Education Focus, January 2015

Appen Media Group

EDUCATION FOCUS

January Special Section

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January 2015

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Research shows web-based tutoring means better scores

Pinecrest Academy develops Christian leaders to transform society Pinecrest Academy is a PreK3 through 12th grade, college preparatory Catholic school, located in Cumming, Georgia, a northern suburb of Atlanta.

The school provides an atmosphere of academic rigor and critical thinking, while offering personalized attention in a Christ-centered environment of faith and reason.

Pinecrest prepares students to become committed Christian leaders, eager to transform a global society.

This mission is accomplished in a gender specific environment on a co-ed campus.

Following the educational philosophy of the Legionaries of Christ, Pinecrest implements Integral Formation to develop the intellectual, human, spiritual, and apostolic dimensions of the whole person. Students

are challenged to identify and use their gifts in service to others.

Recognizing the parent as the primary educator of the child, the school’s mission embraces the entire family.

Pinecrest provides a safe, moral, and spiritual environment which leads to positive peer groups and joyful, caring and confident students.

Pinecrest serves the Archdiocese of Atlanta, local parishes, and local Christian and civic communities.

The school also serves international students, their families, and others who embrace its educational philosophy. For more information, visit www.pinecrestacademy. org or call 770-888-4477.

Follow Pinecrest Academy on Facebook at facebook.com/ pinecrestacademy.

(NAPSI)—Ideally, all students would have access to one-on-one tutoring when they need it. In most cases, this ideal is neither feasible nor affordable, but advanced technology can give students a one-on-one experience through software- and Web-based learning tools.

“Technology has transformed the way students learn, especially when it comes to math. The emphasis has shifted from solving abstract problems to actively engaging in math through activities that increase understanding of concepts and apply math to the real world,” explained Dr. Steve Ritter. Software like Carnegie Learning’s Cognitive Tutor provides real-time feedback on how successful students are at solving problems targeted at particular mathematics topics and will not let students proceed to the next topic until they fully grasp each concept. Dr. Ritter notes that such “software programs recognize sticking points for students, the same as a personal tutor would, and provide problems and guidance until the student shows that he or she has mastered the skills being taught.” This process provides students with benefits similar to those achieved in one-on-one experiences, which are known to drive improved learning outcomes.

The success of this approach to learning was demonstrated in a major experimental study conducted by the RAND Corporation.

The two-year study was conducted with over 18,000 students across seven states, explained Dr. Ritter, who is the chief product architect for Carnegie Learning, Inc., a publisher of research-based mathematics software and textbooks for middle and high school students.

Comparing students taught using Carnegie Learning’s blended curriculum for Algebra I, which includes a combination of consumable textbooks and software, with those taught by traditional methods using only the textbooks that were already in use, students using the blended curriculum significantly outperformed students using traditional textbooks, nearly doubling the growth in knowledge of the textbook group.

Individualized Web-based learning programs are continuing to evolve and provide more innovative learning opportunities. For

example, Carnegie Learning’s middle school software, MATHia, makes learning fun for children by letting them personalize their own math experience. Students can customize graphics and colors for their screen.

They can add the names of friends and family to appear in math problems. They become more engaged because their math problems feature subjects that are most interesting to them, such as sports or music. More important, students receiving these personalized features learn more. Just like face-to-face interaction with a live tutor, online tutoring provides individualized instruction targeted to areas where students are struggling, as well as topics they are interested in, to keep children actively engaged with mathematics.

While current one-on-one tutoring is a complement to traditional textbook learning and in-class instruction, new developments in technology are making it possible to recognize noncognitive elements of learning, such as whether a user is bored or distracted, and how that impacts learning. Intelligent learning systems can then provide alternative ways to motivate students based on their attitude and feelings, just like a human, one-on-one tutor.

For further facts, visit www.carnegielearning.com.

January 2015

Education focus • Sponsored Section

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Mount Pisgah Christian School What sets Pisgah apart?

