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Visit Illinois’ # Arts High School

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Admissions Calendar
Spring Open House: Arts & Academics
Mar 21

Join us for The Academy’s annual Spring Open House! This will be an exciting deep dive into The Academy’s unique co-curricular model. During the open house, your family will have the opportunity to speak with academic faculty, meet with arts department leadership, and chat with current families about their time at The Academy!

Learn more about Chicago Academy for the Arts

Since 1981, The Academy has been home to serious young artists dedicated to pushing their limits. Students engage in 3-5 hours of daily training in Dance, Media Arts, Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Our alumni attend top arts colleges like USC, NYU, and Juilliard, and many succeed as Grammy winners, Broadway stars, principal dancers, filmmakers, and artists.

Our academic coursework is equally robust, developing critical thinking across subjects like AP Computer Science, Business and the Arts, Global Affairs, and more. Nearly a third of our alumni pursue non-arts careers, becoming entrepreneurs, attorneys, PhDs, and professionals in diverse fields.

Our community is the heart of The Academy. Characterized by passion, purpose, and excellence, students and faculty create a supportive, home-like environment where everyone is deeply invested. Here, students are not just at The Academy—they are The Academy.

 

The Academy at a Glance

Student Diversity 2023–2024

The Academy is one of the most diverse independent schools in Illinois.

Enrolling approximately 125 students each year, students come to The Academy from an array of backgrounds: some have had years of training; others are exploring a newly discovered passion. Some come from the city of Chicago, others commute from the suburbs or beyond.

Some spend all four high school years at The Academy; others join the community later on in their academic careers. No matter their background, these students are united by a profound passion for the arts. 

20% Higher ACT Scores

than the National average

15 students

average academic class size

#1 Arts High School in Illinois

(Niche, 2023)

120+ Student Productions

throughout the year, including musicals, recitals, and more

125

approximate number of students each year

71%

of Academy teachers hold graduate degrees

Want to learn more about Academy students?

The Co-Curricular Model

At The Academy, arts and academics are treated with the same level of importance and dedication. This integrated approach ensures that students not only excel in their chosen artistic disciplines but also achieve high academic standards. By balancing rigorous arts training with a comprehensive academic curriculum, we prepare our students to be well-rounded individuals, ready to succeed in any path they choose. Whether pursuing further education in the arts or venturing into other professional fields, our graduates are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to thrive.

  • The Academy’s Dance Department prepares young dancers for a professional career in the performing arts by instilling three important core values: preparation, conduct, and skill. These values lead to a young pre professional dancer that embodies not only artistic excellence but also the ability to handle the rigor of the artform on all levels. Instead of competing, our students train and learn through technique classes, rehearsals, performances, and relationship building.

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  • The Academy’s Media Arts Department introduced the first comprehensive digital motion picture program for high school students in the country. It continues to be at the forefront of teaching storytelling through the three pillars of film, animation, and creative writing. 

    Though most students major in one of these three pillars, the Media Arts curriculum offers courses in photography, poetry, fiction writing, screenwriting, book design, video production, and more. Above all, the Media Arts Department’s primary focus is storytelling.

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  • Music Department students grow into versatile, adventurous, and collaborative artists under the guidance of first-class professional musicians. Through a holistic and practical approach to music education, students prepare to join today’s music industry while gaining the skills necessary to create the music landscape of the future.


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  • Musical Theatre Department students master storytelling in three different disciplines: voice, dance, and acting. 

    Musical Theatre students are taught by professional, working artists. In addition to the department’s permanent faculty, students also benefit from working with a rotating roster of guest artists from Chicago's most reputable and innovative professional theaters. These artists prioritize their students’ education while simultaneously developing their own personal projects.

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  • The Theatre Department involves immersive training in theatre and performance studies. Classes fall into four major categories: Acting, Performance Technique, Theatre Studies, Production & Technical Theatre.

    Theatre Department students gain a deep understanding of their strengths and weaknesses both as artists and as professionals working in the industry and beyond. They explore up to twenty topics in the discipline including stagecraft, directing, stage makeup, audition technique, and the business of theatre.

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  • Within the Visual Arts Department framework of studio practice, critique, and exhibition, students develop skills in order to articulate their ideas process, as well as become self-directed in pursuing their own subject matter and concept areas in their artwork. 

    Each student takes courses in drawing, design, and color theory, and selects from electives in printmaking, painting, sculpture, four-dimensional studio, and interdisciplinary arts. Through pairing traditional arts training with contemporary art-making practices, the Visual Arts Department’s curriculum equally values process and product. Faculty teach technical skills that build critical integrity to cultivate young artists who are independent and ambitious thinkers and makers.

