29:
800:, Spanish National Honor Society, an E-Sports club, Film Club, and Helping Hands. All organizations have faculty sponsors, which assist in any fundraising activities like selling food during school events, or after school. Each class has its own organization as well, responsible for raising funds to prepare for senior year activities. The senior class each year is responsible for hosting Senior Banquet, but some classes may opt for a Senior trip in leu of a banquet.
38:
840:
329:
email or through the magnet portal notifications. Prior to admitting the class of 2005, the admissions process did not operate as a lottery, and admitted students were selected based on the merits of their application. Each year, the school accepts approximately 130 freshmen. As a public school, no tuition is charged to either in-district or out of district students.
328:
students with at least a C average, and in the past, required the submission of an application and the student's choice of an essay or a 5-minute video, though this was changed prior to the 2023-2024 school year. Eligible applicants are entered into a lottery system with selected students notified by
337:
Communications Arts' curriculum focuses especially on communications skills. All students are required to have at least three credits of
Spanish or American Sign Language. Students are also required to take Advanced Broadcast Journalism, Audio/Video Production, or Animation courses, with the option
311:
Communications Arts resides within the larger Taft High School campus in the C building. The C building was designed by O'Neill, Conrad, Oppelt
Architects and built by Eaton Contracting in 2003. Teachers may elect to hold special classroom activities in the school's outdoor classroom, but students
808:
The school's small atmosphere and numerous student organizations have fostered many annual events. These include musical events such as
Grassroots, a musical event in which students can perform solo or group acts. Additionally, the school hosts two festival style events, Turkeyfest and Earth Day,
817:
The school's focus on communications pursuits fosters many student produced publications. These include weekly video announcements and an annual recruitment video, produced by the
Advanced Video Technology class. The school produces its own yearbook as well, under the title
270:. The school is consistently rated as one of the top high schools in the nation. Founded in 1995, it has an enrollment of 100–150 students per class, accepting 150 freshmen per year and 20 sophomores per year. The school is a "school within a school" sharing the campus of
288:
magazine's
America's Top Public High Schools, respectively. In 2010, the school was ranked 19th in the nation by Newsweek. It has consistently placed the highest of any San Antonio high school on the list since its inception in 2006.
338:
of taking other advanced media classes separate from Taft. These courses include OnRamps Arts & Entertainment; Literary Genres: Film, Mythology and/or
Science Fiction, all of which are semester/half-year courses; and Yearbook.
901:
infested the building. All classes were held in Taft until they were removed by animal control. One expert was bitten during the operation. Students during that time suggested changing their mascot to the "Comm Bats".
369:
as well as other
Advanced/AP science and mathematics courses on the Taft campus in their junior and senior years. Students who follow the standard curriculum generally graduate with Distinguished Achievement Diplomas.
1305:
312:
not are allowed to have lunch there due to lack of supervision and weather conditions. Students taking
Yearbook or Advanced Broadcast Journalism courses have access to a publications lab equipped with
292:
The school has been recognized by the
Washington Post as one of the top 100 most challenging high schools in the nation (public or private) since 2011, most recently charting at number 57 in 2017.
1411:
376:
In total, a
Communications Arts student is required to graduate with at least 26 or 27 credits in specific subjects. The tables below provide information based on the strand chosen.
1396:
366:
296:
271:
1406:
362:
1355:
857:
1350:
1365:
87:
949:
809:
sponsored by the Student Council and Environment Club, respectively.. These events are generally fundraisers for the organizations that sponsor them.
1345:
1325:
358:
1272:
1153:
1047:
1401:
1281:
259:
152:
1391:
1330:
1183:
1098:
1065:
997:
1340:
350:
1335:
879:
127:
1416:
354:
1300:
861:
1360:
1295:
1320:
80:
1265:
784:
Communications Arts student organizations generally operate independently of their Taft counterparts and include a
1214:
345:
on campus once a year, and Sophomore students are highly encouraged to take the exam as well. All students take
1310:
898:
28:
1370:
1027:
924:
850:
373:
Students also participate in traditional electives, including fine arts and athletics, with Taft students.
