<p>Anyone go there, went, taught, know about the school, please post.
It is popping up again and again in my research. Its not like wed pack up and move to palm beach but it is nice to know what he will be against in term of acceptance and aid $$ and most of all, what kinda catch up to be done</p>
<p>DSOA, as it is fondly referred to by all connected to this school, is a public, magnet arts school open only to legal residents of Palm Beach County. Admission is strictly and exclusively by audition and extremely competitive. The admission rate has been consistently lower than any Ivy league school. It is free. The art areas are:
Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Photography/Film/Digital Media, Communications Arts and Music (Band, Piano, Strings and Vocal). </p>
<p>Students must apply and sign up to audition usually no later than December of their 8th grade. Deadline requirements are strictly adhered to. Auditions usually take place between January and March and decisions are issued sometime in April. BAK Middle School of the Arts (DSOA’s middle school equivalent) is the largest feeder school into DSOA but graduation from BAK does not guarantee admission to DSOA. Admission after 9th grade is possible but it is entirely dependent on a student leaving and a spot opening. The same audition and application requirements apply.</p>
<p>Although the school is located by City Place in downtown West Palm, students live throughout the county and travel long distances to attend. The school academics are tops and many of its graduates go on to the most selective schools.</p>
<p>If you have specific questions that you need answered, I will be glad to try to answer them.</p>
<p>I am astounded by the number of free riders to top art schools.
I guess my question is how? Need based or they are all Picasso? If so, how they become Picasso in 4-7years? How many period art class a day, who buy the supply, what studio facility they have, how students interact each other???</p>
<p>The talent at Dreyfoos is amazing. From some of your earlier posts it seems that you are interested in visual arts. So I must assume that the free rides you are referring to is to Cooper Union admittees. Those free rides are not based on need, just pure talent. Cooper Union is free for any admitted student. For several years now Cooper has been admitting several students from Dreyfoos each year. </p>
<p>Many students, though not all, have been in the District’s art magnet program since 6th grade. They auditioned for middle school and then again for high school. </p>
<p>All students at Dreyfoos, regardless of the art area, carry the normal academic load of all other public schools in the District and also have an extra class period each day. This translates to each student having at minimum two required art periods. Depending on the “academic” load, they may have more than the two art classes per semester. The school runs on block scheduling, so they may not have their art classes every day, but when they have class (any class) they are long blocks of time. It is probably safe to say that the majority of the students take additional classes after school and in the summers in their chosen art area. - - All of this block scheduling and number of art classes also applies to the middle school of the arts. So as you can imagine these are kids who spend a large amount of time doing what they love. Because competition to get into the school is so fierce, the level of talent tends to be very high.</p>
<p>As far as art supplies, the school provides some supplies and the students also buy some. There is a very active Parents Association for each art area and a foundation that raises money. These moneys are used to enrich the program by providing resources for the school that the District will not fund, for bringing in visiting artists, helping students who cannot afford items they need or who need travel money to visit a school or attend a competition. In short, whatever need might be identified will be considered and funded whenever possible. </p>
<p>The facilities at the school are very nice and in some instances better than some colleges’. The school is in a cluster of historic buildings which housed the county’s oldest high school until the building was earmarked for demolition. The old school was going to be torn down when a movement of residents saved it. It was refurbished and Dreyfoos received its permanent home in a beautiful campus. </p>
<p>The students interact very well and respect and support one another. There are no cliques or bullies. Kids are free to be themselves in a nurturing environment. Many of these kids would probably be picked on or ridiculed in a regular school but at Dreyfoos they do not have to be afraid.</p>
<p>Since all students are mixed with other art areas in the academic classes, it is not unusual for “best friends” to be in different art areas. These are truly smart kids who also take very challenging “academic” classes both at the school and at the local universities. It is not unusual for them to win at math and science competitions not just at the local level, but internationally as well. Consequently, many of the highly selective “academic” schools recruit on campus each year.</p>
<p>I think I have answered your questions but feel free to ask more if there is something else you wish to know.</p>
<p>It is very helpful and answered most of the questions, thank you. You sound like counselor or teacher, maybe alum parent?
