An absolutely extraordinary school that prepares students (they prefer the term "scholars") to learn and grow as critical thinkers and art-creators, even if the student does not intend to become an artist as a vocation. The school's small size and the long tenure of the two principals and most of the staff mean that kids get highly personalized attention and can truly be known by their teachers.
The school facility itself functions like a black-box theater: every interesting, creative thing about it is contained in the students, their learning, their music and dance, their writing, their performances, and the educators. Don't let the lack of external bells & whistles put you off amazing things are happening inside.
Also, unlike virtually every other school in LA public, private or charter Ren focuses its fundraising efforts on grant-writing, meaning parents are never asked to donate. Can you believe that? All school supplies are provided as well, including a free instrument (year round) for students who pursue music rather than dance.
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I go here right now and I think that renarts intention is good but the way they try to express it is not good. I have been going there for 5 years now and I have a dealt with Many issues regarding the staff. I think it s very hard to express my creativity when I am dancing. Don t get me wrong I do love all of the dance advisors and I love how my dancing has progressed over the years I just don t feel like I am truly dancing my heart out because the environment they have made makes me feel judged and embarrassed. They definitely pick favorites no doubt about it which is confusing for most students. I probably will go to a different high school.
This was my first time doing something like this and the two young ladies there were rock stars so helpful and so much fun ill definitely be back my painting came out so good i was shocked,if you're on the fence get off of it and go lol.
If I were you I would only take your child here if your never going to leave. I went here for three years and the only thing I liked about the school was that there was no homework and that they would teach you to play a stringed instrument of your choice. I had a lot of trouble in school but especially with math. my math teacher or as they like to call it my advisor was having a lot of trouble giving me some advice. Every time I would ask for help if we were writing a response to a prompt I would end up with the same answer write down everything in your head . Hey man give me some ideas. When you come to the school it feels great, you don t have any homework you get to learn to play music or dance. But the longer you stay there you start to realize that not a lot of the students want to be there. Some people love it there but based on the people I knew the only reason they hadn t left was because they knew if they did there was a high chance of them falling behind not being used to have homework daily or because they didn t get the help from they re advisors that they needed. I was there for the online portion of it during quarantine. They didn t use zoom probably because they wanted to be different . So there was no help once again for me and it was a lot harder to pay attention. They would just play a live stream, talked to some of the other students online and they would literally just put the class on mute and play video games so something tells me that isn t the most effective way to learn online. I had one zoom meeting and it was them recording us writing our names on pieces of paper as many times as we could in 1 minute. They probably made it look like we were doing work on zoom in like one of those videos they post online or something.
I m so disappointed, how can a school loose a child ? This school needs a better Check in system and a more proactive staff when they see a child roaming around obviously lost on campus , Parents want a secure environment when their children are dropped off .
I have a daughter with special needs. The entire staff has been so caring. She is welcomed in every group (they don't call them classes here) and has friends for the first time.
I have 2 children in their 4th year at Renarts and my husband and I couldn't be more impressed with both the academic and the arts experiences they have received at this school.
The best thing I can say about Renarts right now is the way they have handled distance learning. The transition was quick & relatively painless, compared to the horror stories I keep hearing from friends with kids at other schools. They took care to walk both students & parents through the google classroom site and really helped us to work out any technical and logistical issues that arose. They even went so far as to get on the phone with families and their internet providers to help negotiate getting a reduced cost for their internet service! They provided counseling sessions and additional academic support sessions as needed, which were added to students' base schedule, and there was always a cheerful voice at the other end of the line to answer any questions we had. I have no idea how they stayed so upbeat and positive every day, but their commitment was inspiring.
My 4th grader adjusted well to being on-camera with her classmates and quickly got into a routine of logging in for her academic classes with her notebook and pencil ready to go. She loved listening to the read aloud (Harry Potter is always a hit!) and singing in her vocal class. Her movement lab (gym class) was something she looked forward to every day. My 7th grader remained engaged and motivated with her academics because they made the material so relevant to what was happening in the world. They studied The Dust Bowl & the Great Depression and made comparisons to what is happening now. They read HARLEM by Langston Hughes and discussed what happens to a dream deferred. My 7th grader analyzed data collection of police aggression toward black Americans and discussed how it has elements of the known and the unknown, and created equations to help determine the unknown. In science they studied how small changes in mass and density can lead to greater changes, which can reach a critical mass and cause an eruption. Powerful connections!
