About Us
Over Two Decades of Nurturing Creativity and Academic Excellence
Our Story
Renaissance Arts and Education, Inc. (RAE) traces its origins back to 1998 through the inspiring vision of our founder, Dr. Bill Jones. An avid art enthusiast and advocate for creative learning methodologies, Dr. Jones sought to make arts exposure and integration accessible alongside traditional academics.
Manatee School For the Arts (MSA)
our flagship learning center
Thus began our flagship learning center, MSA, which opened its doors to eager middle schoolers in its inaugural years before expanding to high school grades.
Powered by its unique arts-infused teaching approach, MSA witnessed incredible growth over 20 years while maintaining excellent outcomes. Our first batch of graduates walked the stage in 2005. Since then, we have nurtured over 3000 exceptional artists and scholars.
Success begets success. Buoyed by encouraging student results and feedback, we introduced new facilities like our state-of-the-art performing arts theater in 2008 to facilitate creative experimentation. Community support through fundraising campaigns also introduced specialized programs and classes.
The unprecedented growth also led us to broaden our horizons beyond secondary grades. We realized quality arts exposure during formative years could unlock even more significant potential.
¡HOLA! Elementary at MSA in 2023!
our arts-infused Dual Language elementary school
Thus, ¡HOLA! Elementary at MSA in 2023 – our Arts-infused Dual Language elementary school- nurtured creativity among PreK-5 grade scholars. The enriching curriculum combines language skills, arts studies, and cultural appreciation.
Today, with over 550 students enrolled, our RAE family continues expanding this vision through Manatee School For the Arts and ¡HOLA! Elementary. Graduates from both institutions leave lasting creative, academic, and societal impacts by living our ethos.
The Mission That Drives Us
Our Mission
“The mission of Renaissance Arts & Education, Inc. is to provide an educational environment that allows students to succeed and grow academically
by acknowledging and accommodating different learning styles according to multiple intelligences. The foundation of our mission is developed
by creating an educational program that infuses and integrates the visual and performing arts into the core academic curriculum.”
Take a peek behind the scenes into our administrative leadership guiding this mission daily
through their overarching vision and passion for creative arts education that empowers learners.
Dr. Bill Jones
Founder, President
Dr. Steve Marshall
Principal, Manatee School For the Arts
Dr. Rubylinda Zickafoose
Principal, ¡HOLA! Elementary
Mr. Tim McMurray
Vice President of Finance
Where We Are Headed
The Future
Having planted and nurtured the seeds for creative learning over the past 20+ years, we feel equipped to broaden our reach even further through Manatee School For the Arts and ¡HOLA! Elementary.
Some key focal points as we move ahead include:
Established Dedicated Facilities
Established dedicated facilities for digital media arts, theater, music, and special interest clubs to facilitate rising interest
Specialized Creative Programs
Introducing specialized creative programs in evolving areas like digital design, Esports, robotics and others
Forging Partnerships
Forging partnerships with major art universities and players to boost opportunities
Let's get started today!
If you feel inspired by our mission and progress, we wholeheartedly welcome you to apply to our schools, donate, volunteer, attend our events or spread the word about our work. Because together, we can transform more lives through the power of inspired arts and education.