Kelsey Maxson, then a junior at the Main Street School of Performing Arts in Hopkins, rehearses for the school’s musical, “Fame,” in April. The Main Street School, in its third year, will graduate its first senior class at the end of 2006-07. (Craig Lassig/Sun Newspapers)

Now in its third year, Hopkins' Main Street School of Performing Arts will have something that it has never had before - a graduating class.

The school, which opened in 2004 to students in ninth and 10th grade, has added a grade each year as its students have gotten older.

At the end of 2006-07, 45 students who have been there since the beginning will graduate.

"It's going to be sad," said Principal Karen Charles. "We're planning to have 20 boxes of tissues at graduation."

The contribution of this group of students could not be overstated, she said.

"They took a risk and made an investment," she said. "They're the reason we're successful."

The school, 1320 Mainstreet, has seen its enrollment double in its three-year history, from 100 its first year to about 215 enrolled this school year. Charles said she hopes the school will have an enrollment of 325 at the start of the 2008-09 school year.

As the student population increases, so does the staff; Main Street School of Performing Arts will add four new staff members this year as well.

The school is expanding in academic areas as well. It added more course options since it opened and is expanding its advanced placement (AP) program this year. This year's senior class will also go on a class trip to New York.

Main Street's students will learn more about the business side of the arts this year through an expansion of its No Shame project.

The school has held No Shame, a monthly variety show where students have the opportunity to perform their own work. In the past, it has been held in the school's dance studio, but it will move this year to the Hopkins Center for the Arts because the shows have been popular.

While No Shame gives students additional performance opportunities, Charles and other staff members thought it would be good if students were put in charge of organizing each show. Students will now be responsible for admissions, scheduling and the other details that go along with putting together a monthly variety show.

"We want it to be a totally teen-run enterprise," she said. "We're pretty excited about that."

Stages Theatre Company was one of the main driving forces behind the development of the Main Street School of Performing Arts.

Previously, Stages had served as the theatre provider at the Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource (FAIR) School in Crystal, which serves students in grades four through eight. Stages staff saw a dilemma for FAIR's students, however, because local arts high schools started in grade 11, meaning there was a two-year gap where students would not be able to attend an arts school. When Main Street opened, it was able to fill that gap.

The school is a free, public charter school of the Hopkins School District. As a sponsor, the district is responsible for making sure Main Street is academically and financially accountable.

Though the Main Street School's administration always felt it would be a success, Charles said the staff is pleased to see that it now offers grades nine through 12.

"It feels really good to have made it to that milestone," she said. "It speaks highly of the desire and interest in arts."

For more information go to www.performing-arts-school.org.

"We want it to be a totally teen-run enterprise," she said. "We're pretty excited about that."

Stages Theatre Company was one of the main driving forces behind the development of the Main Street School of Performing Arts.

Previously, Stages had served as the theatre provider at the Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource (FAIR) School in Crystal, which serves students in grades four through eight. Stages staff saw a dilemma for FAIR's students, however, because local arts high schools started in grade 11, meaning there was a two-year gap where students would not be able to attend an arts school. When Main Street opened, it was able to fill that gap.

The school is a free, public charter school of the Hopkins School District. As a sponsor, the district is responsible for making sure Main Street is academically and financially accountable.

Though the Main Street School's administration always felt it would be a success, Charles said the staff is pleased to see that it now offers grades nine through 12.

"It feels really good to have made it to that milestone," she said. "It speaks highly of the desire and interest in arts."

For more information go to www.performing-arts-school.org.