The Latest
Here you will find up-to-date information about Baltimore Design School. We will regularly post dates of interest, important deadlines and specific details parents and students should be aware of.
Important Links
In The News
Important Dates
- Thursday, April 25th
Design Talk Series (Fashion) - Tuesday, May 7th
Q4 Progress Reports distributed - Thursday, May 9th
Career Day - Friday, May 17th
Early Release 1:10 pm - Friday, May 17th
Parent Conferences 1:30-3:30pm - Monday, May 27th
Memorial Day (NO SCHOOL) - Wednesday, June 12th
Last day of school for students
Announcements
Model Teacher
We’d like to congratulate our design teacher, Stephanie Cafaro for recently making Model Teacher status!
9th Grade Applications
Applications are available directly through Baltimore Design School ONLY.
There will be limited spaces available for 9th grade students for the 2013-14 school year.
New Principal Selected
The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the selection of Nathan Burns as the new principal of the Baltimore Design School. A Baltimore native, Mr. Burns joins BDS from the prestigious Baltimore City College High School, where he has served as Assistant Principal since 2009. He has over 10 years’ experience in both Baltimore City and Prince George’s County School Systems. Mr. Burns was named a Maryland State Department of Education Outstanding Program Coordinator in 2010 and was included in the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers for three years. He earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees from Frostburg State University.
Our Philosophy
The convergence of art and technology is creating a new world.
Baltimore Design School is a new public middle-high school that will focus on three specific areas of design: Fashion Design, Architecture, and Graphic Design. In the fall of 2011, we will start with grades 6 and 7 so that by 2016 we will be a full 6-12 school.
The Baltimore Design School believes that all students, with good instruction and practice, can learn art and design skills, and achieve high standards in their academic program. We value student interests in drawing, making things, fashion ideas, creative problem-solving, three dimensional ability, planning and building, and communicating visually through graphics. We love students who see problems that need new solutions, who envision possibilities, and imagine a better world.
We believe our graduates will be leading designers and architects of the future who see design as a way of thinking, problem-solving, and living a productive and rewarding life.
As a new school, Baltimore Design School is purchasing as many supplies and textbooks, and as much equipment as our budget will allow. There are some items that we could use for which we’d greatly appreciate any donations of working, good condition items such as those listed below. Our teachers and our students will benefit from your generosity and willingness to help us with particular items that you no longer need or use.
Please use the button below to fill out the form, and as always, we thank you for all of your support for BDS.
“ The Baltimore Design School is a great step forward for the City’s young people. We are thrilled to create this new opportunity for the youth of Baltimore to discover, develop, and hone their talents in these exciting fields. ”
— Sen. Catherine Pugh | Founder, Baltimore Design School
Educational Program
Our educational program combines a rigorous curriculum, high academic standards, and an exceptional design program focused on Fashion Design, Architectural Design, and Basic Graphic Design.
High academic standards ensure students' completion of a Maryland high school diploma to complement their design education. Baltimore Design School students are prepared to apply successfully to institutions of higher learning or entry-level positions in the design fields, as well as compete effectively for admission and merit scholarships to the finest colleges and universities in the country in Fashion Design, Architectural Design and Basic Graphic Design.
Core curriculum courses provide pathways for students to enter Honors, Advanced Placement and Dual-Enrollment courses at the senior high level. The curriculum includes interdisciplinary instruction in selected content areas, academic and arts tutorial programs, workshop settings, field trips, and an Executive Internship Program during the senior year. The school's educational technology and equipment is industry standard.
Middle School Program: Building a Foundation in Art and Design
The middle school program is designed to build skills in three areas: two-dimensional skills including drawing, painting, and 2-D design; three-dimensional skills in constructing, building, and 3-D design; and multi-media technology learning how to use computer programs to create design. Students have the opportunity to apply these skills to projects in fashion design, architecture, and graphic design.
High School Program
Design majors at the high school level has a choice between Fashion Design, Architecture and Graphic Design programs.
Architecture Design
The Architecture Program includes Interior and Landscape Design. Students learn freehand drawing, model building, computer-aided design (CAD), and presentation techniques for juried competitions.
In presentations, students produce small scale conceptual models, plans, elevations, sections, axonometric and perspective drawings. Students will translate hand drawings to computer-aided drawing. Internships with architecture firms complete the process as students work in the professional world.
Fashion Design
The Fashion Design Program includes pattern making, draping, tailoring, textile investigation, fine detailing, makeup, new accessories for functional clothing, high-design and art-to-wear.
Fashion Design students study trends in the industry and are exposed to fashion professionals through workshops and seminars. Internships with fashion houses and designers are provided for industry experience. The culminating project is a runway show with each senior presenting an individual line.
Graphic Design
The Graphic Design Program includes web design and gaming design. Students work on iMac computers to produce graphic solutions to problems including logos, branding packages, posters, billboards, signage, packaging, web launches and gaming initiatives.
Students work in a designer-client atmosphere to develop the ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure. Internships in graphic design studios provide the opportunity to utilize the student skills in the workplace.
