Pathway

The Arts comprise a community of intelligent and creative individuals. Although our expressive means may change, whether it is through motion, as in dance, through music, as in band, or through characters, empathy, images, or forms, we are all creative individuals: Society calls us, "Creatives." We hope you are one of us and find your place in high school in our community of like-minded students!

What it is:

The Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Pathway is an avenue of learning that gives a student a strong foundation to support an entry into a career in the Arts. The VAPA Pathway typically begins in a student's freshman year and leads them through their chosen studio or discipline, Ceramics, Dance, Drama, Drawing and Painting, or Music. Students who are accepted into the pathway will begin their studies at the entry level for that discipline and follow the path through each consecutive year of high school until the end of the pathway is reached. Some VAPA Pathways continue through all four years of high school while others do not.

How it works:

Students with the interest and skill necessary for the VAPA Pathway should apply for acceptance in their freshman year while they are enrolled in their introductory course or prior. If accepted, that student's VAPA course becomes top priority for the continuation of the pathway. In their sophomore year, for example, counseling places that student in their VAPA course first and schedules all other courses following that placement. This ensures students on the VAPA Pathway enrollment in their VAPA course and requires all other courses to be scheduled in periods that do not conflict with it.

VAPA Pathway students will receive a full high school education and will be prepared for graduation and college enrollment at the end of their high school career. The VAPA Pathway in no way limits a student’s education but better prepares them for the pursuit of their interests following graduation from Temescal Canyon High School.

Currently, the VAPA Pathway is offered in Theatre and Drawing & Painting only. Additional pathways will be added for other studios in the future.

Use the arrow on the right to open the drop-down sections describing the different VAPA Pathways.

Drama -Basic Track

The VAPA Pathway in Drama guides a student through all four years of their high school career. Drama students begin with an education in all areas involved in a theatrical show: Sound, Lighting, Acting, and Theatre History. As students continue along the pathway, they refine their acting ability and acquire a fundamental understanding of drama theory. The VAPA Pathway in Drama offers students the opportunity in all four years to include a 7th period Theatre Production, a course built around production offered on the stage here at Temescal Canyon High School. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

VAPA Pathway: Drama -Basic Track
	9^th	10^th	11^th	12^th
VAPA Drama Basic Track	Drama Begin And (Optional) Theatre Production	Drama Int. And (Optional) Theatre Production	Drama Adv. And (Optional) Theatre Production	Drama Adv. And (Optional) Theatre Production

English	English 9	English 10	English 11	Expos Read Write
	English 9 Advanced	Honors English 10	American Lit AP Language	Honors Brit Lit AP Lit

Social Science		World History	US History	Gov/Econ
		AP World	AP US History	AP GOV POL US

Science	Conceptual Physics	Biology	Chemistry
	Biology Advanced	Chemistry Honors	AP Physics

Math	Algebra 1A	Algebra 1B	Geometry	Algebra 2
	Algebra 1	Geometry	Algebra 2	^{(4th year of an advanced math)}
	Geometry	Algebra 2	^{(3rd year of an advanced math)}	^{(4th year of an advanced math)}

LOTE	Spanish 1 Spanish 1 Native ASL I French 1	Spanish 2 Spanish 2 Native ASL II French 2	3^rd year of an LOTE or another elective
	(Required)
PE	PE 1 Dance Begin**			Team Field Dance Int. Weights Walking for Fit

*All students need to be A-G eligible, unless an acknowledgement is filed.

*Advance Track requires a Language be taken in 10^th grade versus 9^th grade.

** Drama preferred

Drawing and Painting -Basic Track

The VAPA Pathway in Drawing and Painting (Basic Track) guides a student through three or four years of their high school career. Drawing and Painting students begin their pathway by learning some of the basic skills involved in making art. They learn the fundamentals and acquire vocabulary specific to visual art and design. Students also begin to develop their portfolio for application to higher education at the start of the VAPA Pathway: Drawing and Painting -Basic Track. As students continue along the pathway, they refine their portfolio adding a working "Art Journal (sketchbook)" and develop a body of work that reflects their interest, skill, and understanding. Students in the Drawing and Painting pathway prepare for college application in their junior year. Many arts institutions require a portfolio and base their admissions on the student work they see. Students may choose to complete the pathway with Ceramics in their senior year.

