North Fulton elementary/middle charter school receives $50,000 from The Coca-Cola Foundation
during 2011 State Charter Schools Conference in Macon
MACON (October 6, 2011) – Amana Academy, one of the state’s highest performing elementary/middle schools, has been selected as the 2011 Coca-Cola Charter School of the Year.
The announcement was today as part of the ninth-annual Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) State Charter Schools Conference, being held in Macon. Along with State Schools Superintendent John Barge and Georgia State School Board Member and Charter School Committee Chair Linda Zechmann, nearly 400 charter school teachers, school leaders, board members, school district administrators, law makers and charter school supporters are attending the event.
The Coca-Cola Charter School of the Year Award is a $50,000 grant established to honor excellence in education throughout the charter sector in metro Atlanta, and is a partnership initiative between The Coca-Cola Foundation and the GCSA.
Amana was selected from a field of more than 15 charter schools in the 18-county metro Atlanta area (Barrow, Bartow, Cobb, Cherokee, Clayton, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Spalding and Walton). The other two finalists for the award were Charles Drew Charter School in Atlanta and Brighten Academy in Douglasville.
The primary criteria for the winner included being in existence for at least five years and demonstrating academic excellence as measured by standardized achievement tests and operational sustainability and sound fiscal practices.
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ABOUT THE GCSA
The Georgia Charter Schools Association is the only non-profit membership organization for Georgia’s charter school operators and petitioners. Established in 2001, the mission of the GCSA is to be an effective advocate and service provider for all charter public schools in Georgia by:
- Advancing awareness of charter schools and their mission.
- Increasing awareness that charter schools are public schools.
- Communicating charter school needs to state and local officials.
- Supporting legislation to strengthen charter schools in Georgia.
- Facilitating opportunities for networking/collaboration among charter schools in Georgia and nationwide.
