Winter 2014 Education Focus

Special Section

Education Focus

Winter 2014

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SPONSORED SECTION | NorthFulton.com | Winter 2014

Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy Cumming Dance Academy 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.

Life-long dancer Niki Jernigan-Watkins had a dream of turning her passion and talent for dance into a teaching career and bringing the magic of dance alive for others.

Driven by her jerniganpassion and talents, watkins Miss Niki as she’s fondly known by students, is realizing that dream for a sixth year running as the owner and artistic director of Cumming Dance Academy.

Given her professional history and accolades for performance and teaching, it’s no surprise that Cumming Dance Academy has succeeded with Miss Niki at the helm.

A marker of the academy’s success came in 2009 when Cumming Dance Academy’s new facility opened. The 7,000 square-foot facility located at 419 Tribble Gap Road in Cumming affords the academy more space for staff, students, and

parents.

In 2012, CDA continued to grow with the expansion of and new location of CDA II Performance Academy.

Now in 2013, CDA is home to 6 studios and offers over 220 classes per week!

Cumming Dance Academy is a place of instruction for both serious and recreational dancers and offers classes for children from 18 months to adult.

CDA classes are led by a professional staff with decades of experience and impressive performance credits.

CDA has many performance groups for the more dedicated dancers, that include “Miss Niki’s Elite Performance Classes”, Jr. Apprentice Company, Jr. Company and Sr. Company.

For more information on CDA – please visit our website at www.cummingdanceacademy.com and follow us on facebook at: www.facebook.com/cummingdanceacademy

CDA I

419 Tribble Gap Rd Cumming, GA

CDA II

230 Elm St, Ste 100-200 Cumming, GA

770-781-4922 www.cummingdanceacademy.com

Owner/Artistic /Director:

Niki Jernigan Watkins

Home of: CDA II Performance Academy

facebook.com/cummingdanceacademy

@danceatcda

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Winter 2014 3

Bridgeway Christian Academy Expands Preschool & Kindergarten Programs This fall, Bridgeway Christian Academy plans to expand its five day kindergarten program to include a half day class as well as a full day option for the 2014-2015 school year.

Both classes will utilize a comprehensive curriculum designed to prepare students for entry into first grade.

In addition Bridgeway will also offer three, four, and five day options for the School’s three and four year old preschool classes. “These additional classes will allow parents to select the best option for their child based on academic readiness and developmental maturity as well as their individual educational philosophies”, said Rob Starner, Head of School for Bridgeway.

What’s more, the 2014-2015 tuition rates make Bridgeway an affordable option for young families. The maximum class size for Bridgeway’s preschool and kindergarten classes is 14 with a lead teacher and an assistant. The smaller classes create an op-

timum learning environment, making it possible for teachers to work with students individually.

Serving families with children in preschool through eighth grade, Bridgeway fosters a Christ-centered culture that encourages parent involvement and reinforces the beliefs and values taught in the Christian home. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), Bridgeway utilizes proven curriculum that challenges students while emphasizing a biblical worldview.

Parents of rising preschoolers – fifth grade students are invited to attend an interactive Open House – Cupcakes & Classrooms- Saturday, February 8th, 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.

Rivers Academy Students are Focused on Service When the concept of Rivers Academy was conceived, an academic program which provides students with a college preparatory curriculum while allowing them to pursue their individual passions, the founder also understood the need to provide a complete school experience. The school offers an environment that includes many extra academic offerings, along with a strong sense of school spirit, social events and opportunities to serve both the local and the global community.

When you walk into the Alpharetta campus you immediately get a sense of the students level of academic commitment along with their kindness

towards each other and the desire to satisfy the needs of the community.

For the past month, the Rivers’ chapter of National Honors Society started their first annual Giving Tree, collecting donations from our families and staff for the community store at North Fulton Community Charities. The students also participate in many fundraisers throughout the year that support our relationship with the Daraja Choir and 410 Bridge Ministries. Additionally, the Entrepreneurship class will embark on a semester long project getting involved with many Atlanta enterprises to have hands-on experiences combining business opportunities with issues that impact local problems.