From preschool to graduation, Pisgah provides an experience that develops students who are truly prepared for college and ready for life.

More than a school, Pisgah is a community. Ask any students, parent or teacher, “What do you love most about Pisgah?”

The answer you’ll hear is “Pisgah is a family.” Relationships and a sense of belonging are highlights of the Pisgah Experience.

Pisgah provides a robust college preparatory education. Pisgah’s curriculum features a full array of AP courses, as well as a wide range of academic classes taught by professionals who are highly skilled at bringing out the best in each student.

Pisgah graduates are well-prepared for the country’s most challenging colleges. Recent graduates were accepted to the nation’s top universities including Princeton, Cornell, Davidson, Dartmouth, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and more.

Exceptional extracurricular programs are a Pisgah trademark. Students

participate in highly successful, championship athletic programs, with coaches who develop the complete studentathlete: mind, body and spirit.

Superb Fine Arts are offered for all students preschool through twelfth grade, providing unique opportunities for exploration and creative selfexpression.

Christian Foundation the mission of Mount Pisgah Christian School is to provide a college-preparatory education grounded in Christian faith and values. Students are given the opportunity to explore their faith through spiritual retreats, Chapel, Bible courses, leadership/mentor opportunities, and mission trips.

The Pisgah Experience - a clear vision and purpose with a strong sense of community built around families.

Pisgah’s Admissions team welcomes the opportunity to work with your family and invites you to visit for a campus tour.

Mount Pisgah Christian School, 9820 Nesbit Ferry Road, Johns Creek, Georgia 30022.

678-336-3443 experiencepisgah.org

Pisgah’s new Upper School, Geier Hall, is scheduled to open January 2015.

OPEN HOUSE ~ JANUARY 24, 2015 ~ 11am – 1pm

BEYOND YOUR REACH? THINK AGAIN.

Announcing the new Mount Pisgah Honors Scholarship Program.

Mount Pisgah Honors Scholarships reward highly-motivated students, providing an opportunity for them to attend one of Atlanta’s premier, Christ-centered, college-preparatory schools. Ideal candidates demonstrate academic excellence, outstanding character, and a commitment to servant leadership. Students entering 6th – 9th grades may apply at experiencepisgah.org.

Tammy Mozingo, Director of Admission: 678.336.3443 or www.experiencepisgah.org

Join us at our new Upper School Geier Hall for an informational meeting, followed by student-led tours.

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Riverside Military Academy For over 107 years Riverside Military Academy has produced young men of purpose, integrity, and character. We offer a traditional, Americanstyle education where personal values, honor, and love of country still matter.

Riverside is not owned or operated by any particular religious denomination, but supports the spiritual and educational goals of all families.

Upon graduation, a Riverside cadet has experienced the challenges of the military model of education and is completely prepared for the rigors of college.

He is poised, polite, and confident in any social environment.

Riverside cadets stand tall, offer a firm handshake, respect authority, and display a level of confidence that parents may not have observed previously.

Cadets of Riverside Military Academy attend grades 7 through 12 and benefit from a small class size and a 15:1

student teacher ratio. Our entire educational program centers around the way young men learn best.

Riverside’s College Center assists cadets in preparing for and placing their college applications each year. The graduating class 2014 consisted of

86 cadets who were admitted to over 105 universities across the world and earned over $4.2 million in collegiate scholarships not including HOPE scholarship. Two graduating seniors were appointed to the U.S. Military Academy –West Point and the United States Air

Force Academy, an educational value of over $450,000 each.

Riverside Military Academy holds dual accreditation in SACS and SAIS. Our comprehensive program of rigorous academics, athletics and leadership development sets the stage for a lifetime of success.

Riverside Military Academy is located on 206 acres on the shores of Lake Lanier in Gainesville, GA. For more information please visit our web site at www.riversidemilitary.com or contact our admissions office at 770-538-2938.