The VAPA Pathway: Drawing and Painting -Basic Track is limited to ten students each year. Prior student work or pictures of prior student work must be submitted along with the application offered at the bottom of this page. This work may take the form of drawings, paintings, and sketchbooks from either previous classes in middle school or private work done outside of class. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

VAPA Pathway: Drawing and Painting -Basic Track
	9^th	10^th	11^th	12^th
VAPA Draw/Paint Basic Track	Draw/Paint Begin	Draw/Paint Adv.	Draw/ Paint Adv.	Ceramics

English	English 9	English 10	English 11	Expos Read Write
	English 9 Advanced	Honors English 10	American Lit AP Language	Honors Brit Lit AP Lit

Social Science		World History	US History	Gov/Econ
		AP World	AP US History	AP GOV POL US

Science	Conceptual Physics	Biology	Chemistry
	Biology Advanced	Chemistry Honors	AP Physics

Math	Algebra 1A	Algebra 1B	Geometry	Algebra 2
	Algebra 1	Geometry	Algebra 2	^{(4th year of an advanced math)}
	Geometry	Algebra 2	^{(3rd year of an advanced math)}	^{(4th year of an advanced math)}

LOTE	Spanish 1 Spanish 1 Native ASL I French 1	Spanish 2 Spanish 2 Native ASL II French 2	3^rd year of an LOTE or another elective
	(Required)
PE	PE 1 Dance Begin			Team Field Dance Int. Weights Walking for Fit

*All students need to be A-G eligible, unless an acknowledgement is filed.

*Advance Track requires a Language be taken in 10^th grade versus 9^th grade.

Drawing and Painting -Advanced Track (For prospective IB students only)

The VAPA Pathway in Drawing and Painting (Advanced Track) guides a student through all four years of their high school career. Drawing and Painting students begin their pathway by learning some of the basic skills involved in making art. They learn the fundamentals and acquire vocabulary specific to visual art and design. Students also begin to develop their portfolio for application to higher education at the start of the VAPA Pathway: Drawing and Painting -Basic Track. As students continue along the pathway, they refine their portfolio adding a working "Art Journal (sketchbook)" and develop a body of work that reflects their interest, skill, and understanding. Students complete the pathway with a two-year course in the International Baccalaureate program in their junior and senior year.

VAPA Pathway: Drawing and Painting -Advanced Track
	9^th	10^th	11^th	12^th
VAPA Draw/Paint Advanced Track*	Draw/Paint Begin and AP Art History	Draw/Paint Adv.	IB Visual Arts HL 1	IB Visual Arts HL 2

English	English 9	English 10	English 11	Expos Read Write
	English 9 Advanced	Honors English 10	American Lit AP Language	Honors Brit Lit AP Lit

Social Science		World History	US History	Gov/Econ
		AP World	AP US History	AP GOV POL US

Science	Conceptual Physics	Biology	Chemistry
	Biology Advanced	Chemistry Honors	AP Physics

Math	Algebra 1A	Algebra 1B	Geometry	Algebra 2
	Algebra 1	Geometry	Algebra 2	^{(4th year of an advanced math)}
	Geometry	Algebra 2	^{(3rd year of an advanced math)}	^{(4th year of an advanced math)}

LOTE	Spanish 1 Spanish 1 Native ASL I French 1	Spanish 2 Spanish 2 Native ASL II French 2	3^rd year of an LOTE or another elective
	(Required)
PE	PE 1 Dance Begin			Team Field Dance Int. Weights Walking for Fit

*All students need to be A-G eligible, unless an acknowledgement is filed.

*Advance Track requires a Language be taken in 10^th grade versus 9^th grade.

The application for the VAPA Pathway is offered below to incoming freshman only. If you think the VAPA Pathway is for you or your student, print a copy of the application and fill it out. Answer every question and complete every space made available for a response. Once completed, submit the copy to your VAPA teacher.

NOTE: Each VAPA Pathway differs and is specific to that area of study. With this in mind, each studio may ask for additional information on which to base acceptance. Prior experience is evidence of interest, skill, and dedication. You may be asked for examples of prior work and/or experience.

VAPA Pathway 9th Application 2024-25