New charter school blends fine arts with academics; wraps first school year

ELKHART, Ind. -- Premier Arts Academy in Elkhart wraps on its inaugural school year! 

The new charter school offers a fun twist on traditional academics. 

Using arts integration, challenge-based learning and small group instruction, Premier Arts Academy offers a unique educational experience. 

Students aren't just taking math and English; they're taking dance, music and theatre classes too, blending arts and academics into a fun experience for kids. 

6th, 7th and 8th graders also get to choose an arts concentration, where they'll then spend more time focusing on a specific art.

Letting kids do more of what they're interested in at school has paid off academically, with 100% of students passing the state's IREAD testing. 

Not only are students building solid academic skills; they're also learning to be collaborators and problem-solvers. 

The school is currently housed in the same building as Lifeline Youth Ministries and hopes to move into its own space, as it plans to expand next school year to offer 7th grade. 

It's also looking to add on 8th grade classes in the future, too. 

It welcomed 200 students this year and will see even more come this fall. 

The charter school is free, opening this innovative educational experience to families of all backgrounds. 

Enrollment is open to anyone in the state of Indiana; you don't need to live in Elkhart. 

Premier Arts Academy does have waitlists for most of its classes, but there are still some spots open in 2nd and 3rd grade, and tuition is free. 

To learn more, visit the school's website.