Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts
The Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts (BAVPA) is a magnet performing arts high school and part of Buffalo, New York's public school system. It serves grades 5-12 and requires students to apply in the field of their desired major concentration. Majors taught in the school are Dance, Media, Music, Technical Theater, Theater Arts, and Visual Arts.[1]
Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts | |
---|---|
Address | |
450 Masten Avenue Buffalo, New York 14209 | |
Coordinates | 42.914589°N 78.859673°W |
Information | |
School type | Public, magnet high school |
Founded | 1977 |
School district | Buffalo Public Schools |
School number | 192 |
Principal | Jody J. Covington |
Assistant Principals | Rebecca L. Ryan Jonathan P. Welka |
Grades | 5–12 |
Color(s) | Black and Yellow |
Website | BuffaloArtsAcademy |
BAVPA is affiliated with several community arts/performance organizations and colleges, including Hallwalls, WKBW-TV, Buffalo State College, and the University at Buffalo.
History
BAVPA was founded in 1977 as a magnet school, based on a recent court order demanding that Buffalo desegregate its schools. It was originally located at School 87 (then known as Clinton Junior High School) located 333 Clinton Street in the Lower East Side of Buffalo. Due to size constraints, the school moved to its current location in 2007. The new building, located at 450 Masten Avenue in Buffalo, is the former home to Woodlawn Junior High School and Buffalo Traditional School. Prior to that, it was the site of Offermann Stadium.
Former Principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses
- Mr. Philip Lafornara–1977-1978 (Principal - unknown, died)
- Mr. Elmer J. Schamber–1978-1985 (Principal - City Honors School, retired)
- Mr. David W. Hess–1985-1991 (Assistant Principal - Riverside High School, named Acting Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education for Buffalo Public Schools)
- Ms. Barbara A. Schnell–1991-1992 (Principal - Kensington Prep, named Principal of Buffalo Vocational Technical Center)
- Mr. Ronald L. Meer–1992-1996 (Principal - Leonardo da Vinci High School, retired)
- Mrs. Deborah A. Smith–1996-2000 (Program Coordinator - Buffalo Public Schools, named Principal of Buffalo Vocational Technical Center)
- Mr. Kevin E. Kazmierczak–2000-2008 (Director of Instrumental Music Programs - Buffalo Public Schools, named Principal of Tonawanda High School)
- Mr. Darren J. Brown–2008-2011 (Principal - Community School 53, named Executive Director for Human Resources for Buffalo Public Schools)
Former Assistant Principals
- Mr. Henry J. Klee–1984-1990 (Principal - Bennett High School, retired)
- Mr. Calvin J. Baxter–1992-1997 (Assistant Principal - South Park High School, named Director of Humanities of Buffalo Public Schools)
- Mr. Thaddeus W. Weselak–1997-2000 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, retired)
- Mrs. Ramona Y. Thomas-Reynolds–2000-2002 (Administrative Intern - McKinley Vocational High School, named Principal of West Hertel Academy)
- Mrs. Patricia J. Welch-Thomas–?-2005 (Art teacher - Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, named Principal of South Park High School[2])
- Ms. Wendy L. Richards–2002-2005 (Coordinator - Western New York School Support Center, named Assistant Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
- Mr. Thomas C. Aquino–2005-2006 (Assistant Principal - Seneca Vocational High School, retired[3])
- Mr. Larry J. Hunley–2005-2006 (Assistant Principal - Seneca Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of Academy School 131[4])