1258:
785:
300:
1161:
1051:
1032:
954:
377:
325:
65:
346:
263:
59:
1106:
1191:
341:
Additional emphasis is placed on college preparation. Freshmen and Junior students take the
1128:
1073:
1005:
1250:
1385:
267:
255:
134:
37:
839:
131:
342:
501:
Health* (Speech Credit earned with the Advanced Broadcast Journalism Strand)
102:
89:
1243:
822:. Students also publish a Spanish language campus e-paper under the title
967:
965:
284:
274:
with an academic focus on teaching multimedia and communications skills.
972:
864: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
789:
228:
793:
797:
357:
and Advanced English II their Sophomore year. Students also take
1306:
Northside School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship
718:
Principles of Arts, Audio/ Visual Technology, and Communication
592:
Principles of Arts, Audio/ Visual Technology, and Communication
313:
1254:
950:"America's Most Challenging High Schools - Communications Arts"
833:
349:
and Advanced courses, with students being required to take
944:
942:
316:, and all strands have classrooms with iMacs as well.
1288:
1028:"America's Most Challenging High Schools 2017 List"
223:
213:
205:
190:
182:
174:
166:
158:
148:
140:
123:
118:
79:
44:
21:
1412:Northside Independent School District high schools
1093:
1091:
770:**Courses have multiple options to earn the credit
282:In 2008 and 2009, it was ranked 26th and 17th in
382:Advanced Broadcast Journalism Example Schedule
353:and Advanced English I their Freshman year and
765:*Courses listed are semester/half-year courses
1266:
8:
1397:Educational institutions established in 1995
324:Admission to Communications Arts is open to
1407:Public high schools in Bexar County, Texas
1273:
1259:
1251:
919:
917:
915:
738:Spanish III OR American Sign Language III
612:Spanish III OR American Sign Language III
481:Spanish III OR American Sign Language III
18:
1215:"Colony of bats evicted from high school"
973:"Magnet High Schools Recruiting Students"
880:Learn how and when to remove this message
601:Audio/Video Production II (Block Period)
1050:. Texas Education Agency. Archived from
735:Spanish II OR American Sign Language II
637:
609:Spanish II OR American Sign Language II
513:Audio/Video Production Example Schedule
511:
478:Spanish II OR American Sign Language II
380:
1188:Communications Arts High School Website
1158:Communications Arts High School Website
1103:Communications Arts High School Website
1070:Communications Arts High School Website
1002:Communications Arts High School Website
992:
990:
911:
732:Spanish I OR American Sign Language I
606:Spanish I OR American Sign Language I
475:Spanish I OR American Sign Language I
1346:Jay Science & Engineering Academy
1282:Northside Independent School District
260:Northside Independent School District
153:Northside Independent School District
16:Magnet school in Texas, United States
7:
862:adding citations to reliable sources
1048:"2011 Accountability Rating System"
467:Advanced Broadcast Journalism III
14:
464:Advanced Broadcast Journalism II
838:
461:Advanced Broadcast Journalism I
36:
27:
849:needs additional citations for
295:In 2011, the school was rated "
272:William Howard Taft High School
244:Communications Arts High School
22:Communications Arts High School
1:
470:Independent Study Journalism
52:
1402:1995 establishments in Texas
1321:Construction Careers Academy
925:"America's Best Highschools"
681:AP Government/AP Economics*
555:AP Government/AP Economics*
424:AP Government/AP Economics*
1392:High schools in San Antonio
757:Free Period OR Extra Course
727:Animation 2 (Block Period)
639:Animation Example Schedule
631:Free Period OR Extra Course
505:Free Period OR Extra Course
485:Free Period OR Extra Course
1433:
1213:Conger, Joe (2019-02-22).
