Manatee School For the Arts

Main Programs Offered

Music

The Music Department at Manatee School For the Arts thrives on providing a personalized learning environment to foster meaningful cultural experiences in the performance.

Dance

The Dance department at MSA is dedicated to providing students a thorough and broad based pre-professional training program to develop the competence.

Theatre

The Theatre program at Manatee School For the Arts is designed to develop students’ talents to their fullest potential and encourage professionalism in all levels of theatrical work.

Digital Arts

The Theatre program at Manatee School For the Arts is designed to develop students’ talents to their fullest potential and encourage professionalism in all levels and all areas of theatrical work.

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts Department at Manatee School For the Arts provides introductory classes for new students or those without prior arts training, at both the middle and high school level, offer the chance to learn the fundamental concepts.

Academics

MSA is a school that believes in providing lots of opportunities and choices for all students in grades 6-12. We understand that all students learn in different ways and have varied interests and future goals. We support all levels depending on student needs.

Visitors to the School

Parents and visitors are welcome to visit our school campus but must be approved by administration. If a visitor is expected, the front desk must be notified. All visitors to the school should be dressed appropriately. All visitors must check in at the front desk, and no visitor will be allowed into the school without a visitor’s pass. A valid I.D. is required to enter the school and used for the required background check through our visitor management software. This policy applies to vendors and contractors as well. All visitors must wear a visitor’s badge while in the building and be escorted to their end point by a staff member. There are no exceptions to this policy. If someone is found in the school who does not meet these criteria, they will be addressed by school administrators and school guardians and escorted to the front desk immediately. Visitors leaving the campus must sign out and exit through the front office only, where they will return the sticker I.D. It is critical that everyone follow these procedures. This policy will be strictly enforced.

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Admissions Overview

Manatee School For the Arts is a public charter middle and high school located in Manatee county. The school is open to middle and high school students in Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, and Hillsborough counties. Applications are required before enrollment, and high school students are required to audition for placement in our advanced programs (available seats) Applications are made available in January of each year for enrollment in the following school year. We are not a part of school-choice so you can apply anytime! The application for MSA is available paper-based or apply online now.

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Middle School Application

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High School Application

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Educational Records Release Form

Enrollment and Hours

Students are accepted from Manatee, Sarasota, Hillsborough, and Pinellas counties. Middle School students are accepted on a first come, first serve basis, and subject to class size limits and ESE parameters required by the student, yet within the MSA Charter guidelines. Space is limited. High School applicants are chosen through an interview/audition with our staff. Students at the High School level should demonstrate a desire for higher level studies in one of the arts: Visual Art, Digital Art, Theatre, Music, or Dance.

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Grades: 6-12
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Middle School Class Size Average: 22:1
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High School Class Size Average: 25:1

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Enrollment: 1900 students
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9:45 AM - 4:35 PM
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8:10 AM - 2:55 PM

Students completing the application, you will be required to:

Complete all basic demographic information
High School Students must submit an essay stating why they feel that MSA is a good fit for their High School career.
Supply any 504 or IEP plans that a student has