OCVTS Performing Arts Academy
Ocean County Vocational Technical School Performing Arts Academy or PAA for short is a specialized, public high school program which concentrates heavily on the fields of performing arts such as dance, vocal music, and theater, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from all of Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Located in Lakehurst, it is the sister high school of the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Sciences, another full-time program that is also part of the Ocean County Vocational Technical School district. Because the school is a full-time program, students take both their performance major and academic courses at the school.[4] The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools.[3]
Performing Arts Academy | |
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Address | |
180 Frederick Avenue , , 08733 United States | |
Coordinates | 40.014561°N 74.3112574°W |
Information | |
Type | Magnet public high school |
Established | September 2001 |
School district | Ocean County Vocational Technical School |
NCES School ID | 3411980[1] |
Principal | Karen Homiek[2] |
Faculty | 23.0 FTEs[1] |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | 262 (as of 2018–19)[1] |
Student to teacher ratio | 11.4:1[1] |
Accreditation | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[3] |
Website | www |
As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 262 students and 23.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.4:1. There were 11 students (4.2% of enrollment) eligible for free lunch and 7 (2.7% of students) eligible for reduced-cost lunch.[1]
Awards, recognition and rankings
Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 173rd out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings (a decrease of 139 positions from the 2010 ranking) which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics (78.5%) and language arts literacy (95.3%) components of the High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA).[5]
Students at the school have won numerous awards such as state-level and international level rankings at the New Jersey Thespian Festival and International Thespian Society Festival. The school, staff, and students also hold achievements at the Montclair State University Theatre Night Awards and Paper Mill Playhouse Awards for their work in school productions.
Curriculum
PAA relies heavily on block scheduling; each year is broken up into two semesters and each semester consists of four 80-minute, 5-credit classes. Every class offered is either an honors course or college-prep course because the high school is designed to test and challenge the brightest students both academically and in performance.
Notable alumni
- Elijah Boothe, actor best known for his role in Luke Cage.[6]
References
- School data for Performing Arts Academy Of The Ocean County Vocational Tech, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
- Administration, Ocean County Vocational Technical School. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- Performing Arts Academy (The) / Lakehurst Center, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed August 30, 2020.
- Performing Arts Academy, Ocean County Vocational Technical School. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- New Jersey High School Rankings: 11th Grade HSPA Language Arts Literacy & HSPA Math 2010-2011, Schooldigger.com. Accessed March 6, 2012.
- Sockol, Matthew. "Jackson actor enjoys role in Luke Cage", CentralJersey.com, October 24, 2016. Accessed January 28, 2021. "Elijah said he became involved in acting when he was 10. During his high school years, he attended the Ocean County Vocational Technical School Performing Arts Academy in Lakehurst."