ABOUT
OUR BACKGROUND
Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (BISFA) opened its doors for its first students in August 2009. The development of the school began in 2001 when Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Morgan commissioned a study group which proposed a school for the arts as a priority. The elected School Board formally accepted the recommendation in 2002. In 2003 Mr. Vincent Groh donated the former Henry’s Theatre on South Potomac Street in Hagerstown to WCPS in memory of his late wife, Barbara.
The Washington County Chamber of Commerce contributed funds for a feasibility study in 2004. In the following two years, community partnerships were formed and program and capital planning ensued. In 2007, the School Board secured funding for restoration and renovation of the building, which serves as the center for the arts programs. In 2019 the school was expanded with an academic building between the existing school and the Maryland Theatre. BISFA offers rigorous arts instruction and training in eight different areas of concentration and collaborates with other neighboring institutions in downtown Hagerstown.
The school is a comprehensive high school experience with the ability to study one of the eight discipline areas: Computer Game Design & Animation, Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Photography & Cinematography, Theater, Visual Arts, and Vocal Music. The school serves as the center of arts programs for County schools and has been recognized as one of the top arts schools in the state.
Supporting BISFA's mission are the BISFA Foundation, which raises funds and cultivates partnerships to enhance opportunities for students, and BISFA Alumni, an active network of graduates who continue to engage with and contribute to the school community.
At Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, we provide every student with a rigorous, comprehensive, college preparatory curriculum rooted in intense, pre-professional training in the arts that encourages excellence and success in their personal development as students, artists, and cultural leaders.
OUR MISSION
THE VISION
Barbara Ingram School for the Arts provides a world class academic and arts education as the first arts magnet high school in Washington County and Western Maryland. The superior teaching and learning environment will enable students to study the arts for their intrinsic, aesthetic, cognitive, and cultural value. Through a program of individualized attention and personalization, students will be motivated to achieve in a challenging and supportive atmosphere that emphasizes a disciplined attitude and personal responsibility. Supportive parents, distinguished faculty, cultural institutions and university partnerships will collaborate to ensure that, upon graduation, students will possess the necessary skills to choose a career in any field.