788:chapter, Student Council,
726:
600:
598:Audio/Video Production I
53:
49:
35:
26:
1129:"Magnet School Brochure"
899:Mexican free-tailed bats
1417:Magnet schools in Texas
595:Digital Communications
209:The Arrows, The Raiders
103:29.500237°N 98.720151°W
1190:. NISD. Archived from
1160:. NISD. Archived from
1072:. NISD. Archived from
1004:. NISD. Archived from
786:National Honor Society
301:Texas Education Agency
1154:"Video Announcements"
798:Creative Writing Club
108:29.500237; -98.720151
858:improve this article
661:Advanced English II
535:Advanced English II
404:Advanced English II
1316:Communications Arts
1033:The Washington Post
955:The Washington Post
672:AP Human Geography
658:Advanced English I
640:
546:AP Human Geography
532:Advanced English I
514:
415:AP Human Geography
401:Advanced English I
383:
233:/communicationsarts
99: /
1194:on 4 February 2012
1164:on 5 February 2012
1099:"Typical Schedule"
1076:on 4 February 2012
1008:on 4 February 2012
775:Student activities
744:Fine Arts Course**
712:(Senior Science)**
638:
618:Fine Arts Course**
586:(Senior Science)**
512:
492:Fine Arts Course**
455:(Senior Science)**
381:
351:AP Human Geography
347:Advanced Placement
264:San Antonio, Texas
1379:
1378:
890:
889:
882:
762:
761:
675:AP World History
636:
635:
549:AP World History
510:
509:
418:AP World History
241:
240:
1424:
1275:
1268:
1261:
1252:
1247:
1246:
1244:Official website
1229:
1228:
1226:
1225:
1210:
1204:
1203:
1201:
1199:
1180:
1174:
1173:
1171:
1169:
1150:
1144:
1143:
1141:
1139:
1133:
1125:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1114:
1109:on 26 April 2012
1105:. Archived from
1095:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1081:
1062:
1056:
1055:
1044:
1038:
1037:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1013:
994:
985:
984:
982:
980:
969:
960:
959:
946:
937:
936:
934:
932:
921:
885:
878:
874:
871:
865:
842:
834:
794:Photography Club
790:Environment Club
641:
515:
384:
355:AP World History
237:
234:
232:
230:
201:
197:
114:
113:
111:
110:
109:
104:
100:
97:
96:
95:
92:
40:
31:
19:
1432:
1431:
1427:
1426:
1425:
1423:
1422:
1421:
1382:
1381:
1380:
1375:
1284:
1279:
1242:
1241:
1238:
1233:
1232:
1223:
1221:
1212:
1211:
1207:
1197:
1195:
1184:"Yearbook Info"
1182:
1181:
1177:
1167:
1165:
1152:
1151:
1147:
1137:
1135:
1131:
1127:
1126:
1122:
1112:
1110:
1097:
1096:
1089:
1079:
1077:
1064:
1063:
1059:
1046:
1045:
1041:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1011:
1009:
996:
995:
988:
978:
976:
971:
970:
963:
948:
947:
940:
930:
928:
923:
922:
913:
908:
897:In early 2019,
895:
886:
875:
869:
866:
855:
843:
832:
815:
806:
782:
777:
753:Health/Speech*
696:(Senior Math)**
664:AP English III
627:Health/Speech*
570:(Senior Math)**
538:AP English III
439:(Senior Math)**
407:AP English III
335:
322:
309:
280:
227:
199:
195:
186:530 (2010)
162:Dr. Brian Woods
149:School district
107:
105:
101:
98:
93:
90:
88:
86:
85:
75:
72:
68:
62:
57:
56:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1430:
1428:
1420:
1419:
1414:
1409:
1404:
1399:
1394:
1384:
1383:
1377:
1376:
1374:
1373:
1368:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1331:Health Careers
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1303:
1298:
1292:
1290:
1286:
1285:
1280:
1278:
1277:
1270:
1263:
1255:
1249:
1248:
1237:
1236:External links
1234:
1231:
1230:
1205:
1175:
1145:
1120:
1087:
1057:
1054:on 2012-06-28.