Cooper, I am in the city and well aware of. I meant free ride to Parsons, SMFA, SAIC, MICA and not college but Pre College to RISD, that is almost unheard of.
Those school won’t give away all inclusive (room, meals, fees) grant so easily unless.,My understanding is that Palm Beach area is rather affluent, am I wrong?
Originally interested in this by a story about accepting full ride to SMFA over Cooper without even visiting school because of student’s financial situation. Though, school was said DASH, which I assumed Dreyfoo but then I found out there are couple of them in Florida.
It just amaze me the quality of their work and worldliness, writing skill and down to earth-ness in funny way.
We have world famous art high school here but it is more geared to performing arts and visual accept largest number of students yet sort of like adapted or stepsibling. Most graduates go to Ivies and LAC not art schools. There are several lesser known art HS including the one my child goes but facility is out of date students body spotty (manga, graffiti, anime) teachers hit or miss, it just that, no school has that kind of air (or physical capacity-real estate to host proper studios)
So if you could give me tips what in Florida that make it happening, I am sure there are other places in other states that always win students to Scholastics and so on.
More I think about it, they can go either way.
Study hard and get good grades then suddenly want to go to art school during academic HS and still make it to RISD type school or, really prepared since early on and get amazing aid to be able to attend more conceptual art school. Cooper is somewhere in between, but obviously art HS does give an edge though not any school would do.</p>
<p>Neither teacher, nor counselor. Parent of Dreyfoos theater major. In academia for over 20 years with older visual art child who chose IB with higher level art over Dreyfoos several years ago.</p>
<p>What Dreyfoos has had is an incredibly, stauch group of parents who have gone out and raised private funding against incredible odds. Were it not for the Foundation (School of the Arts Foundation) and additional AP funding from the District, the school would not be able to do many of the things it does in support of these gifted kids. Sadly with the state of the economy in Florida and silly constitutional amendments, next year Dreyfoos may lose a lot of the funding it has had.</p>
<p>The pre-college scholarships you refer to I believe that are mostly financial need based. You are correct that some of the county is affluent, but there is extreme and widespread poverty too and the majority of children attending Dreyfoos are not wealthy.</p>
<p>I personally know of several kids who have attended RISD’s pre-college summer program on scholarships. Schools like RISD, Cooper, Parsons, etc are familiar with the strength of curriculum at Dreyfoos and know that these are students who have what it takes to succeed. I imagine that it does not hurt them in the whole admission process that they how know to put a portfolio together and have received an education that is equally strong with respect to academics. Last year and this year the valedictorians have been visual arts students. Both chose to attend Brown because of its relationship with RISD. </p>
<p>I would be remiss if I did not mention that the talent and academic achievement in all the art areas is just as strong as in visual. The GPA difference between the valedictorians and top 10% of the class is really, really small. Middle of the class students have GPA’s higher than 3.5 and not due to grade inflation. These are students who compete regionally, nationally and internationally and receive recognition in whatever area they choose to pursue. This year there are at least two dancers who will be going to Julliard and a large number of students who were accepted to Ivies and the most selective LAC’S because they racked up honors not just in their art areas but academically too.</p>
<p>What is Florida doing different? Probably nothing. In fact, education in the non-magnet public schools in Florida is dismal. What we have at Dreyfoos is a “school culture” of parental involvement and dedication that has been passed on from graduating class to graduating class and which started for the most part back in middle school at the Middle School of the Arts. We also have a very good student body and dedicated teachers who can spend time teaching without having to break fights. </p>
<p>I have to run now but will gladly continue to answer or comment if you feel it will help you.</p>
<p>Another DSOA mom here and I think dramatica did an excellent job providing info about the school.</p>
<p>Though neither of my kids were in the Visual Arts program, they had friends that were. I think the success of the students has been due to dedicated and talented teachers, the creative and accepting atmosphere school culture, support from parents and community, but most of all…that these kids truly look forward to coming to school everyday and really challenge themselves not only creatively, but academically. Though the kids are very competitive, they are so in a way that is positive and supportive of each other.</p>
<p>While I do know of some who have moved to our county specifically for their kids to have the opportunity to audition for DSOA, that’s a big risk with the acceptance rates being so low. However, I think it’s possible to incorporate some of the things that make our students successful into another school. You may want to look at forming a parent group to support school programs and events. Our visual arts parent group does fundraisers, helps to arrange events for students to show their work at galleries among other things. You may also want to supplement your students coursework in high school by dual enrollment at a local college, online courses or a summer program (there are some good scholarships for those). But when it all comes down to it, I think the most important factor is your support and encouragement for your student in providing the most accepting and open environment to foster their creativity.</p>
<p>Thank you for your thought on this. However, my child is finishing up sophomore year and it is bit too late to start anything school based. Besides, parents are mostly not informed about art education at all. More likely this school is chosen over their much risky zone school otherwise they have to attend, not necessary because it specialized in art. There was a parent asked, “what’s portfolio?” “whtya mean abstract?” in college info meeting.
