Mission Statement:
Vision Statement:
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Chief Joseph School of the Arts will develop students who are well-rounded, life-long learners with academic and social skills that empower them to be responsible, and contributing members in an ever-changing and diverse world.
Chief Joseph School of the Arts:
We are pleased to announce that beginning in the fall of 2012 Chief Joseph Elementary will become an arts magnet school. At Chief Joseph we have had an arts focus for several years, and we are now ready to offer our curriculum to students who have attended other schools and desire an arts based program. If you choose for your student to apply to Chief Joseph, the core education still will be emphasized, just infused with art integrated study and strategies. Students will also have additional opportunities in the visual arts, choral and instrumental music, and creative writing taught by highly trained teachers.
Our goal will be to further integrate the arts into the district curriculum through the exploration of a variety of the arts media. This supports our mission of pursuing excellence in academics, the arts, and character development. Through the arts students will have the opportunity to develop self-confidence, poise, and leadership skills while learning creatively.
Chief Joseph will be the fourth elementary arts magnet school in the district. We will be the only art magnet school to provide arts integrated educational opportunities for students from the following schools: Hunter, Paramount, Peregrine, Ponderosa, and the lower portion of River Valley which are in the core (central region) of the district. The arts magnet boundary for Chief Joseph includes the area West of Eagle Road, South of Chinden, North of the Interstate 84, and stretching to the Western edge of the district boundary within the central region.
Starting in the fall of 2012 we will have seats available for students in kindergarten, first and second grades. We will have seats available for siblings in the third, fourth, and fifth grades.
Busing will continue to be provided for families in the Chief Joseph primary attendance zone; however, we cannot offer busing from outside our primary attendance zone due to the economy and limited state support for transportation.
Applying to Chief Joseph of the Arts:
If interested, for the 2012-13 school year, you can apply between January 4th and February 29th. To get an application go to the district website www.meridianschools.org. Select "school choice" from the left-hand menu: then select "applications," under the topic of "magnet schools." The application you fill out is the "General Application," and you send it by hard mail, fax, or personal delivery to Chief Joseph Elementary 1100 E. Chateau Dr. Meridian, ID 83646. Please read the information sheet that comes with any questions you may have at 350-4200. We are very excited about this wonderful opportunity for students.
Focusing on the Arts really Works!
Educational research demonstrates that a focus on the arts helps students become better readers and problem solvers, especially when arts are integrated as part of the schools curriculum. Through an arts infusion curriculum, students learn to utilize higher-order thinking skills such as critical thinking, analyzing, and decision-making.
Teachers at Chief Joseph creatively address state and district standards by using visual arts, creative writing, and various other arts media in the classroom. These experiences provide a means for students to construct their own knowledge and a deeper understanding of important concepts.
Skillfully integrated arts-based activities (drawing, creative writing, sculpture, singing, dancing, playing music, and more) enhances student learning and helps students acquire basic developmental skills.