The teaching style really revolves around critical thinking and is based on a problem-posing education. A big part of the teaching style is the belief that the cultural and historical knowledge that both students AND teachers bring should be allowed to intermingle organically with texts and materials (think Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed).
Before enrolling, I was concerned having my younger girls intermingling with older scholars, but I have to say the older kids are very respectful of the younger ones and the exchange of ideas and experiences has really elevated their maturity level. The co-directors of the school are beyond committed to Renarts and dive in head first every day. They both are active teachers at the school as well. Their own children went to Renarts and several of the teachers have children currently enrolled as well. I think that speaks volumes. They really believe that the kids are capable of learning more than what is "grade-level appropriate" so the material they cover is pretty advanced. My children have studied works by Shakespeare, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dee Brown, Ta-Nehisi Coates & Homer, just to name a few. And their science/math program is exceptional. One of our favorite experiences during distance learning was listening in on a session where the teachers were discussing when and how they fell in love with math!
All of the material they cover then culminates into an INCREDIBLE performance the entire school participates in at the end of each semester. Although usually a live performance, this past June the students recorded themselves at home and submitted videos which were compiled into an incredibly moving live-stream show. The performances really demonstrate the students' understanding of the material they've been studying and putting a show up together also promotes cooperation, respect, and self-reflection. All the students really bond during "show mode."
this school is very bad in many ways i had to leave my first year because i wasn't learning anything the 'advisors' are crazy especially Sid . DO NOT GO THERE i struggled when i left because i missed a whole year of learning that school is basically a day care . unless your good at math and want to be a musician or dancer when your older go ahead i just don't recommend it.
Our experience at Renaissance Arts has been really good. This school is different, and personally, I am thankful. My son told me, "There are no bullies at Ren Arts". I can see why. The staff is strict and they somehow manage to do what our previous school was not able to do - keep the kids feeling safe.
When my kids started, I sat in on many of the classes to help one of my kids adjust. Almost every day for a year I went to the first 2 classes. I was so thankful that they welcomed me. The only request is that I participate in the class, ie, not be on my cell phone, be attentive. In a large 8am singing class meant (I imagine) to gather the kids together and provide structure while stragglers arrived, I watched the teacher nip every potential behavior problem in the bud with, "I hear someone talking. If someone is talking while X is asking a question, then we can't hear X's important question". Or, "If you aren't participating then we are missing your voice. We need your voice". Everything here is based on the idea of an ensemble. And the importance of the individual within the ensemble is stressed. The ensemble performances that they do twice a year are truly amazing. Imagine being thrown in with different groups of students in your school twice a year to perform. Part of the reason there is no bullying is that you bond with your fellow cast members.
There are some overarching mission statements that you see over and over again that are unique and heartwarming. For example, although there are no tests, they have a lot of essays to write where the kids have the opportunity to express themselves. They are told that there is not right or wrong answer and they just want to hear their ideas. They are often asked to reflect on themes and the teachers don't feel like they have "the answer", but rather are excited to hear what the kids come up with. It feels like college level teaching. To me, this is exciting stuff! I sat in on a second grade humanities class and felt like I was in college: a group of 8 kids plus a teacher sat around the table and discussed King Lear. The kids had so much to say about the age-appropriate rendition of what they were reading. The school also has a social justice bent and the themes of their shows often reflects current events. One of the high school students told me that they read the constitution every year in high school and every time she finds something new.
So yes, there is much here that is going to look different from your typical school. It functions differently and so the form will be inherently different. I feel that as long as the child is happy, that is the best gauge of the fit of the school. And my kids are happy here.
My daughter is in her fourth year as a student at Renarts. She began as a second grader (the first year Renarts began their primary program) and is now a fifth grader. We were thrilled about Renarts and their progressive approach to teaching since the moment we learned about them. For us, the experience exceeds all of our expectations. Reasons for this include: an accelerated curriculum tailored around literature, linguistics, math and arts (music and dance) appropriately challenging every scholar with personalized attention and care emphasis on curiosity, conversation, and scholar led discovery developing thinking and communication skills rather than memorization and regurgitation school hours are pretty laser focused with little time for play or socializing (pros and cons to this) school performances are some of the best stage performances in all of Los Angeles - if not NY and beyond!
I am touched by and so grateful for the energy, time and creativity that the advisers and staff put into making this school soar above and beyond other LA schools (public and private). We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to have been picked from a lottery of applicants.
The covid distant learning has been handled with the same Renarts attention and care found throughout all of our experiences here. No scholar will fall behind.
