When the Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy first opened in August 2020, our school was comprised of 8th, 9th, and 10th grades. Every year since we have added a grade level as students progressed in their education. We eagerly look forward to celebrating our first graduating class this spring with the Class of 2023 Blazers!

With our current and projected growth, construction has already begun on the second academic building on our campus. We anticipate that it will be completed for the 2024-2025 school year. When completed, the BASA campus will be able to accommodate about 1,800 students.

In the meantime, we need to create more classroom space starting next school year. Beginning in August 2023, the Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy will only be for 9th to 12th-grade students. Our current 8th-grade students this year will become the BASA freshman class next year, but we will not have an 8th-grade class on the BASA campus next school year.

Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, the Arts & Innovation Magnet program will expand to include grades 6, 7, and 8. All three grades will be located on the Center for Innovative Teaching (CFIT) Campus. Expanding the Arts & Innovation Magnet program will give students a full middle school experience that will prepare them for high school with a three-year arts-integrated approach to learning, while also opening additional classrooms on the BASA campus for our high school students.

Students attending AIM for 8th grade will continue to have the option to enroll automatically in the Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy, if they desire, starting in 9th grade.

With this transition, we may have limited spots available in each grade level at BASA for the 2023-2024 school year. We plan on accepting applications for these limited spots in grades 9 through 12 during the next month. We will share more information about this soon.

As you may have already heard, the long-term plan is to move the Arts & Innovation Magnet to a new middle school building on our Innovation Campus. We anticipate the new middle school building will open for the 2026-27 school year or soon thereafter, depending on system-level growth patterns.

We are excited about the growth of both BASA and AIM and the additional opportunities they will provide our students. If you have any questions, please send me an email (nick.scheman@barrow.k12.ga.us) which I am happy to respond to.

Thank you!

Nick Scheman, Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy Principal