Audition and Application Meeting Presentation Slides

SCAPA Introduction - SCAPA Introduction Video

1987 - SCAPA was established! Began classes at Harrison Elementary

1991 - SCAPA moved to Price Road in the former Bluegrass School Building

Jan. 2001 - Moved into the Current Facility

2011 - Kentucky Governor’s Awards in the Arts - Education Award Recipient

2015 - Designated a National Blue Ribbon School in the category of Exemplary High Performing Schools by the United States Department of Education  

2023 - Designated a Family Friendly School by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence

What is SCAPA?

Our Mission

• Artademics - empowering students through artistic excellence, academic rigor and respect for diversity. 

• We are:

  • S cholars

  • C itizens

  • A rtists

  • P rofessionals

  • A lways reaching...

• We are SCAPA!! 

School Structure

Grades 4 - 8 at SCAPA Bluegrass; Grades 9 - 12 at SCAPA Lafayette

School Day is 8:25am - 3:45pm

Our school day is extended due to the additional arts class we offer.

Elementary Arts Majors meet 3 days per week.  They also take classes in all arts areas one day per week each (drama, dance, art, music, literary arts)

Middle School Arts Majors meet 5 days per week.  Middle school students can also select an arts minor and an arts elective.

Elementary Specialized Arts Classes

“BOM” – Elementary Students will choose one of these three arts areas in addition to their Arts Major classes to take for BOTH 4th and 5th grade:

• Beginning Band

• Beginning Orchestra

• Movement/Wellness

Specialized Arts Elective Classes – Middle School

Middle School Students will select semester-long arts electives to take in addition to their Arts Major and Arts Minor classes each year:

• Arts Administration

• Community Service Through Music

• Dance Performance and Choreography

• Fibers and Fabrics

• Fused Glass

• Jazz Improvisation

• Literature and Art Magazine

• Triple Threat Skills

• Video Production (Year-long class)

• Visual Communications

• Yearbook (Year-long class)

Audition Areas

Students may only audition in ONE arts area!

• Visual Art

• Literary Arts

• Drama

• Ballet

• Contemporary Dance

• Band

• Strings

• Vocal Music

• Piano

Online Application Process

Online Application (Available January 6, 2024 - January 22, 2024)

Make sure you click on "SCAPA Bluegrass" for the elementary/middle school application!!  Students must be an official resident of Fayette County in order to apply!!

When you are ready to work on the application, make sure you have:

• Email Addresses of at least 2-3 people (non-relative adults) who you want us to email Recommendation requests to for your child.  We will send those for you!

• Optional: A Short Parent Statement talking about your child’s  ability and interest level in the arts area in which they are applying.

District-Wide Audition Process - New for 2024!

In January 2024, the SCAPA audition process and the district-wide Gifted and Talented arts identification process will merge. For the 2024–25 school year, SCAPA students will be recommended for placement through the same audition process as district-wide Gifted and Talented arts auditions. Students will apply and record/upload and submit their audition in January for possible placement for the following school year.

Current FCPS students who are interested in potentially being identified as gifted in an arts area will participate in district-wide visual/performing arts auditions that will be videotaped/submitted through their home school. 

Students who are not currently enrolled in FCPS will participate in a similar process with their auditions being videotaped/submitted on a date to be determined once the application window closes.

IMPORTANT: SCAPA is no longer conducting in-person auditions on site.

On the first Monday in December, gifted resource teachers and FCPS arts teachers will receive detailed information regarding the new district-wide process.  All prepared and on-demand portions of the auditions will be submitted on video/uploaded to a secure site. Your school arts teacher or gifted and talented resource teacher will help with submission (List of Gifted/Talented Resource Teachers by School).   The same detailed information will be published on this website as well on that same date.

District Visual/Performing Arts Audition Committees, comprised of SCAPA teachers, district arts specialists in each arts area, and gifted specialists will determine which students will be referred to SCAPA for possible placement for the following school year.

After all auditions are complete, the SCAPA Gifted/Talented Recommendation Committee (SCAPA GRC) will meet to review the audition results and supplementary evidence for the referred students to determine possible offers of placement, potential placement on the waiting list, or recommendation for non-SCAPA school-based services.

Prepare any music, writing, monologue or artwork that is required for your audition.

Read through the Audition Requirements and Audition Rubrics for your arts area to make sure you know what they are going to ask you to do and to make sure you understand how your audition is going to be scored.

Practice what you plan to do at your audition in front of as many people as you can.  The more times you practice your audition, the less nervous           you will be!!

Audition Results

Audition results will be emailed on the following dates: 

• Current Grade 3-4, March 8, 2024

• Current Grades 5-7, March 7, 2024

Do I need to reapply next year?

If your child does not receive an offer of placement to SCAPA and you want them to be under consideration for the 2025-2026 school year, the next application window will be in January 2025.  The entire process is the same and all new applications and recommendations will have to be gathered for the new application season. 

Students must reapply each year for consideration if they are not offered placement.  

We do not keep waiting lists year to year.

How many openings are there at SCAPA?

The number of available slots, by next year’s grade level, is as follows:

• 4th grade – 58 (6 in each of the nine arts areas, + 4 others, arts areas to be determined after auditions have concluded)

• 5th grade – 0 (a current student must leave the school for an opening to occur) 

• 6th grade – 6 (for the entire grade level, NOT per arts area - the arts areas for these openings will be determined after auditions have concluded) 

• 7th grade – 0 (a current student must leave the school for an  opening to occur) 

• 8th grade – 0 (a current student must leave the school for an opening to occur)   

Common Questions

Is there bus transportation to SCAPA?  Yes!  We have pickup points all over Fayette County.  Transportation requests will be gathered once the acceptances are confirmed and that information will be forwarded to the transportation department.  They will create the bus routes and will publicize them around August 1st.

I don’t live in Fayette County.  Can my child apply to SCAPA?  Sorry, but the answer is no.  SCAPA is only an option for residents of Fayette County.

How many students apply each year?  Every year is different; however, we average 300-400 applicants per year.

How do I decide on the arts area for my child’s audition?  Talk to your child, their teachers, friends, family.  Only your family can determine the area.

Is there an after school care program?  SCAPA does not have an after school care program.  

How early can I drop off my child at school?  7:55am

Does SCAPA offer competitive sports?  Due to the nature of our program, our school does not offer extracurricular sports.  Students may  compete at their home school, per FCPS policy.  

For more information, please contact:

Carla Pleasant, Assistant Principal/GT Facilitator for SCAPA

carla.pleasant@fayette.kyschools.us

859-381-3338