Schenectady High School - John Sayles School of Fine Arts

John Sayles School of Fine Arts

The John Sayles School of Fine Arts (JSSFA) is a smaller learning community of approximately 650 students at Schenectady High School. Carrying the name of one of Schenectady's famous district graduates internationally known filmmaker, John Sayles. The school provides an integrated Regents high school curriculum with an interdisciplinary focus in visual art, music, theatre, and dance. Schenectady High School, with an enrollment of approximately 2900 students, is divided into five communities, including the Sayles School. The Sayles School of Fine Arts provides unique arts opportunities in the region. The John Sayles School of Fine Arts was recently awarded the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education and its students performed on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center.

Students in the Sayles School have the chance to study visual art, music, dance, media arts, and theatre. Consistent and sequential course work provides students at all ability levels opportunities to explore the arts. Course work is taught during the school day and includes classes in Acting, Tap, Jazz Dance, Drawing, Piano, Film making, Concert Choir, Serenaders, Women's Choir, Chamber Choir, and International Baccalaureate Music and Art, to name a few. All subjects and grade levels integrate the arts. There are four grade level teams including teachers in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Reading, and Foreign Language.

The Sayles School of Fine Arts is housed in a 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m2) wing at Schenectady High School, built as an addition in 2001. The facilities include: a Black Box Theater, Dance Studio, Video Production Studio, Media Arts Lab, Piano Lab, Music Studios, Art Studios, and Gallery. The JSSFA is home to the Blue Roses Theatre Company, the district television station, Schenectady City Schools TV (SCS-TV), and the Henry and Miriam Butzel Gallery.

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