My daughter s two complaints over the years have pointed to the lack of play time and the absence of a playground or green outdoor space. This is for sure a heartbreaker for her but given every other aspect of excellence we overlook it - making sure to do our best to supplement with after school/weekend outdoor time, play dates, festivity and silliness.
Its a pretty good school overall. But need tt know exactly what there saying when they teach the scholars sometimes they stutter but overall like I said its a good school. There is a ramp at the entrance and a small lot to pick up scholars if they are not walking home.
I go there right now! I mean, it's school, but I've been to WAY WORSE. Plus, the "Advisors" are very open most of the time, and there's a lot of creative freedom! They're also opening a K-12 System which will be expanding every year. Two shows twice a year, with students being able to pick Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass (YES), dance, and now they have a technology path. If you're looking for a place to transfer from LFCSA from, this is the ideal place, as they're moving really close after this year's "Winter Show!" Would also recommend if you're transferring from ANY other school! 5/5!
P.S. I'm writing this from a second year 7th grade perspective. I'll keep my name Anonymous.
The new location for Blick on Market is amazing. It's a huge space and very organized. The people have also always been extremely helpful and patient in helping me find items. Also free parking behind the building if you spend more than!
It has good ideas but they are executed very poorly. They want to have information go from the advisers into the scholars and flow through them but when a scholar is talking to another scholar and showing them what to do they either get moved or are told not to talk to each other.
I really like the format of Hollywood Acting Workshop. Real managers and agents that are really looking for talent. I have been to a few workshops here and they don't bring in the same agents and managers every time. Highly recommended for actors at all stages of their career. Great price too!
I went here for two years and it was honestly the worst experience of my life. The kids were entitled and rude and I didn t like any of my teachers. It was very messy and uncoordinated. Some teachers left and then were not replaced. In a dissection extracurricular class the teacher left mid-year so we were left without a teacher and they just let us hang out and cut open shuff with scalpels with no adult supervision. AWFUL school.
I took a sewing boot camp class about a year ago, and learned a lot. I was able to learn about my machine, and it was really fun. Then during big this whole quarantine they posted a video on how to make masks. They even sent me the pattern for free. This is a great business made up of local artists. I can't wait until they open again.
Very 21st Century critical thinking and deep learning happening here. May not be for everyone, but there is nothing superficial or "jump thru hoops" and "check off boxes" generic hectic serving 5 % of the population happening at REnArts. Authentic college level thinking and art making is just normal for a 7 th grader - no busy work homework and endless testing. Lots of reading, writing, working through problems that take many steps...Come to a performance and see for yourself.
if u are debating coming to this school or a different school i recommend not coming here. i highly highly suggest going to a different school, it ll save u the trouble. i ve been going to this school for years and it is not a good school. if u want to have normal school experiences especially in high school, do not come to this school y will not get any good experiences. there are no sports, no events, no freedom, at all. u will miss out on every fun activity u get at other schools. if u are social, this is not the place for u. i m soo social and i feel so trapped in this school. u can t talk during class or in between. u can only talk at lunch, and even then we have so many restrictions. we can t walk around during lunch, we can t be too loud, we can t be KIDS. renarts doesn t understand how hard it is for some people to attend school from 7 to 9/10 hours a day, without getting the ability to walk around and talk to our friends and have fun. yeah, maybe school isn t about having fun. but for the amount of time we spend there, we should be able to enjoy ourselves at least some. during lunch, u have to sit down and stay where u are for the whole time. if u sit inside, u aren t even allowed to use the restroom during lunch. that is not an exaggeration. i ve witnessed many people get yelled at by groups of teachers just for trying to use the restroom during lunch, myself included. we have to wait till the last five minutes to go to the restroom, get water, throw away trash, and get to class. if we go slow, we get yelled at. we re expected to get up put our stuff away and walk straight to class without saying a single word after lunch. it s just not realistic. we don t even get treated like human beings at this school. there are barely any teachers who ive ever seen show any empathy for the students. most of them look like they would rather be any where else, but there. i didn t realize that it was a thing at other schools to have bonds with your teachers until my friend from a different school brought it up. the teachers don t care about us at all (most of them.) i ve heard sid, who s one of the directors straight up say she hates these kids. she is so passive aggressive and doesn t even realize it. i feel so bad for the younger students who get yelled at so much. i m really happy i got to experience my first few years of school at a different school. as far as education, they do not teach in an affective way. they waste so much time and with all the time we have, we could be learning so so so much more. i m honestly scared to be behind when i transfer schools, besides math. that s all we learn. we don t learn about history, geography, science. and when we do, they hand us articles and tell us to read it and expect us to understand. THEY CANT TEACH.