1039:
1019:
986:
961:
938:
910:
909:
907:
904:
894:
891:
888:
887:
846:
844:
837:
831:
828:
814:
811:
805:
802:
781:
778:
776:
773:
760:
759:
754:
751:
746:
740:
739:
736:
733:
729:
728:
725:
722:
721:Digital Media
719:
715:
714:
709:
706:
703:
699:
698:
693:
690:
687:
683:
682:
679:
678:AP US History
676:
673:
669:
668:
667:AP English IV
665:
662:
659:
655:
654:
651:
648:
645:
634:
633:
628:
625:
620:
614:
613:
610:
607:
603:
602:
599:
596:
593:
589:
588:
583:
580:
577:
573:
572:
567:
564:
561:
557:
556:
553:
552:AP US History
550:
547:
543:
542:
541:AP English IV
539:
536:
533:
529:
528:
525:
522:
519:
508:
507:
502:
499:
494:
488:
487:
482:
479:
476:
472:
471:
468:
465:
462:
458:
457:
452:
449:
446:
442:
441:
436:
433:
430:
426:
425:
422:
421:AP US History
419:
416:
412:
411:
410:AP English IV
408:
405:
402:
398:
397:
394:
391:
388:
363:AP English III
334:
331:
321:
318:
308:
305:
279:
276:
239:
238:
225:
221:
220:
215:
211:
210:
207:
203:
202:
192:
188:
187:
184:
180:
179:
176:
172:
171:
170:Dr. Lisa Baker
168:
164:
163:
160:
159:Superintendent
156:
155:
150:
146:
145:
142:
138:
137:
125:
121:
120:
116:
115:
83:
77:
76:
73:
70:
64:
58:
55:11600 FM 471 W
54:
51:
50:
47:
46:
42:
41:
33:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1429:
1418:
1415:
1413:
1410:
1408:
1405:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1395:
1393:
1390:
1389:
1387:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1332:
1329:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1294:
1293:
1291:
1287:
1283:
1276:
1271:
1269:
1264:
1262:
1257:
1256:
1253:
1245:
1240:
1239:
1235:
1220:
1216:
1209:
1206:
1193:
1189:
1185:
1179:
1176:
1163:
1159:
1155:
1149:
1146:
1130:
1124:
1121:
1108:
1104:
1100:
1094:
1092:
1088:
1075:
1071:
1067:
1061:
1058:
1053:
1049:
1043:
1040:
1035:
1034:
1029:
1023:
1020:
1007:
1003:
999:
993:
991:
987:
974:
968:
966:
962:
957:
956:
951:
945:
943:
939:
926:
920:
918:
916:
912:
905:
903:
900:
892:
884:
881:
873:
863:
859:
853:
852:
847:This section
845:
841:
836:
835:
829:
827:
825:
824:La Communidad
821:
812:
810:
803:
801:
799:
795:
791:
787:
780:Organizations
779:
774:
772:
771:
767:
766:
758:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
741:
737:
734:
731:
730:
723:
720:
717:
716:
713:
710:
707:
704:
701:
700:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
684:
680:
677:
674:
671:
670:
666:
663:
660:
657:
656:
652:
649:
646:
643:
642:
632:
629:
626:
624:
621:
619:
616:
615:
611:
608:
605:
604:
597:
594:
591:
590:
587:
584:
581:
578:
575:
574:
571:
568:
565:
562:
559:
558:
554:
551:
548:
545:
544:
540:
537:
534:
531:
530:
526:
523:
520:
517:
516:
506:
503:
500:
498:
495:
493:
490:
489:
486:
483:
480:
477:
474:
473:
469:
466:
463:
460:
459:
456:
453:
450:
447:
444:
443:
440:
437:
434:
431:
428:
427:
423:
420:
417:
414:
413:
409:
406:
403:
400:
399:
395:
392:
389:
386:
385:
379:
378:
374:
371:
368:
364:
360:
359:AP US History
356:
352:
