TAMPA, Fla. - It’s our favorite part of the week! Friday ushers us into the weekend, but it’s also when we showcase our 10News School of the Week powered by Duke Energy Florida.
This week we hung out at Shore Elementary Magnet School of the Arts located in Tampa, Florida.
If the name doesn’t give it away this is an arts magnet school in Hillsborough County.
Every student, or Arts Star, kindergarten through fifth grade takes strings, dance, music and visual arts once a week for 45 minutes.
Beginning in first grade, they take additional arts classes known as their Encore. The goal of the encore classes is to focus on what the students are really interested in. If they want even more art experiences they can audition to join morning or after school arts clubs.
The arts aren’t just found in those specials classes. They are infused into their academics as well.
Take for example a science class studying the phases of the moon. You could read about it in a text book or maybe even watch a video, but here at Shore, the students learn a rap song that gets them up out of their seats and learning the phases in an interactive lesson.
It’s not just arts in the academics, it works in reverse too. When the students are in music class, there’s discussion about sound waves, frequencies and what sound looks like. It’s a true infusion of arts and academics.
The school also invites college and professional artists to visit the school yearly to their Arts Festival. The artists demonstrate their mediums and interact with the students presenting future opportunities for them to pursue post high school.
Being an elementary magnet in Hillsborough County, Shore is a Choice School and parents/guardians apply for their students to attend and they are chosen based on a lottery. This year the Choice applications are accepted beginning Nov. 1. Students interested do not need prior arts training or experience to attend Shore Elementary Magnet School of the Arts. The Arts Festival this year is Nov. 15.
This school is award-winning and nationally recognized. Shore was designated as an Exemplary School by the Arts Schools Network for 2016-2018, selected in 2007, 2013 and 2015 as a Magnet School of Excellence, selected in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017 as a Magnet School of Distinction, and during the 2006-2007 school year, Shore was a first-time nominee for the Dr. Ronald Simpson Distinguished Merit Award, the top honor in Magnet Schools of America.
Just this week, they were named a Nationally Certified Magnet School by Magnet Schools of America. It is among the first 55 schools located in 12 states to earn this designation. It’s easy to see why they are our 10News School of the Week powered by Duke Energy Florida.
Have a recommendation or want to nominate your school for 10News School of the Week powered by Duke Energy Florida? Email 10schools@wtsp.com and tell us why they should be featured.
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