Vista Academy of Visual & Performing Arts
Vista Academy of Visual Arts & Performing Arts (commonly known as VAPA) has been an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School since 2017. Every five years, each school in the program receives an evaluation to maintain its IB school status, and VAPA’s next visit is due in 2026.
Consequently, the school’s administration has spent the 24/25 school year busily reviewing its IB standards and practices.
SELF-STUDY AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
“We’ve been looking at our units and instructional strategies and getting input from students and families,” explains Principal Benjie Walker. “We call it our ‘self-study year.’ A reflective year during which we’ve been learning, refining, and improving everything that will prepare us for our IB visit.
“Our overall focus has been on conceptual learning and looking at how we can remove barriers for all students because we have a very diverse student population that has a lot of needs.”
VAPA’s student body includes over 80% socioeconomically disadvantaged children, around 26% special education students, and almost 40% English learners. “How do we meet all of those needs? We ask the students,” says Walker.
A big part of expanding student outreach this year has been gaining feedback at student town hall meetings, says Walker. “We bring out a podium during lunch time and ask students: ‘What can we do better? What makes VA special, and what can we do to make you feel more at home? How can we give you more choice and agency in your learning?’”
She says that getting to share ideas and be part of the decision-making process has empowered students and helped them enact change and action on subjects like after-school enrichment, more sports after school, and even menu changes in the cafeteria.
Other outreach has included regular student surveys, and students also now sit on the school site council and community school advisory committee.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Walker also speaks of the focus on increasing parent input and involvement by encouraging parents to evaluate the school-wide IB PYP program and trans-disciplinary concept of teaching.
Posters are displayed on campus for parents that show all of the units of inquiry, including the themes and standards that are taught throughout all grades, and how the units connect with each other.
“We meld science and social studies standards into units and tie in the common core math and reading standards, plus the visual and performing arts standards,” explains Walker. “Then we map them all out and show the concepts we are teaching and the connections to the real world.”
This year marks the first time VAPA mapped the units for parent feedback, which occurred during coffee with principal meetings where a community liaison served as an interpreter.
“It’s hugely powerful when we get that buy-in from families who are going to be more involved in their child’s education,” says Walker. “They are such a huge piece of our learning community.”
The school also recently held the IB Capstone Project, a 5th-grade exhibition in the school gym. Students were mentored through the two-month research project, where they got to choose a real-world issue as it relates to the United Nations Sustainable Goals.
“They were big ideas that really matter to our students, and they got to choose their subject and mentor. They wrote a report and had to do something interactive like hand out flyers, support a local shelter, or do a beach cleanup. We want our students to be changemakers and to really empower them for middle school.”
ARTS FOR EVERY STUDENT
From an arts standpoint, Walker says bringing back the rule of having all students participate in grade-level shows is an exciting addition this school year.
“Prior to the pandemic, our shows were linked to learning, but we also had some fun ones. Since then, all shows need to be tied to students’ units. For example, third graders just did a show sharing their learning about natural disasters and how to prepare for them.
“Every student should have the opportunity to be on stage, even if it’s a small part. If they want bigger parts and to dive into performing arts, they can do after after-school theater conservatory, after-school hip hop club, or the music mariachi club.
“We even mainstreamed our Santa Fe autism program so they get to be on stage with their peers, too. It’s been awesome.”
Walker says this year of review has allowed the administration to evaluate all the components of their program, not just the academics. And to reflect on the questions: “Are we really who we say we are - an IB world school with arts integration? Is that what you see when you walk into a classroom and across campus? Are we living and breathing in the IB program?”
The answers would appear to be a resounding ‘yes’ as VAPA’s IB evaluation draws closer.