2019 Atlanta Independent School Directory
Atlanta is home to many excellent schools and learning resources,
which means you can find exactly the right education environment for your child. The following profiles represent a selection of independent schools, educational services and nearby boarding schools serving the metro Atlanta area. For additional information about the institutions listed below, including location, class size and open house dates, turn to "Beyond the Basics."Arbor Montessori School
In 1970, a group of teachers met around a kitchen table to discuss what an ideal Montessori program in Atlanta would look like. Almost 50 years later, Arbor Montessori School continues to serve the Atlanta area. Arbor students become lifelong learners, creative problem-solvers, collaborators, and global citizens who want to make a difference in the world.
Today, Arbor is one of the largest Montessori schools in the Southeast, yet in Arbor’s community, children receive individualized attention from understanding, knowledgeable, experienced faculty. Arbor serves children age 18 months old to eighth grade with developmentallyappropriate environments and curricula at each stage.
“Arbor provides an authentic Montessori education,” says Luci David, an Arbor parent. “The teachers are kind, patient, and passionate; the classrooms and play areas are beautiful and safe. Most importantly, my child is flourishing and is excited to go to school every day.” The flagship campus sits on a 4-acre wooded lot offering students opportunities to engage inside and outside. In addition to an outstanding academic program, Arbor offers art, music, Spanish, before-and after-school care, a strong athletics program, extracurriculars, and a close-knit community.
Arbor’s second campus offers a conveniently-located, smaller community of toddler and primary classes for 3-to 6-year-olds. Children benefit from intentionally designed materials and experienced teachers. Arbor’s teachers offer lessons promoting meaningful work, encouraging children to be the optimal version of themselves. The founders’ vision has become a reality. Go here, then go anywhere. For more information, visit arbormontessori.org or call 404-321-9304.
The Bedford School
The Bedford School offers a fresh start to students who have been frustrated in a traditional setting due to learning differences. The school serves children in grades 1-9 who have been professionally identified as having specific learning disabilities and related disorders. The school’s mission is to maximize the potential of children with learning differences and develop foundations for success; this is accomplished through small classes (10-12 per class), a structured, multi-sensory approach and a dedicated staff. The school was established in 1985 and currently serves 150 students. The Squirrel Hollow Camp summer program offers academic tutoring and recreational activities. The camp is open to children who need an academic boost in the summer; a student does not have to be enrolled in the school to attend summer camp. Students receive tutoring in reading, math and written expression and participate in recreational activities on the school’s Challenge Course and outdoor pool. Bedford is located on a 46-acre campus in Fairburn, 15 minutes south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. For more information, call The Bedford School at 770-774- 8001 or visit thebedfordschool.org.
Ben Franklin Academy
The Ben Franklin Academy is an independent, progressive, college-prep high school, teaching a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum tailored to each student’s individual learning style, needs, and special interests. BFA is committed to individualized instruction and mastery learning. It offers three levels of instruction: College Prep, Honors, and Advanced Placement, with 25 Advanced Placement courses and 25 honors classes. Small by design, BFA serves around 125 students in grades 9-12 each year. Classes are available in both morning and afternoon sessions with work study, as well as two longer day options without a work-study commitment. At BFA, you will find a caring community of learners, where students develop strong relationships with their teachers and advisors, work in settings designed to encourage their best efforts, and become responsible, self-directed young men and women who are ready to excel at college and beyond. For more information, call 404-633-7404 or visit benfranklinacademy.org.
Canterbury School
Canterbury School is an independent, nonprofit private school located in the Morningside-Emory area of Atlanta, offering a range of programs for infants from eighth grade to pre-K. It provides an innovative alternative learning environment that embraces diversity of all kinds, where students’ ideas are valued, their individuality is celebrated, and they are empowered to steer their own education. Since 1954, Canterbury has been dedicated to providing a superior, nurturing education for young children, and it challenges each child to meet his or her potential by providing small class sizes, an adaptable environment and a flexible curriculum. For more information, call 404-522-5659 or visit canterburyschoolga.com.