One thing the school has is long history and few super famous alumni whom never care to visit school or do anything for students. Some teachers are working artists and themselves are alum from better era and sort of laugh at pushy parents like myself and not much of help. They believe students can make it if they ‘have’ it like they did without helicopter parents.
Our defense is to sniff around outside of school and that’s what I have been doing including this site.
So I was sitting in Cooper’s waiting room keeping spot for summer outreach review with portfolio while my child was in other school taking weekend class, running late, me worrying while spying on what other kids are bringing in.
My child show up, I gave sigh of relief, go out to get cup of Starbucks that adjacent to the school (just this once, —I am cutting off coffee budget)
My child’s reviewer’s first advice is
“Tell you mom to leave you alone”</p>
<p>I figured out that DASH is Design and Architecture senior high school in Miami.
It seems smaller visual only art magnet school.
It also sounds amazing.
It got to be Florida thing.</p>
<p>Bears and dogs,</p>
<p>I was thinking about your last comment, “It must be a Florida thing” and it reminded me of the original reason our magnet schools were created: as a means to comply with a consent decree to desegregate schools. </p>
<p>Like most of the South, Florida had segregated schools. When the state was ordered to desegregate, people on all sides opposed the notion of busing to achieve racial balance. Although busing was put in place, many districts also created schools of choice and placed them in mostly black areas. The best and most experienced teachers were given incentives to go into these schools to start new programs. The thought process was that whites could be enticed to voluntarily send their children into predominantly black areas if the programs were good. It took awhile, but it worked. Gifted programs for elementary and middle school children where students took all gifted classes with all gifted students were housed in schools that were predominantly black. In high school and middle schools pre-IB and IB programs were started, as well as magnet art schools and magnet science schools. I am not sure if all the Districts ran them the same way, but Palm Beach County made school transportation available and bused students all over the place to attend “schools of choice.” </p>
<p>I believe that is one of the reasons we have so many of these programs throughout the state. Although we are no longer under a consent decree, the programs have remained and many either do not remember or do not even know why we even have them in the first place!</p>
<p>As far as being a helicopter parent, there is nothing wrong with giving your child all the support that he or she needs. You are doing the right thing in remaining involved and in trying to get as much information as possible to help him/her develop into a young adult. The important thing is that as parents we have to make sure that we let our children grow independent and self sufficient and that whatever choice they make in life is ultimately their own and not our dreams being lived through them. When we instill in our children the knowledge and security that we are close by ready to help them unconditionally we give them the freedom and power to succeed knowing that they are not alone.</p>
<p>My best wishes to you and your child. My oldest is finishing up graduate school and my youngest is ready to embark for college in the Fall. Both have chosen the arts and have received unconditional encouragement to follow their dreams. It is an ardous road, but well worth it…</p>
<p>Dramatica –</p>
<p>Well said.</p>
<p>Dramatica
You must be reading my gloomy mind from the Sunshine state of yours.
My son is accepted to MICA pre college for the summer that I have been hustling about long time, then he came up with the idea to attend low fee traveling culture exchange program.
He is waiting if hed get accepted, and if he doesnt, agreed to go to pre college as planed. His biggest concern is our finance but I kind of know that he wanted to make plan on his own.
