LA PLATA, Md. — Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA) will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 7 at 5pm to formally open the doors on Charles County’s new tuition-free public charter school dedicated to innovation and the arts.
The school, which will welcome 175 students in grades 6 through 8 for its inaugural year, will hold classes in a fully renovated school building at 95 Catalpa Dr, La Plata, MD 20646.
The public is invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will be hosted by the Charles County Chamber of Commerce and the PISOTA Board of Trustees. It will include addresses by PISOTA Principal Dr. R. Demetri Sermons, Charles County Public Schools district leaders, local and state officials, and more. Other local education and civic leaders are expected to attend. Guests will have the options to purchase food and observe youth performances.
“I’ve been so impressed with the school building, not to mention the talented staff we’ve assembled at PISOTA,” Dr. Sermons said. “We look forward to the opportunity to bring the community together and show off our new school.”
PISOTA will provide students with an education that features the core academic subjects that students in all schools learn, but PISOTA scholars also select an intensive focus from among dance, music, voice, theatre, visual arts, or museum studies and new media.
The pillars of the PISOTA approach to learning include:
• Excellence in A3: Academics, Arts Instruction + Arts Integration
• Global Competence, Leadership and Bilingualism
• Mental Health and Holistic Wellness
• Real-World Experience and Access to Experts
• Community Uplift
With opportunities for mission-aligned organizations to reach hundreds of community members, PISOTA invites businesses to sponsor the ribbon-cutting or to purchase a congratulatory advertisement in the souvenir program. To inquire about sponsorship or advertisement placement in the program, please email Monique Walker at phoenixinternationalsecretary@gmail.com.
For more information on Phoenix International School of the Arts, visit PISOTA.org. Stay up to date with Phoenix International School of the Arts by connecting on social media.
ABOUT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
PISOTA was approved to open by the Charles County Board of Education in April 2021 with the support of Charles County Public Schools leadership. Its mission is to inspire and prepare the next generation of global artists, scholars, innovators and changemakers to make our world a better place. PISOTA provides a supportive learning community that promotes creative exploration, global competence and bilingualism, holistic wellness, learning enriched by real-world experiences, and access to experts — all combined with arts integrated teaching practices, an inquiry-based international curriculum, and the latest in technology and innovation.
It is a nonprofit public charter school managed by local nonprofit, Phoenix International Incorporated — a K12 education design studio developing educational programs, in-person and in web3, that are creative, relevant, and inspiring.
