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Dr. Shelly GoughnourAssistant Director
Visual & Performing Arts
75 Calhoun Street
Charleston, SC 29401
General Questions: 843-937-6423
Gifted & Talented Artistic Programs: 843-937-6456
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Registration for the 2023 Summer SMAART Program is now closed. Confirmations for students who registered during the last week of April will be emailed soon.
SMAART (Students Mastering the Academic Arts) Program Information
The SMAART Program is a three-week intensive program that takes place during the summer. Students can register for various Arts courses of their interest. Past course options have included Orchestra, Chorus, Visual Art, Playwriting & Acting, Choreography and Dance, Music Studio/Music Composition, Digital Graphic Design, and Steel Drums. The SMAART experience culminates in a day of performances where students showcase their work.
Important Note: Students must be identified as Gifted & Talented Artistic (GTR) through the nomination process described above in order to be eligible to register for the SMAART Program.
Students who have been identified as Gifted & Talented Artistic (GTR) are not automatically enrolled in Summer SMAART. Each student must reapply to attend the summer program when the registration form becomes available in early March. Space is limited, and is filled on a first come, first served basis.
Limited transportation is available for this program. Students needing transportation may indicate so on the registration form.
Summer SMAART information and registration for Gifted & Talented Artistic (GTR) identified students will be communicated in late February specifically to those who have been identified as Gifted & Talented Artistic (GTR).
For more information about the summer SMAART program, please contact the Visual & Performing Arts Office.
SMAART FAQs
When does registration start?
March 13, 2023 at 5:00 a.m. Classes fill up fast, so please be prepared to register as early as possible.
What Grades is SMAART for?
This summer's SMAART program is for rising 4th through 8th Grade students (current 3rd through 7th Grade students).
What are the days and hours of SMAART?
SMAART runs Monday through Friday. Each day runs from 9:00 AM (8:45 AM dropoff) until 4:00 PM.
How will I know which Major class my child was accepted into?
You will be notified within two weeks of registration to let you know which class major your child has been accepted into. There will be a packet pickup on June 9 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm for you to pick up your child's schedule and other materials needed for the camp.
What is the cost of SMAART?
The full cost of the program is $200. If CCSD transportation is needed, that is an additional $100 (please see below for question and answer about requesting transportation). Fees can be paid online with a link that appears on the registration form and can be paid in full at once or in installments. All fees are waived for students who attend Title I schools.
My child is not identified as Gifted and Talented in the Arts yet. Can they still sign up to attend SMAART?
SMAART is only for students identified as Gifted and Talented in the Arts. Your child will need to go through the process to be identified in order to be eligible to attend SMAART. We will be accepting nominations to be identified again starting in September 2023.
What are the classes that will be available?
A tentative class list is currently available in the brochure linked above. If a class does not appear on the registration form, that means it is full. If there are no classes available in your child's identified arts area, you are welcome to choose a class in a different arts area if that is of interest to your child.
How many classes can my child sign up for?
Students take one "Major" class in the mornings and rotate through two "Minor" classes in the afternoons (with the exception of SMAART Band and SMAART Strings, which are day-long classes). When registering, students should select their top three choices. The VPA office will notify parents of the class that their child will be registered for based on availability within two weeks of registration. Afternoon rotations are created by the SMAART program leaders and are designed to give students other experiences outside of their selected choices. Students rotate into two different afternoon classes each week, for a total of six-afternoon class experiences.
If my child signs up for SMAART Band or SMAART Strings, can they borrow a school instrument in order to participate?
Yes. If your child has been borrowing a school instrument to participate in Band or Strings at their school and they would like to participate in either of these classes, their school should allow them to use it for the Summer SMAART camp, as well. If there are any issues, please contact our office.
Does my child need to sign up for a class in their Gifted and Talented Artistically designated area, or can they choose any class?
Students attending SMAART for the first time need to choose a class within their identified arts area. If this is not a student's first time attending SMAART, then they can choose classes outside of their identified arts area. If there are no classes available in your child's identified arts area, you may choose a class in a different arts area.
We will be gone on vacation this summer and my child will miss some of SMAART. Can my child sign up for SMAART anyway?
If your child is going to miss more than three days of the camp, we ask that you allow the opportunity for other students to sign up for the program. SMAART is intensive -- students who miss more than three days will have a difficult time catching up and may hinder the collaborative work that takes place within SMAART classes.
How do I sign up my child for transportation for SMAART?
The registration form has a section where you will select if you need transportation for your child or not, and you will be asked to select the CCSD school location that is most convenient for you. We will work with transportation to plan a bus route that will likely include your selected location so that your child can have the transportation needed to attend SMAART.
What is the bus schedule for SMAART?
Once registration closes on April 28, we will be working with our transportation department to work out a schedule for transportation. We will be in touch with you with those details once everything is worked out. Students will need to be on campus by 8:45 AM, and classes end between 3:30 - 4:00 PM.
Visual & Performing Arts in Charleston County School District
CCSD strives to provide Visual & Performing Arts opportunities for every student in their areas of interest in the Visual and Performing Arts through the instruction of highly qualified Arts educators.
CCSD offers many opportunities for students in the Visual & Performing Arts. Opportunities to participate include Band, Choir, Orchestra, General Music, Piano, Guitar, Steel Drums, Visual Art, Dance, and Drama.
Students not only learn about the Arts but also participate in performances and showcases both within their schools, as well as within the community and beyond.
We are very proud of our students and their accomplishments in the Arts as they continue to be a part of award-winning Visual & Performing Arts programs.
Our emphasis in the Visual & Performing Arts Department is on building awareness of the tremendous impact the Arts have on the many children and young adults we serve. Our teachers use the College and Career Ready Standards for South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts to guide their instruction.
Artistically Gifted & Talented Program
As part of the opportunities we offer in the Arts for students, we administer the Gifted & Talented Artistic (GTR) nomination, adjudication, and notification process for students in grades 3 through 8.
Gifted & Talented Artistic (GTR) Identification Process Timeline
March 13, 2023 at 5:00 AM:
Summer SMAART Registration Opens
April 28, 2023 at 12:00 Noon:
Summer SMAART Registration Closes
June 12-30, 2023 - Proposed Dates for Summer SMAART (Student packet pick up will be June 9)
Contact Us
Visual & Performing Arts Office
(843) 937-6423
marjorie_clark@charleston.k12.sc.us
