iLEAD Agua Dulce, a tuition-free public charter school, is kicking off the 2025-2026 school year with a major expansion of its arts education programs.

Aligning with the iLEAD Schools’ 2025-2026 theme, “Create Your Masterpiece,” the school will celebrate creativity by introducing a year-long arts “wheel” for all students.

The new arts program, which begins Tuesday, Sept. 2, will provide students with direct instruction in a variety of visual and performing arts disciplines, including dance, theater, music and visual arts.

This expansion is made possible through a partnership with The Music Center and funding from Proposition 28.

“At iLEAD Agua Dulce, we have always valued arts learning, but we were previously limited in what we could provide in direct instruction,” said Wendy Maxwell, iLEAD Agua Dulce School Director. “Thanks to Prop 28 and our partnership with The Music Center, we are now able to expand our offerings and add new disciplines like theatre and dance, ensuring every learner has the opportunity to explore their creative potential.”

The program is designed to be equitable and accessible for all students, from Transitional Kindergarten through 12th grade. Elementary school learners will begin the year with dance, move on to theater, then visual art and finish with music. Middle school will explore drawing, painting, dance, digital arts, drama, performance and more.

iLEAD Agua Dulce’s high school independent study learners will take their arts learning to the next level with History of Rock and History of Hip-Hop, the latter offered through Antelope Valley College and will offer their expertise in a community mural project.

“The arts are essential for a complete education,” said Maxwell. “This new program gives every learner the chance to explore, create and find their passion. We are thrilled to see our students embrace this opportunity and bring the Create Your Masterpiece theme to life throughout the school year.”

iLEAD Agua Dulce’s new program gives students the opportunity to explore their creativity, discover new talents and express themselves in meaningful ways. Through hands-on experiences, learners will create original works, participate in performances and showcase their work in presentations of learning. The curriculum fosters individual growth and collaborative learning, emphasizing authentic individuality, empathic citizenship, design thinking and lifelong learning.

Whether students are discovering a love for painting, performing on stage, or learning the basics of dance, the program is designed to provide every learner with a chance to shine.

For more information visit https://ileadaguadulce.org/.