and that provides numerous options for student-directed learning, we hope to empower students to use all of the resources at their disposal to take responsibility for their own learning.  We will guide students by using innovative forms of assessment that allow students to demonstrate competence and mastery through a variety of learning styles and modes of expression.
    

    1. All students should become proficient in at least one language in addition to English by the time they graduate from high school.  Students should be able to speak, read, write and understand the world language they study.
    2. Language acquisition is a lifelong process.
    3. Effective world language programs integrate the study of language with the study of culture, which includes daily life, history, literature, visual arts, mathematics and science. In this way, world language programs create natural links to all other disciplines.
    4. Assessment of student learning is an integral component of effective world language instruction.

     

• Performing Arts Departments
  • Theater

    In referencing the main objective of a playwright, the Roman poet Horace wrote:

    “A bard will wish to teach or to please
    Or as tertium quid, do both of these.”

    The PVPA Theater Department is dedicated to providing an enriching and engaging education both on and off the stage. Our aim is to combine classes which focus on the history, theory, literature, and cultural significance of theater with classes in performance, technique, and the creative process. We teach to students of all levels, from those who have no experience to those who are looking for advanced theater training. It is our belief that every student should have a chance to develop artistically and perform, and that the pursuit of a theater education is an exceptional way to developing critical and creative thinking skills.

    Each year, PVPA produces a vibrant mix of performances and projects and throughout the Pioneer Valley. We perform two mainstage plays and a large-scale musical at the Academy of Music, a beautifully renovated opera house in downtown Northampton. In-house performances include one-act plays, student generated work, and the comic stylings of “Headgear”, our sketch troupe. The Theater Department regularly hosts visiting artists and performance troupes from around the world, some of which provide master classes. Additionally, our Children’s Theater, Commedia Dell’Arte, and Massachusetts Theater Guild troupes get a chance to “take the show on the road” with winter tours to local festivals and performances at area schools.

  • Music

    PVPA's Music Department seeks to provide a safe, supportive, and exciting environment for students to explore their creative side, and offers an outlet for young musicians of all skill levels. We strive to offer a broad exposure to the basics as well as more advanced pursuits for students who seek additional challenges. It is our belief that every student should have the opportunity to sing, play, AND learn about music. Students may choose from introductory classes in theory, technique, history, and performance. Once they have explored these areas they are encouraged to try a class in something they have never experienced before, including our offerings in world music, or auditioning for upper level groups.

  • Dance

    "Beginning with the first breath and ending with the last, humans move, and from the expressive urges of that movement, dance is born. If life is movement, then the art of that movement is dance. "
    Charles B. Fowler, Dance as Education

    "Dance is thought made visible."
    Alonso King, Director LinesBallet

    What is Dance?
    In every culture, dance uses movement to express and communicate myths, rituals, stories, beliefs, and information to others. Education in dance trains the student to use the body to convey meaning through the language of form, shape, rhythm, energy, space, and movement. Dance communicates in ways that are physical, visceral, affective, symbolic, and intellectual. Dance includes forms that are social and theatrical, sacred and secular, popular and esoteric, historical and contemporary: folk dance, ballet, modern dance, jazz, and tap.

    What is the Mission of Dance at PVPA?
    The mission of the Dance Department at PVPA is to expose and guide students in the study of dance as an art form and as a tool for health, education, entertainment, multicultural awareness and personal growth. The department serves two basic populations: those who are serious about dance as a possible future career, and those who wish to learn exciting and healthful ways to move their bodies. We offer a sequence of classes that train students from a beginner through more advanced level in a number of our dance forms, and provide performance outlets through informal showings and several dance companies.

  • Visual Arts and Technical Theater
• Athletics

  PVPA Soccer

  PVPA Ultimate

  Click here for game and practice schedules.
• Student Activities
  • Mock Trial Team

    

    Mock Trial is a competitive Massachusetts interscholastic competition sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association. The students act as attorney and witnesses in a Mock Trial in a real courtroom with attorneys or Massachusetts judges evaluating their performance. Each opening statement and closing argument, each direct and cross-examination and each witness performance is scored on a 1-10 basis. The winner of the trial is the team that gets the most number of points.

    PVPA has a tradition of excellence in Mock Trial since the team was started in 1996. The team has won the state championship in 2005 and last year in 2011, the only charter school and the only school from Western Massachusetts to ever do so.

    From 2004-2011 the team has either won the state championship or been in the finals six out of those eight years.

  • Student Newspaper