Gotham Professional Arts Academy

School Description

Gotham Professional Arts Academy is a small, arts-themed, college-preparatory high school with strong community values located right here in Bedford Stuyvesant. Gotham Academy is unique in many ways:

Gotham Academy is a member of the New York Performance Standards Consortium, the group of schools across NY State that have a Regents waiver: Students at Consortium Schools graduate by completing five performance-based tasks (PBATs). Instead of passing five standardized Regents exams, students write research papers, create original science experiments and solve complex applied math problems. Most students consider these alternative graduation projects more challenging than the Regents. Graduates still receive a Regents diploma.

We are a small Community Learning School, located on just one floor of the PS 40 building. Everyone knows everyone by name. We have an advisory system to support students on their path to graduation, and to ensure that students can access academic support when they need it.Our classes are centered on an inquiry approach to teaching and learning: students read and write and discuss and debate on their path to mastery. All graduation projects require an oral presentation in front of panel of experts, ensuring that all students develop strong communication skills.

We have a diverse student body that embraces all types, especially students interested in the arts.

We use the city as our classroom and take frequent fieldwork trips as part of our classes.

Partnerships with cultural organizations like the Whitney Museum, Bailey’s Café, and Reel Works provide students with extracurricular opportunities to expand their arts education.

Gotham Professional Arts Academy is a limited non-screened public school. No portfolio or audition is required
for admission, but all students must complete an arts project as part of their graduation requirements.

Arts Leadership Team

Alex White, principal-

Allison Brown,

Sasha

Andrew