My goal is to let him experience how life in rigorous art school is going to be and see if he is really really up to it. His goal is to get away from the city (and me) and meet different kind of (non art) people and have fun.
There are two summers left before senior year. I was freaking out to make the best of it, yet I have to admit now my best is not his best.
More I think about it I hear voice that telling me to let go, back off, let him choose.
I think I can do it. I have to learn to do it, though it is hard.</p>
<p>Bears and dogs,</p>
<p>You said “I hear voice telling me to let go, back off, let him choose. I think I can do it. I have to learn to do it…”</p>
<p>Of course you can do it! Take a deep breath, smile and hug your son as you let him become a young adult.</p>
<p>Part of growing up is exerting some independence. Having the opportunity to travel and meet “non-art” people is a way of expanding horizons and learning to be independent. If your son will be traveling with a responsible group that you can check out, it would be a wonderful way to spend the summer. There will be plenty of time to learn about “rigorous art programs.” In fact, it does not matter if he does not experience the rigors of art programs until he actually goes away to college. If he does not like it at that point, he can always transfer. That is what college is all about, an opportunity to experience different areas and the prerogative to change one’s mind about what to be when we grow up.</p>
<p>Do not let gloom set in. Take joy in sharing the excitement of your son’s anticipation at meeting new people and seeing different parts of the world!</p>
<p>Dramatica
Something must happened when I changed my attitude or so I tried, because we received phone call and now my son can attend MICA Tuscany program that he wanted to but couldnt in the first place.
I cannot believe it but he is so happy now withdrew from other travel program without even telling me.
Now he will be traveling to Italy and meeting non-art people yet taking rigorous college revel painting class with real faculty and small group of talented youth that serious about their art. How about it? I think it is near miracle. I dont know what we ever did to deserve it so I guess I have to do my part from now on and he, his part, work hard and make most of this opportunity.
Somehow I feel that you brought us good luck. Thank you very much.</p>
<p>Bears and dogs,</p>
<p>Congratulations! I am so happy for you and your son. What a wonderful opportunity to be able to study art in Tuscany! I read a description of the program and it sounds truly wonderful.</p>
<p>I wish I could take credit for bringing you good luck, but the credit belongs to your son who must have impressed someone with his talent to make it happen and to you for caring enough to try to make it happen.</p>
<p>Continue to encourage him to pursue his dreams, whatever those dreams may be, and send me a private message when he gets back from Tuscany to let me know how he liked it. - - In the weeks ahead I will be thinking about the two of you and just remember, to try to always think positive and look for the bright side of any situation. My dad, who was a very wise man, always used to say that a positive mental attitude could work wonders…!</p>
<p>Wow!</p>
<p>Bears & Dogs, that is so wonderful!!! Sounds to me like your son will do just fine!!!</p>
<p>Thank you very much.
If you read my old posts, you can see how much struggle and learning curve-ing and flip flopping I have been through this year alone.
It means a lot that good thing does happen sometimes, not all my efforts were in vain.</p>
<p>Newsweek ranking DSOA 33rd, DASH 39th .
Four other schools are in top 24. means one in six best school in America is in Florida.
Isnt it something?</p>
<p>Bears and Dogs,</p>
<p>Yes DSOA is a very good school, but do not be swayed by magazine rankings. Newsweek rankings, whether for colleges and universities or high schools, are for the most part, meaningless. </p>
<p>If you look at the methodology for ranking high schools, it is solely based on the number of AP/IB/Cambridge tests taken by students. Passing rate or scores are not taken into account at all. Students taking AP courses as part of their school curriculum at many of the Florida districts are required to take the AP exams whether they want to or not. Teachers and Superintendents are given bonuses if kids score high. So it becomes teaching to the test, rather than teaching for imparting knowledge. </p>
<p>I despise standardized testing and the whole AP craze, so I am letting you know up front about my bias. It saddens me that our educational system and race to college admission has been reduced to number of AP courses being collected and I truly question the depth of knowledge being imparted and received. Likewise, it bothers me that the quality of education is being reduced to something so inacurate as dividing students by number of tests taken without regards to what has been learned…</p>
<p>Dramatica -</p>
<p>I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s completely out of control.</p>