Admission Process
We seek students who envision possibilities and imagine a better world.
Admission to the middle school program is by application. If we have more applications than places, a lottery will be used to determine which students are accepted. Admission to the high school program is by portfolio. Middle school students in the school will be developing their portfolio as part of the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade curriculum.
Admissions Instructions 2013-14 School Year
Download Portfolio Requirements
GRADE 6
Applications are ONLY available directly through the Baltimore City Public School Middle School Choice Application process. Please visit http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/choice for details for completing an application. Be sure to list Baltimore Design School #382 as your first choice! Applications are due by Friday, January 18th. Contact the Office of Enrollment, Choice, and Transfers for more information (410)-396-8600.
Remember: We’re moving! Beginning 2013-14, BDS will be located at 1500 Barclay Street!
GRADE 7
Applications are available directly through Baltimore Design School ONLY. There will be limited spaces available for 7th grade students for the 2013-14 school year. All applications will be processed in the order that they are received.
Download Grade 7 Application
SUBMISSION: Applications must be downloaded from our website. The application may be emailed to baltimoredesignschool@gmail.com, hand delivered to 1101 Winston Avenue between 8am-3pm Mon-Fri, or mailed directly to BDS at 1101 Winston Avenue 21212 Attn: Dustin O’Hara. They will be processed in the order that they are received.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE RECEIVED: Wednesday, February 27th 5pm
LOTTERY TO BE HELD: Thursday, February 28th 5pm
Remember: We’re moving! Beginning 2013-14, BDS will be located at 1500 Barclay Street!
GRADE 8
Applications are available directly through Baltimore Design School ONLY. There will be limited spaces available for 8th grade students for the 2013-14 school year. All applications will be processed in the order that they are received.
Download Grade 8 Application
SUBMISSION: Applications must be downloaded from our website. The application may be emailed to baltimoredesignschool@gmail.com, hand delivered to 1101 Winston Avenue between 8am-3pm Mon-Fri, or mailed directly to BDS at 1101 Winston Avenue 21212 Attn: Dustin O’Hara. They will be processed in the order that they are received.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE RECEIVED: Wednesday, February 27th 5pm
LOTTERY TO BE HELD: Thursday, February 28th 5pm
Remember: We’re moving! Beginning 2013-14, BDS will be located at 1500 Barclay Street!
GRADE 9
Applications are available directly through Baltimore Design School ONLY. There will be limited spaces available for 9th grade students for the 2013-14 school year. Students MUST complete an application, attend portfolio review day, and submit a completed portfolio for review on January 19th, 2013 in order to be considered for admission.
Download Grade 9 Application
Download Portfolio Requirements
SUBMISSION: Applications must be downloaded from our website. The application may be emailed to baltimoredesignschool@gmail.com, hand delivered to 1101 Winston Avenue between 8am-3pm Mon-Fri, or mailed directly to BDS at 1101 Winston Avenue 21212 Attn: Dustin O’Hara. They will be processed in the order that they are received.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE RECEIVED: Saturday, January 19, 2013 9am
PORTFOLIO EVALUATION DAY #2 Saturday, April 6th at 9am
Portfolio Review Day at Baltimore Design School 1101 Winston Avenue.
BDS is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities in design to Baltimore City students. As per Board policy, BDS is required and committed to serving and accepting City residents before serving non-City residents.
Remember: We’re moving! Beginning 2013-14, BDS will be located at 1500 Barclay Street!
Need Help Preparing?
Portfolio Workshop Days: October 20th & December 1st
First complete a grade 9 application, and then call 443-642-2311 to confirm a limited spot at one of our workshops!
“ New exciting career opportunities in design, fashion, and architecture are opening up every day thanks in part to technology. The Baltimore Design School is putting together all the resources to provide young people with the education to succeed and make a difference in these design professions. ”
— Fred Lazarus IV | President, MICA | Board Member
About Us
A caring community dedicated to everyone’s success.
Our Principal
“Children come first and parents are our partners,” is a simple, yet powerful quote and is the foundation for the educational philosophy of Mr. Nathan Burns. A native of Baltimore and product of the Baltimore City Public School system, Mr. Burns is deeply invested in making a difference in the lives of the youth of Baltimore City.
A graduate of Baltimore City College High School, Mr. Burns continued his education at Frostburg State University where he received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Since his first teaching assignment in 2000, Mr. Burns has had extensive experience in education, including eight years experience as a classroom teacher, serving as department chairperson, assistant principal, and other positions vital to the operation of schools.
Mr. Burns has received a number of awards including nomination for Teacher of the Year in Prince George’s County, MSDE outstanding program coordinator, and three years recognition in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.
“The Baltimore Design School will be a model of integrated education at the local, state, and national levels. The process of design thinking sets BDS apart from other schools, and the faculty's expertise at infusing design into every subject and aspect of education will help our students maximize their full potential.”
