New Charter Schools Opening in Georgia 2015-16: Part II

By GCSA

Charter schools are thriving in Georgia. Eleven new startup charter schools are opening their doors in Early August, 2015. In this post we profiled six new charters that were authorized by their local school districts. 

Today we’re profiling five new charter schools authorized by the State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC), that will launch for the 2015-16 school year. These mission-driven public schools address local community needs and demonstrate remarkable geographic diversity. Their varied curricula and educational approaches reflect the innovation that charter schools are meant to deliver. See the full list of charter schools in Georgia that are authorized by the SCSC.

DuBois Integrity Academy, Riverdale, GA (State Charter Schools Commission)

• Serving grades K-5
• 812 King Road, Riverdale, GA 30296

Du Bois Integrity Academy takes a whole-child approach to elementary education. Teachers, administrators, counselors, and support staff work together to meet the intellectual, social, behavioral, and emotional needs of each and every child.

Du Bois Integrity Academy uses the natural curiosity of children to teach science, technology, engineering, math and critical thinking skills. Instructional leaders will center their comprehensive school reform best practices on Georgia’s Common Core Standards (GCCS) infused with STEM and Arts integration that uses a “Blended Learning” platform. Student learning will be held to high standards and high expectations every day.

Foothills Education Charter High School, North-Middle GA (State Charter Schools Commission)

• Serving grades 9-12
• Central Office: 800-B Madison Street, Danielsville, GA 30633

The mission of Foothills Education Charter High School is to provide students the opportunity to be successful learners and to earn a high school diploma. 

Foothills offers multiple locations across the North-Middle Georgia region, offering a full range of high school courses in a convenient, flexible, self-paced format. All classes are held in the evening so students can work during the day and attend school at night.  Tuition is 100% free for students who enroll at Foothills full time.

All courses are mastery-based, which means students cannot fail a course.  There are no deadlines, so learners can take as much or as little time as they need to successfully complete the coursework. To better meet the different learning styles of students, Foothills offers a variety of course formats including textbook and web-based instruction. All methods provide self-paced, individualized mastery learning. FAQ on Foothills Education Charter High School. 

Foothills learning sites include: 
Baldwin Foothills | 155 Hwy. 49 West, Milledgeville, GA 30161
Barrow Foothills | 54 West Star Street, Bethlehem, GA 30620
Clarke Foothills | 440-3 Dearing Extension, Athens, GA 30606
Jackson Foothills | 1435 Hoods Mill Road, Commerce, GA 30529
Madison Foothills | 600 Madison Street, Danielsville, GA 30633
Lee Arrendale Foothills | 2023 Gainesville Hwy., Alto, GA 30510
Burruss Foothills | 1000 Indian Spring Drive, Forsyth, GA 31029

Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics, Hephzibah, GA (State Charter Schools Commission)

• Serving grades K-6 
• Statewide attendance zone – open to all Georgia residents
• Intersection of Storey Mill & Fulcher Roads, Hephzibah, GA

The Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics is a public charter school that will open September 8, 2015 in Hephzibah, Georgia at the intersection of Storey Mill and Fulcher Roads. Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics will open serving grades Kindergarten through sixth and expand by one grade level per year. GSIC has a statewide attendance zone ensuring all Georgia resident students are eligible to attend. 

GSIC will deliver a classical education centered on the three phases of the classical Trivium. The critical thinking skills developed through the rigorous use of the Socratic Method throughout the curriculum will foster an ethic of self-leadership and be a platform for learning the four Classical Virtues: Wisdom, Justice, Temperance, and Courage.

GSIC is committed to excellence in all its endeavors, including delivering a classical education centered on the three phases of the classical Trivium: grammar (grades 1-4), logic (grades 5-8), and rhetoric (grades 9-12) with an employment of the Socratic method throughout the classroom experience. The critical thinking skills developed through the rigorous use of the Socratic Method throughout the curriculum will foster an ethic of self-leadership and be a platform for learning the four Classical Virtues: Wisdom, Justice, Temperance, and Courage.

Supplemented by at least four optional Career Pathways for secondary students including: Linguistics, Nuclear Technology, Sustainable Agriculture, and Entertainment Technology, students at GSIC will participate in unique civic, industry, and higher education partnerships. 

International Charter School of Atlanta, Roswell, GA (State Charter Schools Commission)

• Serving grades K-4, adding a grade a year to become a K-12 school
• Statewide attendance zone – open to all Georgia residents
• 1335 Northmeadow Parkway, Suite 100 Roswell, GA 30076

ICSAtlanta is a dual-language immersion statewide K-4th grade charter school that will offer tracks in French, German, Mandarin, or Spanish. The only public school of its kind in the state of Georgia, ICSAtlanta will implement its dual-language model while following the current Georgia education performance standards and grow by one grade each year to become a K-12th grade school.

As a statewide, language immersion charter school in Georgia, the International Charter School of Atlanta (ICSAtlanta) can enroll students from any county in the state of Georgia.  The school will open in year one with studen

ts in K-4th grade.  ICSAtlanta will add one additional grade each year to expand into a K-12th grade school.

ICSAtlanta teachers will be required to possess near-native proficiency in the target language they will teach.

ICS Atlanta will offer the following language tracks:

1. French/English
2. German/English
3. Mandarin/English
4. Spanish/English

Students will learn the following core disciplines:

1. Language Arts
2. Math
3. Social Studies
4. Science
5. Art
6. Personal, Social and Physical Education

Scintilla Charter Academy, Valdosta, GA (State Charter Schools Commission)

• Serving grades K-4 in Year 1
• Open to residents of Valdosta and Lowndes County
• 2171 East Park Avenue, Valdosta, GA 31602

Where did Scintilla Charter Academy get its name? The definition of the word scintilla is a tiny spark. The purpose of Scintilla Charter Academy is to ignite a spark in its students as we inspire in them a love for learning.

SCA believes that learning should be fun and challenging. SCA will be a school that values highly qualified, effective teachers and that engages both parents and the community in the students’ educational and character development. The Academy will be open to students of all ability levels, including but not limited to special education, gifted students, and English Language Learners. 

Project-Based Learning is SCA’s approach to learning in which students apply real world solutions to real problems.  It will also use Service Learning, an educational model that combines classroom instruction with meaningful community service. SCA intends to instill a commitment to service by inspiring in our students respect for other people, compassion for those in need, an understanding of civic duty, and a sense of responsibility to serve the community in which they live.

SCA ‘s student body will mirror Valdosta City and Lowndes County demographics.

Georgia Charter Schools Association

The Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) is the membership organization for Georgia’s charter school operators and petitioners, established in 2001. Our mission is to be an effective advocate and service provider for all charter public schools in Georgia.