- Ms. Jody Covington–2006-2011 (Assistant Principal - Academy School 131,[4] named Interim Principal of Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts)
- Dr. Eileen H. Czarnecki–2005-2014 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, retired)
Administration
Year | Superintendent | Principal | Assistant Principals | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1976-1977 | Eugene Reville | Philip Lafornara | ||
1977-1978 | Eugene Reville | Philip Lafornara | ||
1978-1979 | Eugene Reville | Elmer Schamber | ||
1979-1980 | Eugene Reville | Elmer Schamber | ||
1980-1981 | Eugene Reville | Elmer Schamber | ||
1981-1982 | Eugene Reville | Elmer Schamber | ||
1982-1983 | Eugene Reville | Elmer Schamber | ||
1983-1984 | Eugene Reville | Elmer Schamber | ||
1984-1985 | Eugene Reville | Elmer Schamber | Henry Klee | |
1985-1986 | Eugene Reville | David Hess | Henry Klee | |
1986-1987 | Eugene Reville | David Hess | Henry Klee | |
1987-1988 | Eugene Reville | David Hess | Henry Klee | |
1988-1989 | Eugene Reville | David Hess | Henry Klee | |
1989-1990 | Albert Thompson* | David Hess | Henry Klee | |
1990-1991 | Albert Thompson | David Hess | ||
1991-1992 | Albert Thompson | Barb Schnell | ||
1992-1993 | Albert Thompson | Ron Meer | Calvin Baxter | |
1993-1994 | Albert Thompson | Ron Meer | Calvin Baxter | |
1994-1995 | Albert Thompson | Ron Meer | Calvin Baxter | |
1995-1996 | Albert Thompson | Ron Meer | Calvin Baxter | |
1996-1997 | Jim Harris | Deb Smith | Calvin Baxter | |
1997-1998 | Jim Harris | Deb Smith | Ted Weselak | |
1998-1999 | Jim Harris | Deb Smith | Ted Weselak | |
1999-2000 | Jim Harris | Deb Smith | Ted Weselak | |
2000-2001 | Marion Canedo | Kevin Kazmierczak | Ramona Reynolds | Pat Welch |
2001-2002 | Marion Canedo | Kevin Kazmierczak | Ramona Reynolds | Pat Welch |
2002-2003 | Marion Canedo | Kevin Kazmierczak | Wendy Richards | Pat Welch |
2003-2004 | Marion Canedo | Kevin Kazmierczak | Wendy Richards | Pat Welch |
2004-2005 | Yvonne Hargrave* | Kevin Kazmierczak | Wendy Richards | Pat Thomas |
2005-2006 | James Williams | Kevin Kazmierczak | Eileen Czarnecki | Aquino/Hunley |
2006-2007 | James Williams | Kevin Kazmierczak | Eileen Czarnecki | Jody Covington |
2007-2008 | James Williams | Kevin Kazmierczak | Eileen Czarnecki | Jody Covington |
2008-2009 | James Williams | Darren Brown | Eileen Czarnecki | Jody Covington |
2009-2010 | James Williams | Darren Brown | Eileen Czarnecki | Jody Covington |
2010-2011 | James Williams | Darren Brown | Eileen Czarnecki | Jody Covington |
2011-2012 | Amber Dixon* | Brown/Covington* | Eileen Czarnecki | Jon Welka* |
2012-2013 | Pam Brown | Jody Covington | Eileen Czarnecki | Jon Welka |
2013-2014 | Pam Brown | Jody Covington | Eileen Czarnecki | Jon Welka |
2014-2015 | Don Ogilvie* | Jody Covington | Rebecca Ryan | Jon Welka |
2015-2016 | Kriner Cash | Jody Covington | Rebecca Ryan | Jon Welka |
2016-2017 | Kriner Cash | Jody Covington | Rebecca Ryan | Jon Welka |
2017-2018 | Kriner Cash | Jody Covington | Rebecca Ryan | Jon Welka |
2018-2019 | Kriner Cash | Jody Covington | Rebecca Ryan | Jon Welka |
2019-2020 | Kriner Cash | Jody Covington | Rebecca Ryan | Jon Welka |
Famous alumni
- Ani DiFranco (Class of 1986)
- Jesse L. Martin (Class of 1987)
- Robert Paterson (Class of 1988)
- Lucky Peterson
- Alexis Spight
- Sir John Barnett (Class of 2000)
References
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2015-04-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Buffalo Public Schools (2005, December 21). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
- Buffalo Public Schools (2006 May 10). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
- Buffalo Public Schools (2006, November 1). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.