A Look at Charter Schools Problem-Solving Skills Jennifer Almonte-Gomez’s son, Chase, is in kindergarten at Amana Academy. She and her husband chose Amana, because they see STEM as the future. “A STEM education provides an opportunity to really develop and practice critical thinking skills that help with solving real world challenges. He is able to acquire relevant knowledge in respect to a world he is actively living and participating in,” she says. The STEM focus allows students to apply what they’ve learned to solve an authentic problem for the local community. “This provides tangible evidence for students that they are prepared to be global changemakers; not in the distant future, but in the present,” says Cherisse Campbell, Amana’s principal. Chase looks forward to going to school every day, as he doesn’t realize he’s learning – he’s just having fun. “It’s important that learning doesn’t become undesirable but something to look forward to,” Almonte-Gomez says. Campbell has been in education for 14 years and taught at Amana for seven. “The biggest difference that I find in a charter school is the degree of alignment between parents, teachers and leaders,” she says of how a charter school differs from a traditional public school. “Everyone chooses to join our school because they believe in what we are trying to do and the way we are trying to do it.” Patti Atkinson, a STEM Teacher and Student Engagement Coordinator at Amana, comes from a family of educators. “I love the rich eclectic culture that our school has,” she says. “Our school speaks over 30 languages.”
n Amana Academy. Start-up charter. STEM, Expeditionary
Learning and Arabic. Enrollment: 750 students. 285 S. Main St., Alpharetta. amanaacademy.org
The Love of Performing Arts When Natalie Fikes’ son, Elijah, sang at his elementary school graduation, she was blown away by his performance. She wondered if she was feeling typical pride as a mom, but several people commented on his musical ability and advised her to enroll Elijah in a performing arts school. The original school Fikes wanted to enroll him in had a waiting list, but a woman at the school board brought up charter schools. She searched online for a school that would help him grow his love of singing, dancing and acting. For the last two years, Elijah has been at Utopian Academy for the Arts. “It’s like his ocean. He’s a fish in his own water,” she says. “He loves the environment, the support, the balance of being educationally rooted and also being able to do what he wants. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that my son would not be who he is today if he did not have the opportunity to attend Utopian.” “I love the autonomy to be free,” says Ebonne Craft, the Dean of Arts at Utopian Academy. “We have structure and guidelines, but we’re able to be innovative in everything that we do and every aspect. We have dreams, and we turn those visions into fruition.” Parental contributions at Utopian include helping with hair for a production, costume donors, volunteering and fundraising, according to Craft. The school holds an awards ceremony for parents who go above and beyond. “Our scholars are determined, and our teachers are dedicated. There’s no limit to the things that we can do and accomplish, along with our parents and staff to help us,” she says. “It is very family-like within our Utopian village.” n Utopian Academy for the Arts. Start-up charter. Performing
arts. Enrollment: 264 students. 2750 Forest Pkwy., Ellenwood. utopianacademyforthearts.com 78 Atlanta Parent January 2020
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