Overview
School of the Arts (SOTA) is a secondary school in the Rochester City School District in Rochester, New York. It is located at 45 Prince Street, Rochester, NY 14607, in the city’s Neighborhood of the Arts [1][2]. The school serves grades 7 through 12 and, according to its overview page, enrolls nearly 1,200 students [1]. The district directory identifies it as a secondary school and lists its start time as 8:30 a.m. and dismissal time as 3:30 p.m. [2].
This profile describes the Rochester City School District school at 45 Prince Street. School of the Arts is a name used by other schools in other places, so readers should use the address, district affiliation, and official website to distinguish this school from similarly named institutions. The school’s official website is listed as www.rcsdk12.org/sota, and its school-specific site is sota.rcsdk12.org [1][2][3].
At SOTA, students carry a full academic course load in addition to a fine arts sequence in one of six subject areas: Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Instrumental or Vocal Music, Theatre Technology, or Visual Arts [1][2]. Admission is not open by neighborhood attendance alone; the school requires a formal audition and is open to City of Rochester residents [1][3].
Location and School Identity
The verified campus address is 45 Prince Street, Rochester, NY 14607 [1][2]. The school is part of the Rochester City School District and is located in the Neighborhood of the Arts [1]. The district directory lists the school’s phone number as (585) 242-7682 and its email/text contact as sotainfo@rcsdk12.org [2]. The school website is listed as www.rcsdk12.org/sota [2].
The district directory lists Alan Tirre as principal, with Brian Chandler, Abraham Steiner, and Luke Wilson as assistant principals. It also lists an academy director, athletic director, arts center director, parent contact, board liaison, school chief, and DASA coordinator [2]. Administrative assignments can change; readers should confirm current leadership through the district directory or school office.
Because School of the Arts is a common name, this profile should not be confused with arts schools in other districts or states. The identifying details here—Rochester City School District, 45 Prince Street, grades 7-12, and the SOTA website—apply to this specific school. A Rochester address or residence in the city does not automatically establish admission eligibility; the school’s own admissions page states that admission is for City of Rochester residents and is based on a formal audition process [3].
Grades and Academic Programs
School of the Arts serves grades 7 through 12 [1][2]. It is a secondary school that combines a full academic program with intensive arts study. The school describes its arts offering as a rigorous Fine Arts sequence in one of six subject areas: Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Instrumental or Vocal Music, Theatre Technology, and Visual Arts [1][2]. Students select a single field of study for the audition and arts major [3].
The six arts fields are the school’s defined majors. The sources do not describe the curriculum for each major in detail, but they indicate that the arts sequence is rigorous and is taken alongside academic courses [1][2]. This structure means a student’s schedule includes both required academic subjects and arts instruction, with performance or exhibition obligations tied to the major [1][2].
Each semester, students are expected to participate in performances, showcases, recitals, or exhibitions within their major field. The school’s overview page states that students are encouraged to participate each semester [1], while the district directory page states that participation is required [2]. This difference may reflect a change in policy or wording. Families should confirm the current participation requirement with the school.
The district directory notes that the performing arts calendar is extensive and that instruction extends beyond the school day [2]. Students may also participate in athletic teams, clubs, and dozens of extracurricular performance events during the school year [1][2]. The school states that it has been awarded the New York State Seal of Biliteracy and the Seal of Civic Readiness [2].
Because the school serves grades 7 through 12, it is a secondary school that spans middle and high school grades. The district directory labels it a secondary school rather than a middle school or high school [2]. Families comparing schools should note that grade configuration can affect transition points, course sequencing, and extracurricular eligibility.
The supplied sources do not list specific Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual-enrollment, or career and technical education programs beyond the arts sequences described above. They also do not provide a course catalog or graduation requirements. Readers should consult the school directly for the current academic program and course offerings.
Enrollment and School Data
The school’s overview page states that SOTA serves nearly 1,200 students in grades 7 through 12 [1]. The page does not state the reporting year for that enrollment figure. The district directory lists a start time of 8:30 a.m. and a dismissal time of 3:30 p.m. [2].
