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Academics » Enrollment » FAQs for Prospective Families

FAQs for Prospective Families

A charter school is a tuition-free, public school that receives funding from the state of North Carolina.  Any student who lives in NC is eligible to attend a charter school. Charter schools are accountable for student achievement, operations, and financial management making decisions independently of local district school boards.

ArtSpace follows the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, the content standards for subject areas and grade levels. Instruction is multi-modal with arts integration at the core.  ArtSpace also uses the evidence-based curriculums, Savvas Investigations and Wilson Fundations, to support skill development in math and reading, respectively.

ArtSpace is a member of the Hospitality League, a longstanding intramural coed sports league created by area charter and private schools. The Hospitality League is open to students in grades 6-8. The sports offered are flag football (fall), basketball (winter), and soccer (spring). Practices and games are held after school and may require parent transportation.

ArtSpace provides free morning care from 7:30 to the start of the school day.  AfterCare is fee based and runs from dismissal to 6:00.  We also offer a variety of specialty classes that include cooking, piano lessons, crafts and pottery, etc.  For more information about AfterCare follow this link.

Kindergarten - 6th grade students have two recess times each day.  In 7th and 8th grades there is one recess.  Our outdoor amenities include two playgrounds, a covered breezeway, a football field, track, basketball court, outdoor classroom, outdoor stage, a garden, and an open field.  In the summer of 2021, we will be adding an interactive musical component to our elementary playground.  
Most ArtSpace graduates chose to attend their county/city designated high school, but a number of our graduates have chosen other programs including Buncombe Early College, area charter high schools, or  the local STEM schools, Nesbitt Discovery Academy in Buncombe County or SILSA in Asheville City.
Yes, since our first 8th grade class graduated in the spring of 2005, we have seen that students who are successful at ArtSpace go on to achieve success in high school.  
Studies have shown that the arts can significantly advance gifted students' academic and creative abilities as well as cognitive functioning.  When integrating the arts into the curriculum, teachers can design rich experiences that are tied to the unique needs, interests, and abilities of gifted students that challenge them to perform more complex and sophisticated tasks. This provides seamless opportunities to differentiate lessons to meet the needs of all students.  In addition, middle school  students needing advanced math offerings have access to high school level classes through NC Virtual Public School.
The ArtSpace school day begins at 8:15 and dismissal begins at 3:10. We provide free morning care starting at 7:30.  For more information about AfterCare follow this link.
We have two classes per grade level at ArtSpace, with an average class size of 19 in grades K-4 and an average class size of 25 in grades 4-8.   
Each grade level’s homework expectations are different and age appropriate.  Much of the learning at ArtSpace is project-based so homework reinforces lessons or provides practice in specific skill areas. 
Currently, ArtSpace does not provide transportation, though we are actively pursuing options through the ACCESS grant for the 2022 school year and beyond.
Yes. ArtSpace believes students should be exposed to real-world experiences whenever possible. Each grade level plans field trips each year including at least one arts performance when possible. Field trips are integrated with subject area learning objectives. 
ArtSpace abides by all North Carolina school enrollment laws for charter schools. By law, charter schools must conduct a lottery to fill openings by grade level.  Our enrollment policy and the lottery process may be viewed here. 
Yes, applicants must provide proof of residency in North Carolina to attend a North Carolina charter school.
ArtSpace does not currently have a nutrition program.  Students must bring their lunch and snacks with them daily.  We do partner with community organizations to support families who need assistance, though we do not have a formal program for meals.
ArtSpace does not currently offer foreign language instruction. 
As required by federal law, ArtSpace offers the full continuum of EC services based on student need. ArtSpace serves students in the general education classroom to the greatest extent possible.  ArtSpace has a robust Exceptional Children’s staff with 5 full time teachers, a part time Speech Therapist,  a behavior specialist, and several support staff.
Arts integration is the perfect vehicle for differentiating instruction. Students access new information through the arts, and teachers use the arts to assess. Learning and assessing through the arts gives teachers and students opportunities to explore multiple intelligences and allows students to discover their personal strengths. This leads to successes in the classroom boosting student confidence and willingness to try new things.