Magnet Schools Give Students Choice

Instead of attending their neighborhood school, students can apply to a magnet school which attracts a diverse group of children from all parts of the District. Magnet schools are still accountable to the state standards, but offer specialized classes to give scholars a unique school experience. George Washington Carver Early Childhood Academy offers such an experience for Pre-kindergarten-1st grade students.

Enrollment of students at Carver ECA is completed through a lottery process. There is a preference for brothers and sisters of current Carver students who reside in the same household. If a student is not selected in the lottery, the application remains on file and may be drawn in a following school year.

In the sections below, we take you on a tour of some of the amazing experiences that await Carver ECA students every year. If you have questions or would like more information, contact our office at 806-326-4200.

If you would like to begin the application process, use our George Washington Carver Early Childhood Academy online enrollment application (Opens in new window). You can also pick up a paper application at our campus located at 1800 N. Travis St.

Art

Carver ECA is the only early childhood campus in the District to have a full-time art teacher. Students have the freedom to express themselves through a variety of artistic media, including weaving, pottery, printmaking and watercolor.

Students work collaboratively with each other and a highly trained art teacher to complete projects that stretch their creativity and their sense of invention. Carver ECA scholars learn about visual graphics and develop the language skills to evaluate and critique professional artists’ works.

Creative Movement

At Carver ECA, every grade level participates in creative movement. This class is designed to encourage imaginative thinking, self-regulation skills, self-expression, cooperation skills and emotional awareness while learning to control the body.

In addition to interpretive movement, children are also introduced throughout the year to traditional styles of dance such as tap and jazz.

Piano Lab

​Playing the piano engages every area of the brain, bridging the two hemispheres in a way that is different from any other arts or academic activity.

There are only a handful of piano labs available to early childhood students across the state of Texas, and Carver ECA’s lab is the only one in the Amarillo area.

The Carver ECA piano lab is state of the art, providing keyboards that connect with headphones and the teacher. Students learn to read music and even compose their own songs. Carver ECA pianists perform in a 1st grade program each year.

Vocal Music

​Vocal music is more than just singing. It connects students to history, improves reading fluency, and naturally encourages teamwork.

Carver ECA students feel the power of creating something from nothing every time they step into the music classroom. Exploring music using their own voice is truly a wonderful experience, but exploring music through dance is where students truly come alive!

The power of play aids in enhancing social skills, development of gross motor skills and teaches respect for oneself and others. Dancing and singing games are really where the learning takes place. Anyone and everyone is a musician at Carver ECA!