Liberal Arts Curriculum
At Westinghouse Arts Academy, we believe in providing a well-rounded education that not only nurtures students’ artistic talents but also prepares them for success in their future academic and professional pursuits. Our educational program is designed to meet the needs of students who are passionate about the arts while also providing a well-rounded, quality education in all subject areas. We provide a personalized approach to learning tailored to student needs, interests, and goals, identified by the students and supported by their teachers. Westinghouse Arts curriculum emphasizes rigorous learning that integrates and further enhances the development of our students’ artistic talents.
We offer eight Creative and Performing Art programs:
Arts curriculum works in tandem with Liberal Arts courses to establish an extensive learning environment for students. English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Health classes are all foundational to the frameworks students navigate during their time at Westinghouse Arts.
Please view our Program of Studies here.
Academics at Westinghouse Arts
The Pennsylvania State Department of Education mandates a required number of English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Health/Physical Education credits a student must take to graduate from high school in the Commonwealth. Westinghouse Arts requires students to take at least 2 credits of an art class per year within their desired major. Below is an example trajectory of what your student’s credit accumulation will look like at Westinghouse Arts.
State Graduation Requirements
Through Act 158 of 2018 and Act 6 of 207, students must meet statewide high school graduation requirements through the successful completion of one of five graduation pathways to show their college, career and community readiness:
1. Keystone Proficiency Pathway
2. Keystone Composite Pathway
3. CTE Concentrator Pathway (this pathway is not possible at WAACS)
4. Alternative Assessment Pathway
5. Pathway
Students can meet the statewide graduation requirement by:
- Scoring proficient or advanced on each Keystone Exam – Algebra I, Literature, and Biology.
- Earning a satisfactory composite score on the Algebra I, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams. The
passing composite score is 4452 or better. A student must have taken all three Keystone Exams and
must have at least one Keystone Exam score of Proficient or Advanced and no Keystone Exam score of
Below Basic. - Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and satisfactorily
complete one of the following: an alternative assessment (SAT, PSAT, ACT, ASVAB, Gold Level ACT
WorkKeys), advanced coursework (AP, IB, concurrent enrollment courses), pre-apprenticeship, or
acceptance in a 4-year nonprofit institution of higher education for college-level coursework. - Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and passing the National
Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) or the National Institute of Metalworking Skills
(NIMS) assessment in an approved Career and Technical Education concentration. - Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and demonstrating
readiness for postsecondary engagement through three pieces of evidence from the student’s career
portfolio aligned to student goals and a career plan. Examples of evidence will include ACT WorkKeys,
SAT Subject tests, AP, IB and concurrent coursework, higher education acceptance, community
learning project, completion of an internship, externship or co-op or full-time employment.
Advisory
Students are likely to be scheduled a daily Advisory period. This class period is designated for students to develop life skills that are necessary to succeed in a changing world as well as provide a daily check in with a faculty member. Advisory periods are also utilized for club meeting time and school counselor class meetings. Students gain practical experience through course topics that include: career exploration and advancement, digital literacy skills, resume writing, interviewing skills, time management, collaboration/communication skills, and other important social-emotional learning topics. These skills will be explored in-depth and give students an understanding of future needs. The importance of effective communication skills in developing positive personal and career-related relationships will be addressed.
Blended Learning
Technology continues to change the way students engage in new learning. At WAA, we are committed to providing the very best educational experience to all students and this often means finding new ways to leverage new technologies. One way to do this is through blended learning. Blended learning combines elements of both
face-to-face and online learning. Facilitated by both teacher-to-student and/or student-to-student interaction(s), this mode of learning enhances the utilization of technology to communicate, collaborate, and connect with others and external resources; thereby, it maximizes learning opportunities beyond the traditional classroom setting.
Advanced Placement and Honors Courses
Our honors-level courses offer a more in-depth exploration within each specific discipline. We also offer a variety of ways for students to earn college credit during their high school years. We offer several advanced placement (AP) courses in the following disciplines: English, mathematics, science, and social studies. College in the High School (CHS) courses are provided through our partnership with Carlow University. This program allows our students to take college-level courses (for a reduced tuition rate) while still in high school, earning both high school and college credit. This program provides our students with a head start on their college education, and allows them to explore their academic interests in greater depth.
Honors & AP Course Offerings
Students can take honors classes in English, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Courses with an Honors or Advanced Placement designation will be given extra “weight” for Honor Roll and Rank calculations only. The Advanced Placement exam will be optional for all students taking an Advanced Placement course. The cost of the advanced placement examination(s) will be covered by the student and then if a score of “3” or higher is obtained WAA will reimburse the student. The availability of these courses is dependent upon academic need and interest.
WAA Honors Course Offerings:
- Honors English (9-12)
- Honors Biology
- Honors Chemistry
- Honors US History
- Honors World Cultures
- Honors Civics & American Government
- Honors Algebra
- Honors Geometry
- Pre-Calculus
WAA Advanced Placement Course Offerings:
- AP US History
- AP World History
- AP Art History
- AP English Literature & Composition
- AP Environmental Science
- AP Physics I & II: Algebra-based
- AP Calculus: Algebra-based
College in the High School Programs
College in High School offers our students the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit in courses taught in their high school classrooms. This program provides students the chance to participate in college-level learning experiences before they leave high school, while helping students to establish a collegiate transcript for potential transfer credits in the future.
We partner with Carlow University for a variety of courses where students can receive college credit for a high school course taken by one of our WAA teachers. Students are NOT required to take the course for collegiate credit unless they wish to do so. The following are courses offered for CHS credit. Please note that the college or university requires its own registration and independent payment procedures. Please talk with the teacher of the course for more information.
All courses listed below equate with three (3) collegiate credits unless otherwise noted:
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Literature and Composition
- AP Language and Composition
- Feminist Literature and Theory
We understand that our students come from diverse backgrounds and have different learning styles. Our experienced faculty works diligently to ensure that our students receive the support they need to excel academically. We provide small class sizes, individualized attention, and extra support to help students overcome challenges and achieve academic success.
Our talented staff is passionate about art and education. Click here to learn more about our faculty and administrators!