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Education focus • Sponsored Section

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January 2015

Not so Ugly Betty Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy Function and Esthetics in Orthodontics

By Dr. Jeffrey W. Jordan, DMD Orthodontist Orthodontics today is about improved function of the teeth, jaws and improved facial esthetics.

Likewise, orthodontic appliances of today are more efficient, more comfortable and better looking. As Dr jordan a result, treatment times are shorter with less discomfort, and better results can be achieved.

Traditional orthodontic appliances consist of brackets and wires. The brackets today come in a variety of sizes and shapes for optimal efficiency and are increasingly tooth colored.

They can even be custom made for each patient with computer technology to shorten treatment time.

However, it is the orthodontic wire that actually moves the teeth and where we find the most incredible advancements. The heat activated super elastic memory wire is very flexible at room temperature and can be placed into the braces on extremely crooked teeth. Then, as it warms in the mouth to body temperature, the wire exerts a light continuous force on the teeth.

It is this light continuous force that

moves the teeth most efficiently but below the threshold of pain. No longer does the orthodontist actually tighten the braces. We simply change from one type of wire to the next. And yes, the wires can be tooth colored as well!

Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy, located at 3036 Old Atlanta Road in Cumming, is an excellent quality childcare facility that combines learning with playing.

From the well-trained staff members to the innovative school, children are given the opportunity to explore the world around them, establishing the basis for their future learning experiences.

Infants through school age children can learn and play in the spacious school which includes: a cafeteria, playgrounds with age appropriate equipment, computer lab, library, water park, large covered patio, smart board technology, and much more!

At every stage of your child’s journey, Kids ‘R’ Kids develops new and challenging ways to open the mind and expand the imagination – it’s what we call Smart Fun. Our foundation of love and trust is accompanied every step of the way by our teachers, parents and peers. Kids ‘R’ Kids now includes private Playball, Fun Bus, Soccer, Robotics, Chess, Ballet and Tap Lessons.

Regardless of your need, whether full time, part time, after school care, or seasonal camps, Kids ‘R’ Kids is the place for your child.

Now Enrolling Private Pre-K and Private Kindergarten

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4205 North Point Pkwy., Bldg. B Alpharetta, GA 30022

(770) 751-1240 | www.JWJordan.com

January 2015

Education focus • Sponsored Section

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Bridgeway Christian Academy Strong faith, strong families, strong futures

Bridgeway Christian Academy (BCA) is dedicated to providing a Christ-centered learning environment that encourages parent involvement and reinforces the beliefs and values taught in the Christian home.

Offering preschool through eighth grade, Bridgeway strives to help our students reach their full potential based on their unique gifts, strengths, and needs.

Bridgeway is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and Advanc-ED. A proven curriculum challenges students while emphasizing a biblical worldview.

Smartboards are utilized in every classroom to encourage interactive learning, and middle school students may bring their own devices for note taking and e-books. Science (and math) skills are put to use in the science lab and organic garden.

An outdoor classroom provides the perfect setting to explore God’s creation.

In addition to academics, a strong emphasis is placed on character development and community service with opportunities available for all grades and a quarterly requirement of five hours of service time for Middle School students.

Weekly chapels, Spanish and physical education classes, and a rich fine arts program (art, drama, and music) round out the Bridgeway experience.

The school newspaper and praise band provide additional opportunities for middle school students to explore their interests.

A media scape for student collaboration will be unveiled with the new media center later this month.

Students in grades fifth – eighth have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of inter-scholastic sports including basketball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, track and field, golf, swimming, and cross country. The Bridgeway Lions have won many championships and currently reign as the NAMLA Girls Volleyball Champions (both Varsity and JV) – for the fourth consecutive year.

Graduates and their parents consistently say Bridgeway prepared them to make wise, faith-based decisions to handle the pressures of high school and, that they are MORE prepared academically for high school than their peers.

