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What
is a Charter School?
Charter
schools are public schools that operate independently from local public
school systems and therefore have greater flexibility in implementing
state-of-the-art educational philosophies and curricula. By law, charter
schools in the state of Georgia must be not-for-profit organizations
and cannot be of a religious nature.
Why
a Charter School?
A charter
school empowers the community to provide innovative educational opportunities
to its children. It promotes parent involvement in the most straightforward
way: by giving parents and guardians direct say in the substantive issues
affecting their child's education.
How
is the Neighborhood Charter School unique?
NCS was
conceived and planned by a group of concerned parents, community members,
and educators that believe in public education and are confident that
a well-designed and well-managed charter school will allow children
from diverse communities such as ours to flourish. NCS will be unique
in that we will:
- Base
our curricula on a "constructivist" educational philosophy. Constructivism
honors children by acknowledging that they learn best by interacting
with materials and people rather than through the passive transfer of
information from books or teachers.
- Involve
the entire community in the education of our children. More than just
parents matter; our school is the responsibility of all community members
and all interested members will be welcome participants in the education
process.
- Have
a dynamic partnership with Zoo Atlanta. Zoo Atlanta is one of Atlanta's
in-town treasures. We have developed a unique partnership with the zoo
and will be collaborating with their renowned educational department
to develop curricula for NCS that integrates conservation and environmental
themes.
What
is "constructivism" and how is it different than traditional
educational practices?
Constructivism
is based on the premise that students learn by doing and that activities
should be relevant, varied, and encourage active participation. Educational
research has made it very clear that traditional didactic teaching is
not the most effective method. In a Constructivist classroom, there should
be:
| Less
Emphasis |
More
Emphasis |
| Activities
that demonstrate and verify |
Activities
that investigate and analyze |
| Getting
an answer |
Process
involved in reaching a conclusion |
| Memorizing
facts |
Conceptual
understandings |
Click
here to read more about constructivism.
Who
does NCS serve?
NCS
is a K - 5 public elementary school serving approximately 360 students. There is no tuition and
no entrance criteria, other than the student living with in the NCS
attendance zone. The primary attendance zone for NCS encompasses the
neighborhoods of Grant Park, Ormewood Park, and North Ormewood Park.
If space is available, students living elsewhere within the NPU-W (e.g.,
Woodland Hills, East Atlanta, Boulevard Height, Benteen, and McDonough/Guice)
will be eligible to attend. These in town neighborhoods reflect diversity
in ethnic and racial backgrounds, economic status, and family structure.
Who
teaches at NCS?
The instructional
staff are certified teachers. In addition, NCS will, when appropriate,
utilize instructors who are non-certified but who bring relevant skills,
experience and enthusiasm to instruction. However, the percentage of
instruction given by non-certified staff will not exceed 10% of the
total instruction time.
Who
runs NCS?
NCS is
run by a Governing Board that consists of parents, teachers, community
members, a representative from Zoo Atlanta, and the principal of NCS.
The Governing Board will hire the Principal, and the Principal, in turn,
will take the lead on making all decisions regarding NCS, in consultation
with the Governing Board.
How
do I register my children at NCS?
Click
here for more information.
Where is NCS located?
NCS is
located in the historic Slaton Elementary School building on Grant Street
in the neighborhood of Grant Park, near downtown Atlanta. Built in 1906,
this beautiful building is one of the oldest in the Atlanta Public Schools'
system.
How
can I get involved?
* Attend
meetings.
* Join a committee. Many Committees and Sub-Committees are looking
for motivated and interested parents and community members to join their
ranks. Committees and Sub-Committees include: Development, Parent, Teacher
and Child Association (PTCA), Library, Diversity, Community Partnerships,
Parent & Family
Involvement (Click here to view the PandFI Frequently Asked Questions.), Student Learning, School Climate, Student Dress, Communications,
Fine Arts, Finance, Personnel, Special Events, Facilities, Grounds,
and Technology.
* Support NCS. Contributions to NCS are tax deductible. There
are also many fun fund-raising events planned over the next year. Find
out more....
How
can I get more information on NCS?
Contact
Margaret Jones ,
Interim Principal and Executive Director,
at 404.624.6226
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