Briarcliff Charter School to Go Before State Board Wednesday

Parents and students in our community might have a new charter school option to choose from if the state board of education gives its approval Wednesday. The Globe Academy will go before the board for final approval in downtown Atlanta in the afternoon. 

From a statement the school sent:

ATLANTA – Families in DeKalb County may soon have another choice for their children’s education that will have them saying “merci,” “xièxiè” and “gracias!” The GLOBE Academy will present information about its proposed dual-language charter elementary school (with tracks in English-French, English-Mandarin and English-Spanish) for final approval tomorrow to the State Board of Education. Community members are urged to attend to show their support.

The Charter Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at 2:30 p.m. in the State Board Room on the 20th floor of the Twin Towers East building at 205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Pending approval in February, the school will open August 2013 at the former Heritage Center (2225 Heritage Drive in Northeast Atlanta). The school will initially serve students in kindergarten to third grade, with a grade being added each year through eighth grade. Charter schools are public schools so there will be no cost to attend, and any family residing in the DeKalb County School District attendance zone will be eligible to enroll their children.

Class size will be limited to 22 students. However, because students will be supported by 2 teachers in every classroom—including a native speaker of the targeted second language—the student/teacher ratio will be 11:1.

Children at the GLOBE Academy will encounter core academic content in both English and a second world language (French, Mandarin or Spanish). Learning a second language is proven to enhance understanding of one’s primary language and creates lifelong academic, social, cultural and intellectual benefits.

Instruction at The GLOBE Academy is based on children’s natural inclination for inquiry and discovery. Students will engage in workshop-based learning for reading/language arts and math, as well as a project-based learning for social studies and science. Children will also participate in physical education, music, art and other enrichment classes throughout each week.

The GLOBE Academy expects to open with approximately 350 to 400 students in its first year and will grow to approximately 1100 students in six years. For the 2013-2014 academic year, this includes 5 kindergarten classes, 5 first grade classes, 4 second grade classes and 4 third grade classes.

To learn more and sign up to receive updates, including enrollment
information as it becomes available, please visit:
www.theglobeacademy.org