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  • The Humanities Department gives students a broad base of knowledge in literature, history, foreign language, and electives to inform their art-making. In doing so, study in the Humanities orients students in the tradition of human thought and helps them become lifelong learners.

    Small classrooms driven by student discussion and curiosity define the Humanities Department’s approach to instruction. Under The Academy’s block schedule, students attend Humanities courses two to three times per week in 75-minute in-depth sessions that toggle between discussion, lecture, small group work, in-class practice, and independent work.

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  • The Math, Science, and Technology Department (MST) not only provides the key courses to prepare students for life after graduation, but also offers a variety of advanced elective classes that encourage students to expand their knowledge past the required introductory topics.

    MST focuses on individual perspective, highlighting the multiple ways students approach problem solving, as well as student exploration and investing in what they find most interesting about the curriculum. While MST teachers love “the answer,” they more importantly create engaging environments that emphasize and celebrate the process. This includes applications of math, science, and tech to all sorts of areas of life, allowing students to ultimately draw their own connections with educated observations.

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Meet our award-winning faculty

Staff Gallery
Jason Patera
Jason Patera

Head of School

Jason Patera has been part of the Academy community for over 20 years, serving as a faculty member, Chair of the Music Department, Assistant Head of School, Principal, and now Head of School.

Elizabeth Cunningham
Elizabeth Cunningham

Assistant Principal

Elizabeth Cunningham is the Dean of Students as well as the Student Services Coordinator. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and a Master of Education in Special Education at Loyola University.

Elizabeth also serves as the Director of Learning Resources.

Randy Duncan
Randy Duncan

Chair - Dance

Randy Duncan, a native Chicagoan, has the unique privilege to be a three-time recipient of Chicago’s prestigious Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Choreographer of the year. He teaches worldwide and for the past twenty-two years has been on the Academy faculty.

Rachel Brown
Rachel Brown

Chair - Music

Rachel Brown is a Chicago-based chamber musician, soloist, orchestral performer, educator, and arts administrator. Formerly with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, she is now Associate Principal Second Violin of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and performs with the Illinois, Rockford, and Fort Wayne Symphony Orchestras, as well as the American Music Festivals Orchestra. Rachel also instructs classical violin, viola, and musicianship.

Andrew Robinson
Andrew Robinson

Chair - Musical Theatre

Andrew Robinson earned his Bachelor of Arts in English and Religion from Rhodes College, his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University, and his Master of Arts in Educational Theatre from New York University. He has been a creative associate with the Wagon Wheel Theatre for over ten years, directing and performing in dozens of shows.

Ben Dicke
Ben Dicke

Chair - Theatre

Ben Dicke holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education from Sterling College. He has worked as a professional actor for twenty years in regional markets throughout the country.

Margy Stover
Margy Stover

Chair - Visual Arts

Margy Stover has taught at The Academy since 2003 and has been Visual Arts Department Chair since 2008. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute and Master of Fine Arts from SUNY Buffalo.    

Nicholas Roux
Nicholas Roux

Co-Chair - Humanities

Nicholas Roux teaches philosophy and creative writing. He attended Kenyon College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, with concentrations in Creative Writing and Humane Studies, and served as a student associate for The Kenyon Review.

Anna Mijalski
Anna Mijalski

Co-Chair - Humanities

Anna earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in French Literature from the University of Illinois, Chicago, where she also taught before coming to the Academy. 

Timothy Tynan
Timothy Tynan

Tim Tynan has been teaching history at The Academy since fall of 2000. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and English Literature from Loyola University of Chicago, as well as a Master of Arts in English Literature and an Illinois teaching certificate in Secondary Education from Northeastern Illinois University. 

Emily Luhrs
Emily Luhrs

Chief of Staff

Emily is a seasoned professional with multiple years of teaching experience at the Denver Center Theatre Academy. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Oklahoma.

Jesse Langen
Jesse Langen

New Music Ensemble Director, Pop/Rock Ensemble Director, Classical Guitar Instructor

Jesse Langen is a guitarist who specializes in new music.  He works with living composers regularly and premieres dozens of pieces every season. Equally comfortable on classical and electric guitar, he seeks to push both the technical boundaries and the conceptual functions of the instrument. He has taught at The Academy since 2002.

Patrick Simoniello
Patrick Simoniello

Assistant Chair of the Dance Department

Patrick Simoniello began his professional career as a dancer with The Joffrey II Dancers in New York City in 1993. He was soon promoted to the main company of The Joffrey in 1994. 

Buck Blue
Buck Blue

Buck has been working as the Technical Director/Production Manager for The Chicago Academy for the Arts since 2004.  He is a Member of the Illinois Theatre Association and the CAA representative to the USITT.

