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The Academic and Performing Arts Complex (APAC) is open to students who are strong academic achievers and who show an aptitude for one or more of the visual or performing arts. There is an application process held during the fall and winter (October – November) and testing and auditions are held in the winter and spring (December – March) of each year for entrance into these programs of study for the following school year. 

Academics Division

The academic division is a challenging program of study in language arts, math, science, and social studies that accelerates students in order to prepare them for college coursework (Advanced Placement) in their final years of high school.

APAC academic courses are offered for grades 4 and 5 at Ida B. Wells Elementary; for grades 6 through 8 at Bailey Magnet Middle School; and for grades 9 through 12 at Forest Hill and Murrah high schools. Transportation is provided to all students admitted to the program.

Visual and Performing Arts Division

The APAC visual and performing arts division is a pre-professional arts program based on a rigorous written, sequential curriculum taught by artist-teachers. Artistically, our objective is to prepare students for the next level in the arts whether university, apprenticeship, or professional experience. Supported on the foundation of the National Standards for the Arts and the Mississippi Visual and Performing Arts Framework, our intent is to develop artistic talent over the course of our nine-year program so that 12th-grade students are prepared to audition successfully at the college level in the area of their chosen arts discipline.

The visual and performing arts division offers comprehensive classes that include the performance and academic elements of dance (ballet, modern and jazz), music (piano, instrumental and vocal music), theatre arts (performance and technical) and visual arts (drawing, design, ceramics, sculpture, painting, printmaking and photography). Advanced Placement courses are offered in music and visual arts. 

There is an application process held during the fall and winter (October – November) and testing and auditions are held in the winter and spring (December – March) of each year for entrance into these programs of study for the following school year.

APAC arts courses are offered for grades 4 through 12 at the Ida B. Wells Elementary APAC site.

Eligibility Criteria

• Students must have a score of high proficient and/or Advanced on state assessments
• Students must have an 85 end-of-term grade average in each core subject area (i.e., language arts, math, science, and social studies) to be considered for the middle school program.
• Students must have an 80 end-of-term grade average in at least four core content areas to be considered for the high school program.
• Students must have a passing score on the student response exam(s) to be administered in the winter or spring of each year (December – March). All students applying for program placement are required to complete an assessment to be scored by the district’s program assessment review committee.

Good Academic Standing

In order to remain in good academic standing, a student must maintain the same end-of-term grade average required for program eligibility. In addition, students are expected to score high proficient and/or advanced on state assessments. Students who do not maintain good academic standing are placed on academic probation for at least one school term and no more than one full academic year. Failure to make academic progress during the probationary period will result in removal from the program and loss of school transfer, if applicable.

Graduates who, during their senior year, satisfactorily meet the criteria for APAC in either the Academic or the Visual and Performing Arts divisions are designated as APAC Graduates with a special insignia on their Forest Hill and Murrah graduation stoles.

Transfers

Once a program transfer is granted and accepted, the student must remain at the program school for at least one semester.   A program transfer may be revoked at the end of the first semester or at the end of the school year due to the following reason(s): first semester grade average(s) of less than 80 in arts and academic courses required for program participation or less than 80 in one or more of the course(s) required for program participation; end-of-year grade average(s) of less than 80 in course(s) required for program participation; low state assessment score results; disruptive behavior (Class III or above); habitual tardiness and/or absences; and/or other reason(s).  The school principal, with the consent of appropriate members of district leadership and the deputy superintendent, has the right to use his / her professional judgment to remove a student from a program and to revoke a transfer at any time.  

Bailey Magnet Middle School

In order to remain in the APAC program of study at Bailey Magnet Middle School, students must maintain a good academic standing.  

• Students are expected to maintain grades of 80 or above in each core, academic course each term and score high proficient and/or advanced on each subtest of the state assessments each year.  The cut-score for high proficient is determined each summer once state assessment scores are returned by the Mississippi Department of Education.
• Students dually enrolled in arts and academics must maintain a grade of 80 or above in each arts course and each core, academic course each term and score high proficient and/or advanced on each subtest of the state assessments each year.  The cut-score for high proficient is determined each summer once state assessment scores are returned by the Mississippi Department of Education.
• To remain in the program, students must maintain good academic standing each term and have the required final, end-of-year grade averages in each core, academic course and score high proficient and/or advanced on state assessments each year as expected, including CCSS Math and Compacted Math courses.  Failure to maintain good academic standing will result in removal from the program and loss of school transfer. Exception: Students participating in the performing / visual arts program are expected to maintain grades of 80 or above in both their arts and core academic courses.

APAC Note 1: For grades 6-8, after receiving state assessment scores for the current school year, all students’ scores will be reviewed to determine program continuation. 

Forest Hill and Murrah High Schools (Grades 9-12)

In order to remain in the APAC program of study at Forest Hill or Murrah high schools, students must maintain a good academic standing. 

• Students are expected to maintain grades of 80 or above in four (4) core, APAC academic courses each term and score high proficient and/or advanced on each state assessment each year, if applicable.  The cut-score for high proficient is determined each summer once state assessment scores are returned by the Mississippi Department of Education.
• Students dually enrolled in arts and academics must maintain a grade of 80 or above in each arts course and each core, APAC academic course each term and score high proficient and/or advanced on each subtest of the state assessments each year.  The cut-score for high proficient is determined each summer once state assessment scores are returned by the Mississippi Department of Education.
• To remain in the program, students must maintain good academic standing each term and have the required final, end-of-year grade averages in each core, academic course and score high proficient and/or advanced on state assessments each year as expected.  Failure to maintain good academic standing will result in removal from the program and loss of school transfer. Exception: Students participating in the performing / visual arts program are expected to maintain grades of 80 or above in both their arts and core academic courses.

APAC Note 1: In grades 9 through 10, a student must be enrolled in and maintain the grade requirement in at least four core academic courses to be considered an APAC student.  In addition, students dually enrolled in the arts and academics must be enrolled in and maintain the grade requirement in at least 2 core academic courses.

APAC Note 2: In grades 11 through 12, a student must be enrolled in at least two advanced placement courses to be considered an APAC student (or potential APAC graduate).  In addition, students dually enrolled in the arts and academics must be enrolled in and maintain the grade requirement in at least two (2) core academic courses.

APAC Note 3: Students enrolled in semester-to-semester, core, academic courses (i.e., social studies) will receive two semester grades; therefore, the final Semester 1 and Semester 2 grades will be averaged at the end of the school year.  The average for the semester courses must be 80 or above for program continuation.  

APAC Note 4: After receiving state assessment scores for the current school year, all students' scores will be reviewed to determine program continuation.