Welcome to Academie Da Vinci
Academie Da Vinci Charter School for the Arts is a K-5th grade elementary school located in Dunedin, Florida. We are the first charter school to be established in Pinellas County. Our school is part of the Pinellas County Schools and complies with the Pinellas County Schools curriculum. As stipulated in our state charter, we enhance that curriculum with a program of the arts. We also follow the county's school-year calendar. (See the calendar for the schedule of events.)
Our Curriculum
In addition to Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, and Physical Education, every student participates in Dance, Chorus, Music Instruments, and Visual Arts.
We have one class room for each grade level, enrolling a total of 116 students. Because we are small, and there is a great demand for enrollment, we recommend potential applicants review the enrollment policies on the Enrollment Information page.
School Hours
Our school hours are 8:30 - 2:50 for Kindergarten and First grade; 8:30 - 3:00 for Second - Fifth Grade. The school office is open from 7:30 am until 3:30 pm. Monday - Friday.
School Grade and Performance
The Florida Department of Education assigns a grade to each school, each academic year based on several factors: students' performance on the state FCAT tests, adequate yearly progress, attendance, and other factors.
Academie Da Vinci Grades:
2010-2011: A
2009-2010 A
2008-2009: No Grade***
2007-2008: A
2006-2007: A
2005-2006: A
2004-2005: A
2003-2004: B
2002-2003: A
***In our 4th and 5th grade classes, 28 students had FCAT histories and all showed progress. However, the state requires 30 students must show progress in order to receive a school grade.
Additional information can be found at The Florida Department of Education.
Parent reviews and comments can be found at: Great Schools Website
What is a Charter School?
Charter schools are publicly funded, privately run educational facilities. This means that there is no fee to attend the school and all students enrolled in the county are eligible to attend.
A charter is a contract with the School Board that spells out our location, our educational program, and our target population.
Charter school advocates believe that the charter concept leads to a school that is more responsive, and ultimately more accountable, to the parents who enroll their children there.
Curriculum and Instruction
Academie Da Vinci (ADV) follows the same academic curriculum followed within the Pinellas County Schools. We are obligated to meet the same Sunshine State Standards and participate in the state FCAT each year.
What sets us apart from traditional public schools is our firm integration in the arts. In addition to the regular curriculum our students participate in integrated arts classes each week. These classes include general music with instruments, movement, chorus, visual arts and drama.
Arts are integrated into the curriculum in a variety of ways. For example, if students are studying Native Americans in class, they will also be doing Native American movement in dance, Native American music in music and chorus, and re-creating Native American artwork in visual arts. This integration is true in all grades throughout the year.
Our methods of instruction vary based on the subjects taught and styles of learning present within our student body. Our students work and study individually, one on one with a teacher, in pairs, in small groups, and as a whole class.
School Size and Programs
There are a total of 116 students currently enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grade. Each class has an average of less than twenty students. We provide a Gifted program for those students who qualify according to Pinellas County Guidelines.
On campus, we have our own music room which hosts vocal and instrumental music. We have a large dance room for students to actively participate in movement and a visual arts facility.
All of our faculty are certified to teach by the State of Florida and are required to stay current with professional development. These professional educators are regularly available for parent meetings and conferences.
Every student enrolled at ADV takes part in music, dance, drama, and visual arts classes. All students participate in the student shows twice per year designed to showcase student learning.
