The integration of art and instruction at the secondary level has not been promoted as a school reform as much as it might be. One reason for the lack of attention paid to the integration of arts and academics may be that the relationship between leadership traits and this interdisciplinary approach has not been defined. The purpose of this study was to explore how schools, when operating as a learning organization, can best infuse the arts into core curriculum. The primary focus of this study examined these practices at the secondary level. From a systems theory perspective, the key research question sought to understand the leadership traits and practices that guide the growth of a curriculum that embodies integration of the arts and academics. Yin's explanatory case study method was used to structure and analyze four themes of the main research question in an urban private school in the southeastern U.S. Data included archival records, survey responses from 28 secondary classroom teachers, and interviews of 5 key informants. Qualitative data from interviews and observations were coded for categorical aggregation to support pattern-matching and permit the identification of emerging themes relative to leadership traits that influenced performance. Descriptive statistics and tests of proportions within the quantitative data were used to complement the qualitative analyses. Results suggested the combination of the arts and academics can improve student achievement, class participation, and decrease drop out rates for students of all socioeconomic levels when leaders apply system thinking to school improvement. This study expands the literature in the area of evaluating leadership traits that promote changes in educational organizations. It also contributes to social change by suggesting ways that arts can help underrepresented communities improve academic attainment. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]