Families of rising preschoolers – fifth grade students are invited to attend an interactive Open House – Cupcakes & Classrooms- Saturday, February 7th, from 2 – 4 pm.

For additional information, or to schedule an individual tour, contact the BCA Admissions Office at 678.942.1126, or www.bridgewayca.org.

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Cupcakes & Classrooms An Interactive Open House for Rising Preschool – 5th Grade Students

Saturday, February 7th, 2015 from 1 to 5 p.m.

Please join us and meet our teachers, tour the facilities, decorate cupcakes, and experience Bridgeway.

One Guest Will Win One Year Tuition - FREE!

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4755 Kimball Bridge Rd., Alpharetta, GA 30005 | 770.751.1972

Schedule your personal tour today

www.bridgewayca.org

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January 2015

2015 Georgia State Test:

Why test prep is so important this year

By Omega Learning Center, Johns Creek Incorporating the new Common Core Standards, the Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) is a comprehensive summative

assessment program spanning grades 3 through high school.

Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the stateadopted content standards in language arts, mathematics,

science, and social studies.

Students in grades 3 through 8 will take an endof-grade assessment in each content area, while high school students will take an end-ofcourse (EOC) assessment for each of the eight courses des-

Faithful Leaders...Critical Thinkers... Humble Servants

ADMISSIONS EVENTS Prospective Parents Forum February 5, 2015 5405 spalding drive, peachtree corners, georgia 30092 a k-12 christian school • www.wesleyanschool.org/learn

Come On By...

ignated by the State Board of Education.

Challenges of the Georgia Milestone Assessment System include: • Open-ended questions in language arts and mathematics • A writing component in response to passages read by students • Norm-referenced items in all content areas and courses • Transition to online administration and testing over time Customized Test Prep: At Omega Learning® Center certified teachers teach students “how” the questions are going to be asked and fill skill gaps as needed.

Omega Learning® Center- Johns Creek offers the best Georgia Milestones Test Prep in Atlanta! Omega’s AIM Tutoring System® allows our teachers to most efficiently teach your student through multi-sensory teaching resources.

Tutors send daily email updates to parents AND school teachers, keeping everyone informed on your child’s “Aca-

demic Team.”

For more information on Omega’s Georgia Milestones Test Prep Package starting at only $20/hour, call 770-751-0181 or visit OmegaLearning.com/johnscreek-ga.

Tutoring K-12 with Certified Teachers

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Georgia Milestones Test Prep

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At Fellowship, students and families can support and serve local, state, and international missions initiatives.

Rise Up. Do Something.

That’s Fellowship!

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Omega Learning® Center – Johns Creek, 3005 Old Alabama Rd. Suite 170 Johns Creek, GA 30022

Math

Georgia Milestones FREE Evaluation Test (Call today for appointment)

Writing SAT/ACT* Test Prep

FELLOWSHIP COLOSSIANS 1: 9-12 Est. 1986

10965 Woodstock Road Roswell, GA 30075 770-993-1650 FellowshipChristianSchool.org @paladinsports @fellowshipCS

770-751-0181

Omega Learning® Center - Johns Creek 3005 Old Alabama Rd., #170 | Johns Creek 30022 johnscreek@omegalearning.com OmegaLearning.com/johnscreek-ga *SAT is a registered trade-mark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this service. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc.

January 2015

Education focus • Sponsored Section

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McGinnis Woods Country Day School

Montessori Kids Academy Montessori Kids Academy is located at 3034 Old Atlanta Road in Cumming, next to the Publix shopping center. We are a SACS/CASI accredited school and a member of the American Montessori Society. We currently participate in the Georgia Student Scholarship Program, a tax-savings program created to enable parents to use their money tax-free for education.

Montessori Kids Academy offers a traditional Montessori student-focused constructivist teaching style. Our growing school teaches children from 18 months to 3 years of age in our preprimary classroom, 3 years to 6 years of age in our primary classrooms, and 6 to 12 years of age in our elementary classrooms. We strive to maintain a low student to teacher ratio in each classroom.

