William Academy Arts Program
William Academy is a coeducational independent school for students from Grade 9-12. At WA we strongly believe in educating the whole child and in inspiring creativity, innovation and self-expression. Our arts program allows for students to grow as an artist and find their own voice. With access to music rooms, dance studios, performance spaces, sculpture rooms and multi-media labs, WA can help prepare you for a post-secondary education in the arts.
As an arts school, William Academy also has a University preparation program specifically designed to help prepare students for the audition process at various Arts Universities such as OCAD (Ontario College of Art & design), Sheridan College, York University, Brock University, Carleton University, and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design among others.
Why an Arts Education?
“In my own philanthropy and business endeavors, I have seen the critical role that the arts play in stimulating creativity and in developing vital communities… the arts have a crucial impact on our economy and are an important catalyst for learning, discovery, and achievement in our country.”
– Paul G. Allen, Co-Founder, Microsoft
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
– Albert Einstein
Not only does an arts education equip students with the ability to think creatively, it also helps them develop emotionally, and has been proven to increase their academic achievement. An arts education has been associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Researchers have also linked involvement with the arts with improvements in concentration, confidence, and teamwork.
Many businesses including Microsoft, Citicorp, Apple, and General Electric have all acknowledged the importance of the arts in the training of students. The arts “can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing, creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion” (2005, Rand Corporation).
By sending your child to William Academy, not only will you be allowing them to engage in activities that they love and enjoy, you will be providing them with a competitive edge in the ever increasingly competitive work place.
The Arts Program at William Academy
William Academy offers a full range of classes in the arts alongside more traditional course offerings. Students are free to select courses from mathematics, sciences, humanities, business as well as the courses listed below.
Dance: In dance courses at the Grade 11 and 12 level, students continue to learn in, about, and through dance. The medium of expression is movement; the instrument is the human body. Dance education goes beyond the study of a repertoire of movements to offer an understanding of the principles and concepts that govern and define the art. Dance transforms images, ideas, and feelings into movement sequences through innovative choreographic insights. Learning in dance requires a balance of knowledge and skills, and a synergy between intellect, ability, and emotion. Engagement in dance can provide a context for understanding world issues and exploring a variety of cultures. The study and practice of composition provide students with the essential building blocks that support lifelong interest in, appreciation of, and curiosity about dance. Genres include modern, jazz and dance composition.
Drama: At the Grade 11 and 12 level, drama students extend their understanding and interpretation of dramatic texts, forms, characters, and theatrical productions. They incorporate a variety of dramatic elements and conventions in their performances and productions. Students engage in increasingly effective social interactions and collaboration as they create, perform, and analyze drama. In these courses, students will experience being performer, audience, playwright, technician, designer, and critic.
Students use the elements of drama (role/character, relationship, time and place, focus and emphasis, and tension) to create works that are related to their personal interest and experience. In doing so, they integrate technology to enhance the impact of drama works and to help convey mood, create tension, and communicate a message.
Media Arts: Media arts incorporates a variety of materials, techniques, tools, technologies, and skills from various arts disciplines including dance, drama, music, and visual arts. Elements are also drawn from the contributing arts: for example, line, color, and texture from visual arts; space, time, and energy from dance; rhythm (duration), harmony (pitch), and dynamics from music; and character, place, and tension from dramatic arts. The technologies and processes used and adapted to create media art may be traditional, including, but not limited to, photography, film, photocopy art, analog and electro-acoustic sound, classical animation, and video/television. The technologies and processes may also be digital: computer software, digital imaging and graphics, digital sound recording and sonic sculpture, two- and three-dimensional animation, multimedia production, holography, and web-page design.
Music: Music study at the Grade 11 and 12 level enhances students’ understanding and appreciation of music through the development of practical skills and creative work. Students extend their creative problem-solving skills, individual and cooperative work habits, and knowledge of themselves and others. They develop a sense of personal responsibility and connections to their communities, and explore future careers. Units in music include: vocal, instrumental music, music composition and history.
Visual Arts: Visual arts courses at the Grade 11 and 12 level focus on studio work and critical analysis of a wide range of art works. Students apply the elements and principles of design with increasing skill and creativity to produce art works that communicate emotions or comment on issues. They apply their skills using an array of media, including alternative media, and current technologies, to create two- and three-dimensional art works for a variety of purposes. Units in visual arts include printmaking, sculpture, painting, ceramics, film/video and alternative media.
Portfolio Development Courses: Non-Credit
William Academy also offers portfolio development courses that help students develop and collect samples of their best work to showcase to art universities around the world. Professional artists sit with students to refine their work and provide feedback for students who wish to pursue a post-secondary degree in the arts.
Admission Requirements:
Demonstrated interested in art and creative media studies
Portfolio Submission and Review
Interview with WA selection committee
Annual Tuition:
CAD $26,800/year
Program starts February and September of each year.
Your future starts here!
Sports Program
William Academy‘s Athletics Program is centered on giving our students a range of opportunities to fit their interests. We believe that students benefit greatly from a balanced timetable that includes academics, sports and community involvement. Our aim is to provide students, who have a particular interest or talent in sports, with the opportunity to train with professional and certified coaches in the local area. With strong guidance and support, students participate in sport specific training 3 times a week.
Training can involve a range of activities including:
- Fitness classes (strength, flexibility, endurance, conditioning)
- Dry land training
- Ice based training
- Food & nutrition classes
Students are also provided with regular evaluations to track their progress. With the goal of achieving both academic and athletic excellence, instructors help to instill confidence, commitment and perseverance during training sessions. These are characteristics that William Academy encourages in their students and qualities that translate into success in both athletic and academic endeavors.
Enrollment in the program can start as early as grade 5.
Program requirements:
1. Basic physical fitness level.
2. Ability to demonstrate talent in sports; received awards; or endorsement from faculty.
3. Successful interview with program faculty.