Welcome to the CPMA Virtual Experience

Here you will find information about our school and how families can apply their students to CPMA. You will find links to Choice Enrollment Applications, the Virtual Tour, and courses.

ABOUT

We are the Creative, Performing, and Media Arts (CPMA) Magnet Middle School located in the beautiful neighborhood of Claremont, San Diego. We aim to provide a solid foundation in core classes and a strong emphasis on the arts. We offer 12 electives, including a dance alternative to PE. At CPMA, we believe in a well-rounded educational opportunity for all students around the San Diego Unified School District. Your student will grow and thrive in a creative, challenging, and nurturing environment. Our lives are surrounded by so much creativity, ranging from music streaming apps to NASA scientists, that allows us to think outside the box. Our students learn more than just academics and art; they learn more about their surroundings, who and where they come from, and become confident in themselves and those around them.

CPMA is a nurturing, safe, and professional environment that supports all students' educational success and social, emotional, and physical development. Courses will be artistic, academic, engaging, and standards-based, focusing on the learner. All school staff is highly qualified and caring instructors who work to establish relationships and are attentive to students' educational, cultural, and physical needs and the CPMA community. Students who leave CPMA will be lifelong learners who use critical thinking skills to communicate effectively and successfully navigate the world's many challenges.

What makes our school so unique is that it allows students to use their creativity in the classroom, enabling them to tell their stories and be exposed to new perspectives, teamwork, and critical thinking. Through our program, as we continue to integrate more arts into every classroom, students will be more creative, become problem solvers and leaders and grow their emotional intelligence.

Students will have multiple performance opportunities (plays, concerts, and dance recitals) and production experiences (set designing, lights, sound, stage managing, and filming of school events) available throughout the year.

Check out the video

Where Are We Located?

APPLY TODAY

Classes Offered At CPMA

At CPMA, students' middle school experience will be given many opportunities to be as creative as they can be while also taking core classes. This could range from music, media, dance, visual arts, acting, to creating a yearbook. Here what classes/programs we offer;


  • Core Classes:

    • Math

    • English

    • Social Studies / History

    • Science

    • Gate Cluster

    • Math Accelerated Courses


  • Physical Education

    • P.E. (ultimate frisbee, basketball, soccer, etc.)

    • Dance (jazz, tap, and ballet)


  • VAPA Classes

    • Visual Arts (painting, drawing, etc.)

    • Theater (acting)

    • Theater Production (stagecraft, make-up, costumes, light and sound, building props and sets, stage management, etc.)

    • Video Production (learn to use camcorders to make and edit videos)

    • Broadcast Journalism (Bi-weekly school broadcast news led by students) [Advanced Class]

    • Choir (singing)

    • Orchestra (strings; viola, violin, cello, and bass)

    • Band (woodwind, brass, and percussion)

    • Jazz Band [Advanced Class]

For more information on our VAPA electives, please click HERE


  • Other Electives

    • Yearbook

    • ASB (Associated Student Body)

    • AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination)

Core Classes

At CPMA, students will take 4 core classes each school year. These include;

  • English

  • Math

  • Science

  • Social Studies / History

We believe a strong foundation in core classes goes hand-in-hand with your student's future success. Our experienced staff, with an average of 10+ years of teaching experience, provides an exemplary and nurturing environment to help ensure your student meets their educational objective(s). Our teachers offer a mix of hands-on and creative opportunities through many ongoing projects throughout the year to reinforce the core standards. Projects include;

  • Teaching Through the Arts

  • The Butterfly Project

  • Playwright's Project

  • Bottle Rocket Lab

  • And others


We do offer Math Accelerated Courses.


*Please make sure to obtain a GATE letter from your 5th-grade teacher after you have been accepted to CPMA when you are filling out enrollment paperwork.

What Kind of Services Does CPMA Offer?

With access to counselors, librarians, and a nurse, our students have all the right tools to be successful.

Counselors

    • We have two counselors on campus 5 days a week.

Nurse

    • There is one nurse or nurse tech available daily.

Library

    • We have a librarian 5 days a week, whereas many Middle Schools only have a librarian once or twice a week.

    • Book Club, Graphic Novel Making Club, Board Games check out, open during lunch.

Before and School Care

  • CPMA offers PrimeTime before and after school for students that may need to be dropped off early or picked up late.

  • We also offer tutoring services for students in the Library on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school from 4:05 PM to 5:30 PM.


 * late busses are offered to students who qualify for transportation.

Choosing CPMA As Your Middle School

Step 1

    • Check out our Virtual Tour and our Instagram/ Facebook / Twitter (@CPMAmiddle) or set an appointment to tour the school in person by emailing our MSAP Resource Teacher, Cody Smith, at csmith12@sandi.net. Tours are typically every Thursday at 1:00 PM.

Step 2

Step 3

    • Look for an acceptance email to complete enrollment in the month of March.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • Where are we located?

    • 5050 Conrad Ave. San Diego, CA 92117

  • Are we a private school?

    • No. We are a public magnet school with the San Diego Unified School District. Also, it means that it doesn't cost to come to CPMA!

  • Do you provide busing/transportation?

    • You must submit a Proof of Residency (Utility Bill, Rental Agreement, Mortage Bill, or Military Papers) living at an address that qualifies you for transportation. Students must reside more than 5 miles away from the school and live within the boundary of the San Diego Unified School District.

    • PLEASE NOTE: not every student will qualify for transportation due to where our buses are scheduled to pick up our students and the limitation on space.

  • Does my student get provided breakfast and lunch?

    • Yes. Every student qualifies for free and reduced lunch.

  • Do you have afterschool activities?

    • We have afterschool activities on Wednesday and Thursday, including rehearsals, practices, and tutoring. Late transportation is offered to students to return home. We also provide PrimeTime before and after school. Please make sure to visit our school website to learn more about Primetime.

  • Does my student need any artistic experience?

    • We do not require students to have any artistic experience or skills. We are looking for students who are passionate about the arts and students who want to use their creativity in their learning experience.