More Georgia students will soon have access to high-quality public school options. This fall, four new charter schools are opening their doors in Georgia – Amana Academy West, DeKalb Brilliance Academy, Destinations Career Academy, and Resurgence Hall Middle Academy. All four charter schools are authorized by the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia. Learn more about each of the schools below.
Amana Academy West Atlanta
Amana Academy West Atlanta teachers attend pre-planning sessions.
In August, Amana Academy West Atlanta will open on the grounds of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta’s Camp Timber Ridge in Mableton. During the 2022-2023 school year, the school will serve students in grades K-3, adding a grade level each year until it reaches 8th grade.
Amana Academy West has a statewide attendance zone but expects to primarily attract students primarily from West Atlanta, South Cobb, and South Fulton communities. Initially opening with four smaller cabin-style buildings, the school will work closely with Girl Scouts to develop a comprehensive plan to install a larger, permanent facility that meets the needs of both organizations in the future.
Amana Academy West will continue to implement the award-winning EL Education model with an emphasis on scholarship, sustainability, STEM, and global citizenship for its students. Amana Academy West is a replication of the highly successful Fulton County public charter school, Amana Academy, in Alpharetta.
DeKalb Brilliance Academy
Jocelyn Alter, Head of School for DeKalb Brilliance Academy, with students.
DeKalb Brilliance Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in South DeKalb County. The state-authorized public charter school will open on Monday, July 25, with grades K-2. The school plans to add a grade level each year until DeKalb Brilliance has students in grades K-8. Enrollment is open to students in the Atlanta Public School District and DeKalb County.
DeKalb Brilliance Academy will empower students to be leaders by combining rigorous and relevant academics with social-emotional learning. The school will utilize Entrepreneurial Project-based learning, where students learn not only from their teachers and peers but also directly from scientists, lawyers, engineers and designers. Examples of the school’s Entrepreneurial Project-based Learning approach include Kindergarteners working with an environmental engineer to design a park, 5th graders working with lawyers to construct arguments about ethical decisions, or 8th graders working with a financial planner on an investment competition. DeKalb Brilliance Academy students will work in teams with experts on projects all semester long, and will present their own ideas to financial planners, lawyers, scientists, artists, and political leaders that reflect their own identities.
Destinations Career Academy of Georgia
Destinations Career Academy of Georgia is an online public charter school for Georgia students in grades 6-8. The school has a statewide attendance zone and will serve middle school students starting on Wednesday, Aug. 3, with plans to grow by grade level each year to eventually serve grades 6-12.
GADCA will provide students with a standards-aligned curriculum facilitated by Georgia-certified teachers in a platform built for online teaching and learning, from the safety of their homes or anywhere with an internet connection. Through the school’s Stride Career Prep program, students can pair a solid academic foundation with hands-on learning experiences in career exploration and in-demand fields such as business, health sciences, and IT.
GADCA’s core subjects and career-focused courses will include opportunities for group projects, project-based learning, and one-on-one support from state-based staff in an environment designed for full-time online learning. Students can balance a full academic schedule along with extracurricular pursuits, internships, or other specialized needs.
Resurgence Hall Middle Academy
During the 2022-2023 school year, Resurgence Hall Middle Academy will enroll students in the fifth grade and grow until the school serves students in grades 5-8. Resurgence Hall Middle Academy is a replication of Resurgence Hall Charter School, a high-performing public charter school located in East Point.
The school’s educational model includes several innovations that prepare scholars to be successful in the 21st century, including design thinking and a computer science curriculum that begins in kindergarten, and a two-teacher push-in literacy intervention model that provides over 200 minutes of literacy instruction each day.
Core values for Resurgence Hall Middle Academy reflect the leadership attributes needed for success in high school and beyond. In addition to Reflection, Integrity, Service, and Endurance (RISE), Middle Academy scholars will embody the core values of Leadership, Empathy, Authenticity, and Determination.