In principle the school is great, but the way it is carried out is abominable. Worst of all is the music staff. I teach children myself and have been doing so for the past 20 years, but if I were to treat anyone with half of what advisers like Kevin Hartnett do, I would be fired immediately. I would want to be fired. Advisers like Kevin Hartnett acting the way I have heard is intollerable and requires the school to do better. Or at least urge him into another job. My rating would be four stars if it weren't for the culture in the music staff, and advisers such as Kevin Hartnett.
Horrible don't go here you well lose a lot of your life here for nothing don't go here they only try to make it look like a good school but in reality it's not good!!!
I 100% do not recommend this school, they treat the special needs kids like dogs, the teachers are perverts, and they will lower your GPA on purpose to make your life a living hell if you are to move schools. And don t even get me started with Sid she should be dressing inppropriate and wearing booty shorts showing off her whale tale I mean cover that up no ones wants to see your like what 50+. Come on pk wear pjs and Sid wearing booty short so professional am I right
An absolute wonder! What the founders and teachers have done is amazing. Facility is more than adequate even though in old rehab buildings put together into one enormous teaching area. Have met most of the teachers, called advisors. And, seen the students (called scholars) come and go. Discipline is as important as subject matter. Classics-type educations for middle and high school. 350 'scholars' but have never seen more than ten or fifteen in a class. Taught by folks who are dedicated teachers but want to reach kids for a life-changing beginning education. Students grouped by level of learning. Teachers make them think individually. Challenging neighborhood but worth it. Some day we will see this as a model for our education system. No daily homework; no textbooks carried around. Ideally kids are dedicated daily to bringing home what they learn for discussion with their families and friends. Comments based on past few months taxiing, visiting teachers, kids and sitting in classes (which is welcomed). Dedicated students are very focused in their participative learning and music.
Hello. To whoever is reading this, I will describe my child's experience in Rennaisance Arts Academy
Good place to take your child to? No. 2/10 Firstly I will point out the children of this school. Immature and a "bad" influence. My child's name (anonymous) has been written on a bathroom stall. Not to mention that the place is the most cleanliest, but we will get to that in a little bit. The school isn't a nice and safe place to take your child to. Every september a new child is called a "first year" and each one takes the influence of a "delinquent." My child says the children are practically perverted and "delinquent" (my child is a "senior" at this school). My child would say they would write "racist" or "vulgar" words and symbols about other people. Mostly referring to the teacher (advisor) and the students. The students have destroyed bathroom stalls.
The Teachers (The So Called Advisors.) 4/10 There isn't a principle at this school but they are called "directors." The two "directors" Sidnie and P.K. Landaux do not do their job very well. My child has told me how nice they were, how rude/mean they were, and the downsides of their job as a "director" of this Arts Academy. My child has told me that he has overheard the two complaning of how hard of a job being a director is and a direct quote saying "These Children are so stupid!" Now, these may be lies but I always aim to believe my child in every way possible as he has never told me a lie before, otherwise these two are decent at their job. Now my child is a musician at this school and my child says "Whoever gets into a higher orchestra is mostly decided politically, they wouldn't pick the ones who were very good, but the ones the "advisors" liked best." My child has also said these "advisors" would often curse/speak out vulgar words. Which is also a reason why the place isn't a good choice for your child.
Education 8/10 The advisors would teach students humanities, science, and mathematics. The only gripe I have with this is they do not prepare students for exams such as SAT's. As you can see the percentage of GPA (Grade Point Average), it is precisely, very low.
I have nothing else to say for now, but the two directors would deny this review as "nothing in this review is trye to the experience," but I have known the two to be very, very good liars. I would suggest not to take your child here. Please! For the goos of your child!
I am unhappy with some things about the school and I'm happy with some others. I love the Arts aspect and the way our kids can be creative but I feel like Administration doesn't respond to complaints correctly. Jaci Casillas is spiteful and does not do a good job. She has something against my son and although I spoke with her on numerous occasions nothing got better regarding the matter.
Our son has been attending Renarts academy for the last two years. It was the best decision we made. The staff are great at helping one out with any questions one may have. Our son enjoys class and interacts with his teachers and class mates. We have seen the progress over the past two years. We love Renarts Academy!
I ve noticed bad reviews on here some from people with no real names and some who have stated they had a bad experience but then yet they stayed for years. Hmm I m skeptic with reviews such as these. I wouldn t be surprised that (most) of those reviews are fake and come from people who don t like charter schools.
renarts.org
