Liberal Arts

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.

 

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.

 

Grade progression
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.

 

Honors Courses and AP Courses Offered in Partnership with the Waterfront Learning

 

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

Advanced Placement Course Offerings In Partnership with the Waterfront Learning:

  • 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

 

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.

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.

Earn FREE College Credit in English at WAA!

Are you currently in 11th or 12th grade and interested in taking a college-level English course during the 2025–2026 school year?

Westinghouse Arts Academy, in partnership with the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), is offering students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.

Course Offered:

ENG-101: English Composition 1 (3 Credits)

This course develops skills in college-level academic reading and writing. Emphasis is placed on critical analysis, argumentation, and revision. Through the reading and writing processes, students develop and support ideas, refine arguments, evaluate and integrate appropriate sources, reflect on and implement feedback to revise and edit writing, and develop an awareness of the variety of contexts, audiences, and purposes of academic writing. Students also develop an understanding of appropriate practices relating to intellectual honesty.

A placement exam is required to qualify for the course.

Complete the interest form here:

https://forms.gle/xhWGzej2pARtt1aM7

Take advantage of this opportunity to jump-start your college journey!

 

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.

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!

Westinghouse Arts Academy is a public charter arts high school serving grades 9-12, located in Wilmerding, PA.

Want to learn more, enroll or schedule a tour?