348:
344:
339:
332:
330:
327:
319:
317:
315:
306:
304:
302:
298:
293:
290:
287:
286:
277:
275:
273:
269:
268:United States
265:
261:
257:
256:magnet school
253:
249:
245:
236:
226:
222:
219:
216:
212:
208:
204:
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
154:
151:
147:
143:
139:
136:
133:
129:
126:
122:
117:
112:
84:
82:
78:
67:
61:
48:
43:
39:
34:
30:
25:
20:
1315:
1289:High schools
1222:. Retrieved
1218:
1208:
1196:. Retrieved
1192:the original
1187:
1178:
1166:. Retrieved
1162:the original
1157:
1148:
1136:. Retrieved
1123:
1111:. Retrieved
1107:the original
1102:
1078:. Retrieved
1074:the original
1069:
1066:"Admissions"
1060:
1052:the original
1042:
1031:
1022:
1010:. Retrieved
1006:the original
1001:
977:. Retrieved
953:
929:. Retrieved
896:
876:
870:January 2021
867:
856:Please help
851:verification
848:
823:
819:
816:
813:Publications
807:
783:
769:
768:
764:
763:
756:
748:
743:
724:Animation I
711:
695:
630:
622:
617:
585:
569:
504:
496:
491:
484:
454:
438:
375:
372:
340:
336:
326:Bexar County
323:
310:
294:
291:
283:
281:
251:
247:
243:
242:
217:
66:Bexar County
1198:26 November
1168:26 November
1138:25 November
1113:25 November
1080:25 November
1012:25 November
979:25 November
749:PE Course**
689:Algebra II
623:PE Course**
563:Algebra II
497:PE Course**
432:Algebra II
278:Recognition
132:High School
124:School type
119:Information
106: /
81:Coordinates
60:San Antonio
1386:Categories
1224:2020-02-07
927:. Newsweek
906:References
705:Chemistry
686:Algebra I
647:Sophomore
579:Chemistry
560:Algebra I
521:Sophomore
448:Chemistry
429:Algebra I
390:Sophomore
333:Curriculum
297:recognized
246:(commonly
183:Enrollment
94:98°43′13″W
91:29°30′01″N
830:Incidents
692:Geometry
644:Freshman
566:Geometry
518:Freshman
435:Geometry
387:Freshman
320:Admission
299:" by the
248:Comm Arts
167:Principal
1356:O'Connor
1351:Marshall
1296:Brandeis
931:26 March
708:Physics
702:Biology
582:Physics
576:Biology
451:Physics
445:Biology
285:Newsweek
214:Yearbook
191:Color(s)
1361:Stevens
1301:Brennan
998:"About"
653:Senior
650:Junior
527:Senior
524:Junior
396:Senior
393:Junior
258:in the
254:) is a
224:Website
141:Founded
45:Address
1371:Warren
1336:Holmes
1326:Harlan
1134:. NISD
975:. NISD
804:Events
307:Campus
206:Mascot
200:
198:White
196:
175:Grades
135:Magnet
128:Public
1311:Clark
1132:(PDF)
820:Unity
314:iMacs
218:Unity
74:78253
71:Texas
1366:Taft
1219:WOAI
1200:2011
1170:2011
1140:2011
1115:2011
1082:2011
1014:2011
981:2011
933:2011
893:Bats
365:and
343:PSAT
252:CAHS
231:.net
229:nisd
194:Red
178:9–12
144:1995
1341:Jay
860:by
262:of
250:or
1388::
1217:.
1186:.
1156:.
1101:.
1090:^
1068:.
1030:.
1000:.
989:^
964:^
952:.
941:^
914:^
826:.
796:,
792:,
367:IV
361:,
303:.
266:,
130:,
69:,
63:,
1274:e
1267:t
1260:v
1227:.
1202:.
1172:.
1142:.
1117:.
1084:.
1036:.
1016:.
983:.
958:.
935:.
883:)
877:(
872:)
868:(
854:.
235:/
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