— Nathan Burns | Principal, BDS
Winston Middle, Main Office
Our Plan
Here’s what you can expect at the Baltimore Design School:
- A caring community dedicated to everyone’s success
- Great instruction in the visual arts, design and multi-media technology
- Rigorous academic classes into which art and design are integrated
- Four 90 minute classes a day
- Exposure to the wealth of art and design resources in Baltimore
- High school classes with specialized instruction in Fashion Design, Architecture, and Graphic Design taught by professionals from the design community
- Senior internships in design and architecture firms in the greater Baltimore area
- A dedicated Board of Directors, comprised of top industry professionals, offering guidance and experience while keeping the school current with industry standards
Our Campus
We are housed at Winston Middle - 1101 Winston Avenue, in Baltimore for the first two-three years. A specially designed facility — the Lebow building on Oliver and Barclay — will accommodate first-rate studio areas for all our career tracks as well as other facilities.
Board of Directors
Membership includes local education advocates, community representatives, industry professionals, university faculty, and local business owners in the areas of fashion, architecture and basic graphic design.
Download the complete list of Board Members
Winston Middle, Lunch Hall
In The News
$26M Overhaul of Lebow Bros. Building
New Public Middle School Focuses on Design
Drafting the Future of Education
at Baltimore Design School
Baltimore To Open Design School In Fall
City Uses Creative Funding For
New Design School Building
2011-2012 Class Pictures
Class 6-1
Class 6-2
Class 6-3
Class 6-4
Class 7-1
Class 7-2
Frequently Asked Questions
Please click any question below to reveal the answer.
What does my child’s day look like?
The school day begins at 8:45am with homeroom. Each day there are four class periods of 90 minutes each, with an A Day and B Day schedule. Every student at BDS will have 90 minutes of art/design daily. The school day ends at 3:35.
We’re temporarily located at Winston Middle School until the end of the 2012-13 school year — 1101 Winston Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. Beginning Fall 2013, we will move to our permanent home of 1500 Barclay Street in the Station North district.
Does the school require a uniform?
No, but BDS follows Baltimore City Public Schools dress code policy as outlined in the Code of Conduct.
Download a PDF of the Code of Coduct book for Baltimore City Public Schools
Do you offer foreign languages?
Yes, all students will have the opportunity to take a full year of Spanish in grades 6, 7, and 8, potentially receiving high school credit upon successfully completing Spanish 1 in grade 8.
What transportation is available?
Nearby Bus Lines: #36 and #33
Please visit the Office of Enrollment Choice & Transfer for information regarding the Non-City Tuition Policy.
What is the class size you manage?
Each class has an average 28 students.
What about the academic program?
If design students are going to be well prepared for college, they will need a rigorous academic program. All middle school students will take English/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Physical Education, and Health each year in addition to their art/design courses. Honors sections of courses are available.
How much of the regular school day is spent in art classes?
Every student at BDS will have 90 minutes of art/design daily.
The Board includes representatives of local architectural and design firms as well as a representative from Under Armour. Morgan State University and the Maryland Institute College of Art will also partner with the school. MICA has taken a leadership role in starting the school.
My child likes art, but why should they attend this school instead of Baltimore School for the Arts?
The grounding in art and design that students will receive in the middle school years will prepare them for entry into either the Baltimore School for the Arts or the high school portion of the Baltimore Design School. Here they will have the opportunity to explore career options and experience working with projects related to design careers. Students who go to the Baltimore School for the Arts are prepared to pursue study to become artists. Our students will become designers. We are hoping to attract students who like inventing something new, have new ideas for fashion, who think three-dimensionally and like building things, who have an eye for making things more interesting.
If my child enrolls, are they automatically accepted into the high school program?
Acceptance into the high school portion of the program is based on a review of portfolios. We help students develop their portfolios during the middle school years so they can do well in the application process.
If my child chooses to go on to another high school, will they be prepared for success academically?
The academic education students get in our school are rigorous and prepare students to do well in the high school of their choice. As well, they will have experience in creative problem-solving and ways of thinking that should make them academically excellent students.
The school day starts at 8:45am and goes to 3:35pm.
Will children from the community where the school is located get priority?
Please contact the Office of Enrollment Choice & Transfer for specifics on lottery priority.
Do parents have an active voice in the school?
The school has a Board of Directors that will oversee the school. Additionally we have an active PTO and School Family Council that are always welcoming new members. We want parent involvement and make sure that parents have a voice in the school.
How big will your school be, and what grades will it serve?
By 2016 Baltimore Design School will serve grades 6 through 12 with a total student body between 600 and 700 students. Currently, for the 2012-13 school year, BDS houses grades 6-8 with a total of about 250 students.
Do you have physical education?
Yes, we have both physical education and health classes for all students. Every student at Baltimore Design school in the middle school program will receive 90 minutes of PE/Health every other day throughout grades 6, 7, and 8.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, comments, or ideas please feel free to contact us via email or phone.
preliminary render of the permanent site for BDS
If you’re interested in designing your future with us, or would like to learn more about this unique program, please contact Dustin O’Hara at baltimoredesignschool@gmail.com or use the form below by clicking the GET INVOLVED button.
