Change to Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence further illustrates the school’s dedication to student achievement and success
FITZGERALD – Leaders of a group of concerned citizens who have come together to bring a charter school to Ben Hill County have announced a new and enhanced name for the school.
It will be called the Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence, named in honor of a former slave who – with knowledge he gained from his master, one of the earliest professors at the University of Georgia – founded Paine College in Augusta.
The founding board for Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence has submitted a petition to the Georgia Charter Commission, which will review the group’s plan to establish a new, high performing public elementary charter school for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Name change highlights focus on student achievement
The new name more clearly illustrates and defines the school’s focus on student achievement and success, according to Charles L. Coney, Vice Chair and Founding officer of the Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence Board. Previously, the school had been known as simply the Holsey Academy of Excellence.
“The story of Lucius H. Holsey is a fantastic testament to the power of education,” said Coney, a former Ben Hill County School System administrator. “Including his full name, we believe, makes an even more powerful statement about our dedication to building and molding young people into bright, intelligent and articulate young scholars.”
The mission of the school, which would open next fall, is to engage children and the community in an inspiring and collaborative education of the highest standards by following the educational design principles and core practices of the Expeditionary Learning Schools curriculum.
“Even though the law during that time in our history did not allow him to be formally educated, Lucius H. Holsey saw and understood its importance,” Coney said. “Through hard work and perseverance, he became highly educated and his legacy is still impacting the lives of young people today. Our students will be the embodiment of Lucius H. Holsey in the 21st century.”
Georgia Charter Schools Association Chief Executive Officer Dr. Tony Roberts said the interest and desire of parents for charter schools in South Georgia is beginning to grow. Another group with a petition before the Georgia Charter Commission wants to open a charter school that will be based in Calhoun County, located about 50 miles west of Ben Hill County.
“The charter school movement in Georgia is about providing quality educational options for students, parents and communities,” Dr. Roberts said. “There is great interest and need for a school like Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence in Ben Hill County. As there is such a great need for educational options in South Georgia, we hope the Georgia Charter Schools Commission will make it a priority to consider and approve quality charter schools planned for that underserved region of our state.”
About the Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence
The Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence is a new, high performing public elementary petitioned charter school (K-5) set to open in 2009. Our mission is to engage children and the community in an inspiring and collaborative education of the highest standards by following the educational design principles and core practices of Expeditionary Learning Schools. We are proud members of the Georgia Charter Schools Association. Please visit our website to see a complete description of the Lucius H. Holsey Academy of Excellence www.holseyacademy.org .
About the GCSA
The Georgia Charter Schools Association is the nonprofit 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.
- Developing and implementing programs and services that advance student achievement, accountability and success in all of Georgia’s charter schools.