If your child could have the quality of a college prep education and the flexibility of home schooling, what would that look like?

Cupcakes & Classrooms An Interactive Open House for rising preschool – 5th grade students

Saturday, February 8th from 2 to 4 p.m.

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

✔ Accredited Transcripts ✔ Nationally Recognized Curriculum ✔ Superior, Qualified Teachers ✔ Advanced Science Labs ✔ Critical Thinking and Writing Skills ✔ Condensed School Week ✔ Support When Traveling ✔ Positive Peer Interaction ✔ Complete school environment ✔ Graduation, Prom, Field trips, Yearbooks..... ✔ Happy, Balanced and Successful Students

It would look like Rivers Academy Pursue Your Passion Without Academic Compromise

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

www.bridgewayca.org

770-475-0081 www.riversacacademy.com 38 North Main Street ∙ Alpharetta, GA 30009

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Fulton Science Academy Fulton Science Academy Private School offers students of Georgia a real difference in education.

The school focuses on S.T.E.A.M. education to meet the growing demand for higher level logic and reasoning skills necessary for future student success. Additionally, the school works to develop student presentation, writing, organization, and timemanagement abilities from the earliest grades. They offer advanced and gifted curricula taught for greater retention and achievement by a nationally award winning faculty.

The small and structured environment, along with uniforms, keeps students focused on their studies. Since there are little to no discipline issues, the faculty and administration can uti-

lize their time to teach and continually seek ways to improve their educational model.

The school considers development of the whole student as important as academics. Physical education is a part of every school day to keep students healthy and active. For a creative outlet, students take part in art, music, robotics, and computer classes every week. Many other enrichment opportunities are offered including free after-school clubs, band, orchestra, and top performing academic teams to develop student social skills.

Please visit the school website for detailed information and achievements.

Fulton Science Academy has engineered a school of the future today. www.fultonscienceacademy.org

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Alpharetta Christian Academy Alpharetta Christian Academy is adding middle school for the 20142015 school year. Since the middle school will incorporate block scheduling with math and science taught on separate days from language arts and social studies, students will have the option of half time or full time enrollment, making it possible for homeschooled students to be enrolled. The middle school will be housed in a separate area from the preschool and elementary areas.

ACA currently educates children academically and socially from ages eighteen months to fifth grade and in a flexible and loving environment. Our phonics curriculum begins in prekindergarten and gives children the tools needed for reading and compre-

hension. Our math curriculum builds on concepts then continuously reviews while emphasizing math facts. An etiquette instructor teaches proper social behavior and Christian character development. In addition, elementary students participate in Spanish, P.E., art, media, music, computer, and chorus.

Our teachers love each child and help children grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. By giving every child the attention he or she deserves, we help students develop a love of learning and grow into responsible Christian men and women.

For questions or to schedule tours, call 770-475-5762, visit www.alpharettachristianacademy.com, or email acarrowfbca.com.

Fulton Science Academy Private School

FSA Faculty and Administration Have an 11 Year History of Providing Award Winning Educational Excellence National Blue Ribbon Winning Administration & Faculty Top Honors at Academic Competitions Highest Accolades in Robotics and Technology Tournaments Top Scores in Nationally Normed Tests

Preschool 18 Months through Pre-K Elementary K through 5th Half-day & Full-day Kindergarten | After School Program

44 Academy Street, Alpharetta 30009 Phone 770-475-5762 Our Formula For Success Continues... www.fultonscienceacademy.org | (678) 366-2555

www.alpharettachristianacademy.com

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Winter 2014 5

Montessori Kids Academy

McGinnis Woods Country Day School McGinnis Woods Country Day School is a private, non-parochial school offering a challenging Preschool, Elementary and Middle Grades Education. The school is located in Alpharetta on the border of Forsyth and North Fulton counties. The Preschool accepts children as young as 6 weeks and the Elementary School teaches students in PreK 4 through 8th grade. McGinnis Woods Country Day School has top accreditations, including GAC, SACS and NAEYC. It is also a member of the Georgia Independent School Association.

The mission of McGinnis Woods is to inspire students with the Passion to excel. This goal is accomplished by providing superior academics through hands-on, minds on approaches which foster self confidence and self esteem;

inspiring a lifelong love of learning.