Christopher Hagenah
Christopher Hagenah

Christopher Hagenah attended University of California Santa Barbara, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in English.

Gregory Dudzienski
Gregory Dudzienski

Director of Jazz Combos, Jazz Saxophone Instructor

Saxophonist and composer Gregory Dudzienski, now a key member of Chicago's music community, has seen his original music featured in venues such as The Elastic Arts Foundation, Cafe Mustache, and The Green Mill. His work has also been showcased at the AS200 in Providence, the International Saxophone Symposium in Virginia, and the Salerno Jazz Festival in Italy.

Natalie Staples
Natalie Staples

Natalie Staples earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Kenyon College and a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from the University of Oregon, where she also taught Poetry and Composition before coming to the Academy.

Melissa Metelits
Melissa Metelits

Chair - Math, Science, and Technology

Melissa Metelits became a faculty member in 2018 and teaches Algebra II, Precalculus, AP Calculus BC, and AP Computer Science. She has taught and tutored a variety of subjects in Philadelphia, her home town, and in Chicago.

Jack Murray
Jack Murray

Director of Recording Arts and Commercial Music

For the past six years, Jack has led an impressive career in the audio industry. Before joining the faculty at The Chicago Academy for the Arts, Jack was involved in numerous recording, live sound, and televised productions during which he worked alongside local stars, national touring acts, and seasoned music legends.

Callandra Youngleson
Callandra Youngleson

Vocal Jazz Ensemble Co-Director, Jazz Voice Instructor

Callandra (Cal) Youngleson is a South African jazz vocalist, composer and educator. She has performed internationally collaborating with some of South Africa and America's greatest jazz musicians.

Nichole Young
Nichole Young

Classical Harp Instructor

Nichole’s love for the harp and her stellar performances have made her one of the most highly sought-after harpists in Chicago and northern Illinois. She specializes in performing for special celebrations, helping to create a soundscape that enhances the moment, creating a moment in time that will be remembered forever.

Kelli Harrington
Kelli Harrington

Kelli Harrington earned both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University.

Olga Meyer
Olga Meyer

Olga Meyer graduated from Azerbajian State College in Baku and earned her Masters in Music from the State Conservatory. She taught and concertized before coming to the United States in 1981. She has been at The Academy since 1985. 

Lauren Rovin
Lauren Rovin

Lauren earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Latino Studies, and her Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education at the University of Michigan. 

Alex Cassidy
Alex Cassidy

Alex Cassidy joined The Academy in 2018, and earned their Bachelors in Science Education from the University of Florida. Alex comes to The Academy from Wellsprings Friends School in Eugene, OR. 

Mary Kettering
Mary Kettering

Mary Kettering joined the Humanities Department in 2018. She holds a degree in political science and history from the University of Montana, where she also earned her teaching certification. She earned her Masters of Philosophy in Women and Gender Studies from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. 

Jonah Lazarus
Jonah Lazarus

Drum Set Instructor

Jonah Lazarus, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator from Oak Park, IL, grew up improvising music with his brothers in a family of Jewish artists and educators. At Macalester College, he studied Ghanaian and African music under Sowah Mensah. In Salvador, Brazil, he collaborated with Iuri Passos, Bira Santos, Letieres Leite, and Beto Martins. Now in Chicago, Jonah teaches and creates music with his family band, Family Junket.

Alyssa Bennett
Alyssa Bennett

Classical Vocal Workshop Director, Classical Voice Instructor

Alyssa Bennett is the Classical Vocal Workshop Director and a Classical Voice Instructor at The Academy.

Nicholas Olynciw
Nicholas Olynciw

Vocal Jazz Ensemble Co-Director, Jazz Piano Instructor

Chicago-based pianist & educator Nicholas Olynciw is a rising voice in jazz music. Winner of the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition and the American Jazz Piano Competition Bösendorfer Prize, Nicholas earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Texas where he was a member of the Grammy-nominated One O'clock Lab Band.

For more info on Arts and Academics, check out our viewbook!

Reviews
Sally (Music '24)
Sally (Music '24)

“I like how the teachers are so supportive and will always encourage students to discover new things by themselves, while at the same time making the learning environment so comfortable and enjoyable.”

Everett (Dance '25)
Everett (Dance '25)

"The teachers are strikingly passionate about the content of their courses and go above and beyond to provide us with the best learning experience possible. The close relationships I have established with teachers have made classes more engaging, and the coursework has offered me a new perspective on literature and art overall."

Gabe (Media Arts '22)
Gabe (Media Arts '22)

"Compared to colleges and universities, there is a nice sense of community that comes with being such a small school. You know everyone and have a rapport with every teacher, one that is unique to you."