Enrollment figures are most useful when read with their reporting year and source. The nearly 1,200 figure comes from the school’s own overview page and is not labeled with a school year [1]. It should be treated as an approximate, undated school-reported figure rather than a state-verified count for a particular year. For official counts, readers should use state or district data that identify the reporting period.
The supplied sources do not include a student-teacher ratio, graduation rate, attendance rate, assessment results, or demographic breakdown for a specific reporting period. They also do not provide a BEDS or NCES identifier. Because these measures can change and are reported by different agencies for different school years, readers should use official state and district data sources for current, year-labeled figures. This profile does not treat the absence of such data as evidence that the school lacks services or performance records.
Admissions and Enrollment
Admission to School of the Arts is based on a formal audition process and is for City of Rochester residents [3]. Students may select only one field of study for the audition: Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Music: Instrumental and Vocal, Theatre Technology, or Visual Arts [3].
According to the school’s homepage, auditions are approximately three to four hours long and are measured according to a standard rubric. Students are graded in a combination of group and individual settings. Auditions are judged by a team of faculty members, and each student receives a numerical score from 1 to 10 based on the overall quality of the audition [3].
The audition process described by the school includes group and individual components and a faculty judging team [3]. A numerical score from 1 to 10 is assigned based on overall audition quality [3]. The school does not state a minimum passing score or a guaranteed admission threshold in the supplied page. Families should not assume that a high score alone guarantees admission, because the page does not describe the full selection process or capacity limits.
As of the retrieved page on October 17, 2026, applications for auditions for the 2027-28 school year were open [3]. The school directs families to its audition process page for complete information: https://sota.rcsdk12.org/about-sota/sota-audition-process [3]. Deadlines, forms, and audition dates can change. Readers should verify current requirements, eligibility, and deadlines directly with the school before applying. Attending a school in Rochester or living near the campus does not by itself guarantee eligibility or admission.
Student Services and Family Information
The district directory lists a DASA coordinator and provides a link for reporting bullying online [2]. It also lists a parent contact for the school [2]. The school’s homepage announced parent-teacher conferences on 10.15 with an online scheduling app. Conferences are scheduled in 10-minute blocks from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and families are asked to schedule only one appointment per teacher, per student [3]. The homepage notes that the scheduling system is intended to replace the practice of signing up on teachers’ doors [3]. Families should check the school homepage for the current conference date and scheduling instructions, because the announced date and system may change.
Parent-teacher conferences are one family communication channel described by the school. The homepage announced a conference date of 10.15 and an online scheduling system with 10-minute appointments from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. [3]. The page also states that families should schedule only one appointment per teacher, per student [3]. This scheduling method is a school-specific process, not a district-wide guarantee for all schools.
The supplied sources do not describe transportation, language support, accessibility accommodations, meal services, or before- and after-school care. These services may exist, but this profile does not assume they do. Families who need information about a specific service should contact the school office or the Rochester City School District.
History and Community Context
The supplied sources do not provide a founding date, historical timeline, or verified enrollment history for School of the Arts. The school is located in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts [1], and it operates within the Rochester City School District [2]. Its arts-focused mission and audition-based admissions are the main verified features of its identity in the available evidence. Readers seeking historical context should consult the school or district directly rather than relying on unsourced claims.
How to Verify Current Information
Because school programs, admissions rules, staff, and calendars can change, readers should use official sources for current details:
- School of the Arts homepage: https://sota.rcsdk12.org/ [3]
- School of the Arts overview page: https://sota.rcsdk12.org/about-sota/school-of-the-arts-overview [1]
- Rochester City School District school directory page for School of the Arts: https://www.rcsdk12.org/schooldirectory/high-school/school-of-the-arts [2]
- Audition process page: https://sota.rcsdk12.org/about-sota/sota-audition-process [3]
For state-reported enrollment, assessment, graduation, and accountability data, readers should consult the New York State Education Department’s official school report card for the school. For district policies and registration, the Rochester City School District is the governing organization [2].