da Vinci Arts Middle School

The building was designed to house the Girls Polytechnic High School by architect George Howell Jones in the classical revival style.

[3] Before the building's construction, the Girls Polytechnic program had been held at the Portland High School, which was deemed unfit in 1928.

The district eventually accepted the proposal, and the school opened in 1996 with 140 students and a very small staff.

[6] Due to concerns about low mathematics and science test scores,[7] da Vinci's schedule was changed in fall 2016 to allow for increased class time in those subjects.

[10] The school has many after-school programs, such the Destino dance team, a rock band known as Trogdor, a Black Student Union, a Queer-Straight Alliance, a ukulele choir, a jazz ensemble and a chess club.