About Wells

Wells Academic and Performing Arts Complex serves students in Jackson Public Schools in grades 4-12. We are proud to provide students with advanced programs in academics and the arts.

Wells Elementary School was named in honor of Ida B. Wells.

For four decades, the Academic and Performing Arts Complex (APAC) of Jackson Public School District has been implementing and sustaining a vision that was developed in 1980. In 1981, APAC was begun with the aid of an Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA) Magnet Grant. The following mission statement was established in 1981 and remains in effect today:

The Academic and Performing Arts Complex seeks to provide excellence in art and academics by providing intensive training for academically talented students through the provision of a strong scholastic and specialty enrichment program.

Wells APAC serves students in grades 4 and 5 in the academic and performing arts areas. It also serves students in grades 6-12 in the performance and visual art areas. Students are admitted to Wells APAC through an audition and testing process. While attending, students receive either an accelerated academic program and a specialized intensive exposure to an art field (dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts).

In general, the students who attend our school are highly motivated, creative, and intelligent individuals who thrive in a challenging environment. The parents are supportive and expectant of a quality program.

Faculty members possess extensive and specialized training as well as a love for their subject matter. As teachers work with their students, they are constantly challenged to provide a stimulating, demanding, and nurturing environment where each student will experience growth and success.