SIDNEY — Deborah Emery has been named new head of school, and Heather King the principal at the Snow Pond Arts Academy as the charter school begins its second year.
Both began their positions on July 1 and look forward to make Snow Pond Arts Academy “one of the best performing arts high schools in the country,” said a news release from the school.
“Learning in and through the arts levels the playing field for youth and bolsters academic learning while developing the leadership, critical thinking and collaboration skills our youth need to succeed in the 21st century,” said Emery, in the release.
Emery is a graduate of the University of Lowell (now the University of Massachusetts-Lowell), with a masters degree in educational leadership from the University of Maine and a certificate of advanced studies in administration from the University of New England. She was most recently an administrator in Regional School Unit 2, in Monmouth. Throughout her career, the care and learning of students has always been a priority, the release said.
She also noted, “a deep caring about each child and family will guide the decisions of the Snow Pond Arts Academy as we move forward.”
King holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in English, and has completed several doctoral courses in educational leadership. Over the last 20 years, her career and has ranged from teaching kindergarten to college while her focus has been in English and student services.
“I am blessed to serve as the principal of the Arts Academy,” she said. “I have been part of the SPAA family for the last year as head of student services and I am looking forward to this new role as principal. Along with our exceptional staff, I look forward to preparing our students for college and beyond.”
Snow Pond Arts Academy, on the campus of the New England Music Camp, on Route 23, has students from 54 Maine communities and offers a residential option. It provides an education that includes performing arts and cultivates the skills the students need to be successful the rest of their lives, the release said. The academic curriculum encourages creativity and critical thinking and ignites the student’s natural love of learning, which is essential to their success in the 21st century workplace.
Students are encouraged in this nurturing environment to be inventive, resourceful and imaginative and the range of courses offered focuses on the understanding of material over memorization, emphasizing mastery of standards and application of knowledge, which will ensure each student’s success far beyond the classroom, the release said.
A flexible schedule allows ample time for performing arts, academic support, and many other student interests. “Through its tuition-free, performing arts education, the Arts Academy is becoming a catalyst for growth — not just in our students but also in our schools, our economy, and our community,” the relase said.
The Arts Academy Board and leadership team are working with the Snow Pond Center for the Arts Board to continue to attract the very best educators, artists, and professionals to live and work here in our region, school officials said. These new jobs are notably strengthening the economy, resulting in an energized community that is vibrant with rich cultural, educational, and economic opportunities. For more information, contact King at 207-618-8908 or visit www.snowpondartsacademy.org.
