When I joined The Academy of the Arts, I stepped into a school already full of momentum, promise, and a clear belief in what students are capable of achieving. From the very beginning, I saw students who arrive eager to learn, teachers dedicated to excellence, and families committed to giving their children an educational experience that prepares them to thrive in high school and beyond. With my background in school leadership, school founding, and building strong instructional systems, I immediately recognized that AOTA was positioned to operate at an exceptional level and that excellence was not a future goal but a present reality.
AOTA is a school where excellence is lived daily. Our students engage in a rigorous, personalized academic program anchored by schoolwide iReady diagnostics, targeted intervention, and curriculum that not only aligns with but exceeds the Common Core State Standards. Inquiry driven, project based learning is embedded throughout classrooms, strengthening students’ problem solving, creativity, and real world application skills. Each month, our students collectively log 75 to 100 books through our Academy Book Club, demonstrating a powerful culture of literacy, curiosity, and academic drive.
High school readiness is central to our mission. We actively build partnerships with distinguished private high schools in the South Bay and across Los Angeles so our eighth graders have clear, supported pathways into both public and private school options. Our instructional approach uses backwards planning and identifies the academic expectations of competitive high schools, including AP and honors tracks. We then design our program so students at AOTA meet and exceed those expectations by the time they graduate. This ensures our students leave middle school confident, prepared, and academically positioned for long term success. Students participate daily in Hebrew language and Jewish studies, enriching their identity, values, and cultural understanding through meaningful practice and joyful traditions. Our enrichment program is thriving, offering music, art, STEM, robotics, writing, and leadership opportunities that help students explore their interests and develop confidence in their abilities.
Our athletics program has become a defining strength of our school, giving students multiple pathways to develop discipline, physical literacy, teamwork, and school pride. AOTA proudly offers cross country, soccer, track and field, swimming, tennis, and volleyball, providing students with a diverse and competitive range of sports. Athletics is not just an activity at AOTA; it is a core part of the student experience, shaping character and building resilience. We are equally proud of our students’ performing arts experiences. Each year, our students rehearse and perform in the Disneyland parade, an extraordinary opportunity that showcases their talent on a world class stage and creates memories they carry for a lifetime. We also have partnerships with local dance studios and music schools.
The Academy of the Arts is not striving to become a high performing school. We are a high performing school today. Our students are building the academic foundation, leadership skills, character, and confidence that prepare them to excel in the most competitive high school programs in the South Bay and greater Los Angeles. I invite you to visit AOTA and experience our classrooms, walk our campus, and see firsthand what purposeful, high quality learning looks like in action. Here, student success is happening every single day and the future is bright. Welcome to The Academy of the Arts, where excellence is the standard and every child is prepared to shine.
Welcome to The Academy of the Arts, where excellence is the standard and every child is prepared to shine.
With heartfelt appreciation,
Dr. Celestine Sermo
Principal
