High School for the Visual and Performing Arts
| Grand Arts High School | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | |
| 450 North Grand Avenue Los Angeles, California United States |
|
| Coordinates | 34°03′35″N 118°14′39″W / 34.0595965°N 118.2443026°WCoordinates: 34°03′35″N 118°14′39″W / 34.0595965°N 118.2443026°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | September 9, 2009 |
| School district | Los Angeles Unified School District |
| Principal | Ken Martinez |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,700 (approximately) |
| Campus | Urban |
| Nickname | VAPA, Number 9, Grand Arts |
| Website | Official website |
The Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, known unofficially as Grand Arts High School, is a magnet, public high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. It is located on the site of the old Fort Moore at the corner of Grand Avenue and Cesar E. Chavez Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, adjacent to Chinatown. The school's distinctive architecture has made the facility noteworthy beyond the Los Angeles area.
The school reserves 1,200 enrollment slots for students in the surrounding area and the rest from across the district. Admission requires no prior training or auditions and there is no tuition or fees.
The school's principal is Ken Martinez and, as of August 2013, the school's executive artistic director is Kim "New York" Bruno (former principal of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts).
The school offers a full range of standard academic programs as well as specialty programs in four arts academies:
When the school opened on September 9, 2009, it was known as Central Los Angeles High School #9. Suzanne Blake was its first principal. In June, 2011, the school board renamed the school in honor of then-former school district superintendent Ramon C. Cortines. As of 2014, it has been unofficially called Grand Arts High School.
The school has been featured in several commercials, films, and photo shoots. Most recently, the school released a music video in Summer of 2015 called, "Dream It! Do It!" which was Directed and Choreographed by Debbie Allen. The music video was produced and conceived by the school's principal, Kim Bruno. "Dream It! Do It!" featured both Grand Arts and Debbie Allen Dance Academy students showcasing the importance of the arts in the Los Angeles community.
Norman Isaacs, the school's former principal, resigned in protest over what he termed inadequate funding for the school.
According to US News and World Report, 89% of Ramon C. Cortines' student body is "of color," with 77% of the student body coming from economically disadvantaged households, determined by student eligibility for California's Reduced-price meal program.
...
Wikipedia