Small classes with low student-teacher ratios, allow for frequent one-on-one learning. Superior educational resources are implemented to maximize the classroom experience of our diverse student population. Frequent guest speakers, monthly field trips and community service round out the curriculum. Integrated use of Interactive Whiteboards, a school wide broadcast system, computer labs, laptops and tablets support the rigorous curriculum. Competitive Sports and Robotics teams train year round. After school programs and clubs are also available.

Please join us at an Open House on Saturday, January 25 between 12 and 1 pm or visit www.mcginniswoods.org to learn more. Tours are available upon request.

PRIVATE NON-PAROCIAL PRESCHOOL

Infants - Pre-Kindergarten

ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL Kindergarten - 8th Grade

Private Non-Parochial Education • GAC, SACS & NAEYC • Monthly Field Trips Accredited • RN on Staff/Health • Challenging Hands-on Education Academics • Uniforms • Low Student/Teacher Ratio • Involved Parent Association • Advanced Technologies • Afterschool Clubs (broadcast system & • Competitive Teams and R o ot ob otic iccs Club C ub Cl interactive whiteboards) Robotics • Foreign Language/Music, Join us for an Band, Chorus/Physical Open House Education • Outdoor Classroom, Cafe February 12 or March 5 9:30am - 10:30am and Wooded Trails Tours welcome by appointment: ment me n t: nt 5380 Faircroft Drive, Alpharetta, Georgia

“Inspiring students with the passion to excel”

770-664-7764

Visit us online at www.mcginniswoods.org

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, outdoor classroom, 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: Chinese, Spanish, Music, Art, Cooking, and Organic Gardening. We also provide a P. E. class 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 in their classrooms and the computer lab.

Montessori Kids Academy also offers an academic summer camp where students can learn while having fun. While at camp, the students will continue with Montessori Language Arts and Mathematics materials and lessons. Each week’s theme will bring new excitement to the students as they learn about the world around them as well as tap into their creativity and imagination.

We invite you to our Open House Saturday, January 11th from 11:002:00, or you can call to schedule a tour to see our traditional Montessori School that makes a difference around the world as well as at home.

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Winter 2014 6

Pinecrest Academy »

Forming Christian Leaders

955 Peachtree Pkwy, Cumming, GA 30041 | 770-888-4477 | www.pinecrestacademy.org Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pinecrestacademy Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pinecrestacadem

Advertising Deadline Soon North Fulton/South Forsyth Education Answer Book HOW MANY & WHERE:

Ask how you can get FREE editorial

In Print: 50,000 Copies Printed and Distributed On-line: NorthFulton.com - North Atlanta’s highest hit web site 45,000 copies are distributed to Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell, Forsyth County and Duluth residents 5,000 copies are given to local organizations such as the Chambers of Commerce, welcome centers, hotels, visitors bureaus, welcome wagons and real estate agents to distribute to newcomers and visitors

WHEN & WHAT:

Published every winter. Residents and newcomers alike will find useful information such as maps, school directories, after school care and much more!

Call 770.442.3278 or your account executive TODAY to reserve your spot

Pinecrest Academy is a Pre-K through 12, college-preparatory Catholic school, providing 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 is accomplished in a gender separate environment on a coed campus. Pinecrest implements the philosophy of Integral Formation, developing the spiritual, intellectual, human, and apostolic dimensions of the whole child. Students are challenged to identify and use their gifts in service to others. Recognizing the parent as the primary educator of the child,

Pinecrest’s mission embraces the entire family. The school provides a safe, moral, and spiritual environment which leads to positive peer groups and joyful, caring, confident students.

Pinecrest also serves international students and their families. Founded in 1993, Pinecrest Academy has grown and touched the lives of many families from varied backgrounds, all who share in the vision of a values and virtue-based, well-rounded and top-notch education. As a Catholic institution, Pinecrest Academy shares in a rich two thousand year tradition and a vision that has given Catholic education a proven track record worldwide. For more information, call 770-888-4477 or visit www.pinecrestacademy.org.

