Lusher Charter School Earns Arts Schools Network Exemplary School Designation

The Arts Schools Network Board of Directors has designatedLusher Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana an Exemplary School in recognition of its commitment to excellence. The five-year designation is awarded for 2018-2023. 

Arts Schools Network (ASN), the nation’s largest professional membership organization of specialized arts schools, awards Exemplary School designations to members that follow A Guide to Assessing Your Arts School in strategically evaluating their school’s purpose, operations, and educational programs. The Guideis a collaborative effort by ASN and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Pre-collegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS). ASN will honor the school at the ASN 2018 Annual Conference, October 23-26, 2018 in Orange County, California.
 
“We are incredibly honored to be chosen an Exemplary School by the Arts Schools Network,” said Kathy Riedlinger, Lusher Charter School CEO. “This designation is especially gratifying as the evaluators are artists and art educators who are leaders in their fields. Being recognized by this extraordinary group on a national level elevates Lusher’s many art programs to another level and validates Lusher’s amazing twenty-seven artists-in-residence and the talent they cultivate and nurture at our school.”
 
One of the highest-performing K-12 public schools in the state of Louisiana, Lusher Charter School, a National Blue Ribbon School in partnership with Tulane University, offers a rigorous, college-focused, arts-based curriculum. Serving 1,700 students, Lusher maintains two Uptown campuses, the Lower School on Willow Street and the Middle and High Schools on Freret Street. 
 
Lusher students are introduced to studio classes in the arts across multiple disciplines as early as Kindergarten, setting them on a path culminating in the opportunity to study in the four- year, conservatory-style Certificate of Artistry program upon entering High School. Students may select from 11 different CA courses of study including Theater, Musical Theater, Stagecraft, Vocal Music, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Dance, Visual Arts, Media Arts and Creative Writing. 
 
Lusher offers a stellar academics program where students may choose an area of concentration in Humanities/Communications, Math/Science, Engineering and Biomedical science. The Arts and Academic faculties work closely together to create arts-integrated classrooms. Lusher’s numerous extracurricular offerings include 26 sports teams that play on the Brees Family Field, the school’s athletic field. 
 
Melissa Brookes, Managing Director for ASN, said, “We offer guidance, inspiration and incentives to arts school leaders who strive for excellence in their schools. When they demonstrate outstanding efforts toward this goal, as they do by following A Guide to Assessing Your Arts School,we recognize and reward their achievements with this designation.” 
 
Dedicated to excellence and leadership in arts education, Arts Schools Network, a non-profit association founded in 1981, provides arts school leaders, innovative partners and members of arts education institutions with quality resources, support and networking opportunities. 

Visit www.artsschoolsnetwork.orgto learn more.