History & Timeline

“To dream the impossible dream…”
– Man of La Mancha

CoCoSPA began as a bold vision—a school where young artists could learn, create, and thrive through a deep integration of arts and academics. From our first year in portables to packed houses at student performances, our timeline is filled with milestones, memories, and moments of magic. Through trials, triumphs, and transformation, we stayed true to our mission. And now, as we close this chapter on our own terms—with dignity, grace, and deep pride—we invite you to explore the journey that made CoCoSPA unforgettable.

Welcome to the Contra Costa School of Performing Arts (CoCoSPA)

Located in the heart of Central Contra Costa County, just 30 miles from San Francisco, the Contra Costa School of Performing Arts (CoCoSPA) was a dynamic 6th–12th grade public charter school that offered students a unique blend of rigorous college and career preparation with exceptional conservatory-style training in the performing arts. CoCoSPA served over 2000 students from across the region, including the cities of Concord, Pleasant Hill, Clayton, Walnut Creek, Martinez, Pittsburg, and nearby unincorporated communities. At CoCoSPA, we believed elite arts education should be open and accessible to all students.

Our Founding Story

SPA began as a vision shared around a kitchen table in early 2015, when a group of educators, artists, and community leaders imagined a school that would pair high-level academic preparation with professional-caliber performing arts training. Through extensive community outreach—including conversations with over 200 local arts studios, feeder schools, civic organizations, and families—the idea quickly gained momentum.

On July 15, 2015, SPA was approved for its first five-year charter by the Contra Costa County Board of Education. We opened our doors on August 29, 2016, to 300 students in grades 6–10, operating initially out of an indoor sports facility due to construction delays. Despite early logistical challenges, our school community remained committed to building something lasting.

In November 2016, we moved into temporary classroom facilities at our North Wiget site. One year later, on August 28, 2017, we joyfully opened the doors to our permanent campus at 2730 Mitchell Drive in Walnut Creek. Since then, our site has undergone a three-phase construction process, culminating in the completion of dedicated spaces for all five performing arts majors—Dance, Instrumental Music, Production & Design, Theatre, and Vocal Music—as well as a state-of-the-art College and Career Center.

Our Mission and Vision

Mission
CoCoSPA provided a distinguished, pre-professional experience in the performing arts within a rigorous college and career preparatory setting. We cultivated a culture of excellence grounded in our four core values: Rigor, Relevance, Resilience, and Relationships.

Vision

• To offer quality instruction with real-world connections and a rigorous, arts-integrated curriculum.

• To be a beacon of creative excellence that enriches the civic and cultural life of our region.

• To instill a strong sense of civic responsibility and first-class citizenship.

• To build a professional and collaborative team that puts students first in every decision.
  
  

Our mission and vision were not just statements—they served as living guidelines for daily instruction, community interactions, and long-term planning. They were visible in our classrooms, family handbook, and campus culture, and are reinforced regularly through staff retreats, curriculum planning, and student workshops.

Academic Excellence Meets Artistic Rigor

CoCoSPA offered an innovative academic model rooted in project-based learning and instructional technology. With a 1:1 Chromebook program and a focus on personalized learning, first through the Summit Learning Platform and then Google Classroom, students in English, Math, Science, Social Science, and Spanish engaged with curated online resources, collaborative projects, and mastery-based assessments.

Our academic curriculum is built around these principles:

• Personalized Learning: Every student has an individualized path. SPA educators tailor learning experiences based on each student’s needs, strengths, and aspirations.

• Arts Integration: Students demonstrate understanding not just through tests, but through artistic expression, performance, and design, making learning both rigorous and meaningful.

• Whole Student Support: A small school environment fosters strong relationships, with built-in time in the daily schedule for mentoring, academic support, and enrichment.

All CoCoSPA students meet and exceed the UC/CSU “a-g” college entrance requirements, and our flexible, supportive learning environment allows for acceleration or structured intervention as needed.

Graduate Profile & Schoolwide Learner Outcomes

CoCoSPA's Graduate Profile was developed collaboratively by reviewing our charter, the National Core Arts Standards, and through robust stakeholder input. At its heart were our four core values—Rigor, Relevance, Resilience, and Relationships—which we embeded across academic and artistic disciplines.

This profile outlined the key attributes and competencies that SPA students develop:

• Strong academic and artistic skills

• Critical thinking and creative problem solving

• A deep sense of civic responsibility

• Resilience and adaptability in pursuit of long-term goals

2015-2016

2016-2017

2016 – The Beginning

• Fall 2016: SPA opens its doors to students in grades 6–10.

  • Operated in two temporary locations:

    1. Ultimate Field House (UFH)

    2. Portables at 150 Wiget Drive, with PE still held at UFH.

• School begins developing five conservatory-style arts majors: Dance, Theatre, Vocal Music, Instrumental Music, and Production & Design.

• Performances:

  • Fall Play: Metamorphosis

  • Winter Instrumental/Vocal Concert

  • Winter Arts Retreat

  • Winter Dance show

  • Spring Musical: Big River 

2017-2018

2017 – Our Permanent Home

• August 2017: Moved into permanent campus at 2730 Mitchell Drive.

  • Phase 1 of construction completed.

• New academic courses and infrastructure launched.

• Student Services Team expands:

  • Added Guidance Counselor and Dean of Students to support the growing student population.

• Phase 2 construction completed (Winter 2017), improving classrooms and student facilities.

• 11th Grade Curriculum added:

  • English, Environmental Science, U.S. History

  • Advanced Placement (AP) options introduced

• Performances:

  • Fall Visual Arts Show

  • Middle School Bootcamp

  • Fall Play: The Crucible

  • Scene-Splosion

  • Winter Visual Arts Show

  • Winter Instrumental/Vocal Concert

  • Winter Arts Retreat

  • Winter Dance show

  • Overnight Write-in

  • Spring Instrumental/Vocal Concert

  • Spring Dance Show

  • Spring Visual Arts Show

  • Spring Musical: Secret Garden 

2018-2019

2018–2019

• 12th grade added — full 6–12 program now in place!

• Phase 3 of construction began.

• Added two more roles to the Student Services Team:

  • School Psychologist

  • ERMHS Counselor (Educationally Related Mental Health Services)

• 12th Grade Curriculum launched:

  • English, Government (year-long), Economics: The Artist as Entrepreneur

  • All students enrolled in AP Government & Politics

• Advanced-level Arts courses developed to support upper-grade conservatory training.

• Performances:

  • Chillin’ In Autumn

  • Fall Visual Arts Show

  • Middle School Bootcamp

  • Fall Play: Marisol

  • Scene-Splosion

  • Winter Visual Arts Show

  • Winter Instrumental/Vocal Concert

  • Winter Arts Retreat

  • Winter Dance show

  • Overnight Write-in

  • MS Ensemble: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

  • HS Acting the Classics: King Lear

  • Spring Instrumental/Vocal Concert

  • Spring Dance Show

  • Spring Visual Arts Show

  • Spring Musical: Footloose

  • Taste of LA Theatre/PD Tour

  • Anaheim Music Tour

2019-2020

2020-2021

2021-2022

2022-2023

2023-2024

2024-2025