Financial resolutions (NAPSI)—Adding college tuition savings planning to this year’s resolutions can be wise. According to the College Board, the average annual tuition for a private college in 2012 was $40,000.

Sixty percent of teens expect to need student loans for their future college costs, though many are already helping to save money toward these costs while in middle school and high school, reports Private College 529 Plan’s first annual Teen College Savings Barometer, conducted by ORC International.

To help decrease the cost of private higher education, Private College 529 Plan (PC529), operated and managed by more than 270 private colleges and universities, lets families secure today’s tuition rate for tomorrow’s education. PC529, the only pre-paid plan for private school tuition, offers rewards for starting to save as early as possible.

These strategic tips from Nancy Farmer, President of Private College 529 Plan and former Missouri State Treasurer, can help families keep their resolution: • Set up a direct deposit account for tuition so the money is saved automatically.

• When childhood milestones occur, like no longer needing diapers, use that extra money to increase your monthly college savings amount.

• Allocate at least some portion of your annual tax refund for your child’s

college tuition savings funds.

Families can learn more about this tax-exempt way to save for college at www.privatecollege529.com and www.TomorrowsTuitionToday.org, including information about a variety of college savings options, school profiles, current account owner testimonials and more.

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Winter 2014 7

Why It’s Important to Prepare Your Child for the CRCT When students take the CRCT, the main goal is for schools to know how much the student learned and retained over the course of the school year.

Georgia has a set of requirements, called the Georgia Performance Standards that outline what the expectations are for instruction, assessment, and student work. Besides just having the results back to see how the schools and teachers are doing, the state of Georgia has “benchmark years” where the students are held accountable for their scores, and must pass by a certain margin.

Ensure the Best Instruction~ The best way is to find a CRCT Prep program that is aligned with Georgia’s Common Core standards. Students can learn “how” the questions are going to be asked and practice answering. If you choose to use a CRCT Prep program, make sure the sessions are led by certified teachers. Getting quality guided instruction from a certified teacher, verses practicing alone at a home computer can make a big difference. Omega’s certified teachers have helped students achieve success on the CRCT for nearly a decade.

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 “Academic Team.” Proac-

tive Parents Choose Omega Learning Center for the best CRCT Prep tutoring in Atlanta!

Important Testing Years~ In the state of Georgia, these benchmark years are 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades.

When the students take the CRCT in these grades, they MUST pass the Reading/Language Arts and Math portions of the test in order to move on to the next grade. Students may need some assistance when preparing for this test, because the subject material covered is so extensive For more information on Omega’s CRCT Prep Package starting at only $20/hour, call Omega Learning Center Johns Creek at 770-751-0181 or visit OmegaLearning.com/johnscreek-ga.

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

Amana Academy Offers Expeditionary Learning Experience We Are Crew, Not Passengers.

Named 2011 Georgia Charter School of the Year by the Coca-Cola Foundation, Amana Academy is a tuition-free chartered public school serving over 700 students in grades K-8 from Fulton County Schools districts. Located in Alpharetta, Amana Academy’s mission is to prepare students for high academic achievement beyond what they think possible, so that they become active contributors to building a better world. Our approach is grounded in the Harvard-based Expeditionary Learning model, respecting teachers and school leaders as creative agents in igniting each student’s motivation and criticalthinking skills through in-depth, experience-based, integrated instruction across STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and the Humanities. Our definition of student

success combines academic achievement, exemplary communication skills, world language proficiency in Arabic (one of the six official UN languages), single-gender classroom instruction (grades 4-8), and relevant co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

We believe that academic success is built on strong character qualities of mutual social respect, positive discipline, collaborative learning and an ethic of civic and environmental responsibility shaped through engaging and challenging academic work.

Expeditionary Learning With a Global Perspective 2011 GEORGIA

CHARTER SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

• OPEN ENROLLMENT for the 20142015 Academic Year ongoing January 1-31st.

• OPEN HOUSE on January 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM. www.AmanaAcademy.org

Open House

Sunday, Jan. 26 2pm - 4pm

285 South Main St. | Alpharetta, GA 30009 | www.amanaacademy.org

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Winter 2014 8