The Alameda School: A place for art & design

The charter high school, based on the nationally recognized model first implemented at the Henry Ford Academy in Dearborn, Mich., will open its doors Aug. 26 to 120 freshmen students.

Officials began discussing creating the school four years ago when the the Museo Alameda del Smithsonian was being built, said Shannon A. Clements, spokeswoman for the Henry Ford Learning Institute.

The Alameda School also has partnered with Say Sí and the Southwest School of Art & Craft. Clements credits both organizations as being “extremely instrumental in building community support and helping connect us to other people,” adding that having both art organizations and the Museo Alameda involved made the school credible.

The Alameda School is currently housed at the old James Bowie Elementary School and will feature an art gallery in the entry way with works from students and teachers, as well as two computer labs.

The school has a staff of 12 with six classroom teachers. Alameda School principal Jeffrey Flores estimates that they'll have a ratio of 23 students to each teacher.

The school has 20 available spots for students. After reaching the full capacity of 120 students, potential students are placed on a waiting list. Next year they'll do the same until in four years the school reaches its full capacity of 480 students.

“We'll always stay at a small-school setting,” Flores said.

Principal Flores and lead teacher Anel I. Flores are working on making sure the charter school implements art and design across the curriculum. They need to be in line with the Henry Ford Institute design curriculum and the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS), while also having their partners involved in the curriculum, too.