The school is housed in a 20,000 square foot, state-of-the-art building

complete with a children’s garden, spacious library, learning kitchen, computer lab, indoor café, outside picnic patio, two music rooms, and traditional Montessori furnishings.

The following daily enrichments are offered as part of our Montessori curriculum at no additional cost: Spanish, Music, Art, Cooking, P.E., and Organic Gardening. We also provide Chinese and Chess for our elementary students. Transportation to and from regular field trips is provided by the new Montessori Kids Academy school bus. Students enjoy daily yoga and the computer lab in their classrooms.

We invite you to visit our school at our Open House event January 10th from 11 am to 2 pm.

Stop by and see our traditional Montessori School that makes a difference around the world as well as at home.

McGinnis Woods Country Day School, established in 1999, is a private, non-parochial school offering a challenging Preschool, Elementary and Middle School Education. The beautiful school campus which is located in Alpharetta on the border of Forsyth and North Fulton counties, dedicated a new state of the art Middle School and Gym in August of 2014. The Preschool accepts children as young as 6 weeks and the Elementary/Middle School teaches students in PreK 4 through 8th grade. McGinnis Woods Country Day School holds top accreditations, including GAC, SACS, and NAEYC. The mission of McGinnis Woods is to inspire students with the passion to excel. This is accomplished by providing superior hands-on, minds-on academics which foster knowledge and self-confidence and inspire a lifelong love of learning.

Superior educational resources are implemented to maximize the learning experience of our diverse student population. Class sizes are small with low student-teacher ratios, allowing frequent one-to-one learning.

The students learn through a variety of groupings including class lessons, small group activities, hands-on STEM activities and “buddy” classes which encourage multi-age groupings.

Frequent guest speakers, monthly field trips, and community service

round out the curriculum. Drama Club, Competitive Sports and Robotics teams train year round. After school programs and Specialty Clubs are also available.

Join us on Saturday, January 24, from 12-2 pm at our Open House or visit www.mcginniswoods.org to learn more. Experience the McGinnis Woods difference!

PRIVATE NON-PAROCHIAL PRESCHOOL

Infants - Pre-Kindergarten

ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL Kindergarten - 8th Grade • SACS/CASI Accreditation • Montessori Certified / College Educated Teachers • Traditional Montessori Student Focused Curriculum • Constructive Model of Educating • Member of the American Montessori Society • Spacious Classrooms • Low Student to Teacher Ratio • Regular Field Trips • Indoor Café • Two Music Rooms and Learning Kitchen • School Library • Daily Enrichments include: Spanish, Chinese, Music, Art, Cooking, Gardening, and P.E. • Offering Pre-Primary (ages 18 months – 3 years), Primary (ages 3 – 6), Elementary Classes (1st – 3rd grade), (4th – 6th grade) • Year Round Program

Private Non-Parochial Education • GAC, SACS & NAEYC Accredited • Challenging Hands-on Academics, STEM • Low Student/Teacher Ratio • Advanced Technologies • Foreign Language/Music, Band, Chorus/Physical Education, Health

• Outdoor Classroom, Cafe and Wooded Trails • Monthly Field Trips • Afterschool Clubs • Competitive Sports Teams, Robotics Club and Drama • New Gym and Middle School opened in 2014!

Open House Saturday, January 24, 2015 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Dates:

Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Feb. 11, March 11

“Inspiring students with the passion to excel” Tours welcome by appointment

Bring in this ad and receive FREE registration

OPEN HOUSE

770-664-7764

11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Visit us online at www.mcginniswoods.org

January 10th

5380 Faircroft Drive, Alpharetta, Georgia

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January 2015

Don't miss the boat!

Advertising Deadline for the 2015 Summer Camp Special Section:

February 24, 2015 Call your account executive or 770.442.3278 TODAY to reserve your spot