Harvester Christian Academy
For 32 years, Harvester Christian Academy (HCA) in Douglasville has been training minds to lead and hearts to serve. By integrating a Christian worldview into everything they do, students and staff are inspired to serve and dedicated to an excellent academic experience that prepares each student for success in college and life. Parents consistently say they chose HCA because of its family atmosphere and commitment to educating Christian servant leaders. A new classroom building offers STEAM courses for all grades as it houses the media center, art studio, computer lab, and STEM lab. In 2018, HCA had the highest SAT and ACT scores in the county. Its seniors earned over $2 million in scholarships and over 90% qualified for HOPE. With demonstrated academic success and over two dozen athletic and club offerings, HCA enables each student to thrive. For more information, call 770- 942-1583 to schedule a tour or visit harvesteracademy.com.
Educational Services
Children’s Special Services LLC
Children’s Special Services, LLC (CSS) is a comprehensive developmental child therapy testing service in Atlanta, GA.
CSS is known for providing in-depth answers to help children, teachers and families thoroughly understand and address current and underlying academic and social challenges. It does so by testing sensory processing, visual motor coordination, visual processing, and organizational skills and more. In addition, CSS helps teachers design learning approaches to insure a child’s academic and social success, as well as helping families facilitate positive behavioral outcomes.
By working with the child, his or her parents and the school, CSS is able to provide child focused guidance that gets results. Getting the right answer is the first step to success. CSS is committed to helping children excel. That is just one of the reasons that Susan N. Orloff, OTR/L, FAOTA has been awarded a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association, and her company, CSS, has received many awards including the Georgia Award for Excellence in Preschool Screening Services. For more information, call 770-329-0119 or visit childrens-services.com.
Endeavor Montessori
A Montessori education offers significant developmental benefits in addition to academic success. Montessori students benefit from a curriculum that focuses on developing physical, cognitive, social and emotional growth, enabling them to reach their full potential and thrive as well-rounded individuals. Through specifically designed lessons that follow the Montessori philosophy, children gain an understanding and appreciation for learning that lasts a lifetime.
Endeavor Montessori, opening this fall in Dunwoody, will implement a modernized Montessori approach that cultivates the whole child through a nurturing and inspiring school environment coupled with challenging academic lessons and activities. Designed for infants through middle school-age children, Endeavor Montessori’s curriculum is distilled from the experiences and knowledge of esteemed Montessori-certified teachers and leaders from across the country.
Children will benefit from a childcentered approach to learning, whereby each child’s uniqueness is recognized, and individual progression is encouraged. In an Endeavor Montessori classroom, teachers know that each child learns in a different way, and they will accommodate each child’s specific needs and learning style. Each child will be challenged appropriately, and high academic standards will require the students to fully master a subject before moving up to the next level.
One of Endeavor Montessori’s main goals is to develop self-directed citizens of the world. Culture and diversity will be celebrated through a global approach to learning, which fosters cultural awareness and builds a sense of connection with all human beings despite their differences. Children will benefit from learning that these differences should always be respected and from the integration of global languages into their curriculum.
Endeavor Montessori will offer a learning environment where children are exposed to appropriate levels of technology, integrated seamlessly into an enhanced Montessori curriculum. This approach, along with a Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math (STEAM) program, addresses the demands placed by modern education, while also strengthening children’s innate desire to seek knowledge on their own and find the answers to their own questions.
Emphasis is also placed on building a strong bond between teachers, students and their families. Children and parents will benefit from a warm and close-knit school community with educators who are passionate about the growth of each child.
This combination of a holistic Montessori curriculum with a modernized approach and community-oriented atmosphere will prepare students to actively meet and overcome challenges in a positive and healthy way. For more information, call 770-637- 1242 or visit endeavormontessori.com.
Johns Creek Montessori School of Georgia
A Montessori education develops children who are responsible, creative, innovative, respectful and kind. Montessori children are truly the citizens of the future, equipped to face challenges with confidence and competence. Located near the intersection of 141 and McGinnis Ferry Road in Johns Creek, Johns Creek Montessori School of Georgia provides excellence in Montessori education for infants, toddlers and children up to six years old. JCMSOG provides an authentic Montessori environment, where each individual’s needs are respected, and everyone works together for the good of the community. The focus is always on helping the children develop themselves in a caring, peaceful environment. By helping children develop independence, the school assists them in their physical and emotional development. As their sense of security in their ability to care for themselves and their environment grows, their brains have more energy or “bandwidth” for increased academic learning. Additionally, this focus on development of muscular control is a first step in developing self-discipline. The JCMSOG difference is best experienced in person. To schedule a visit with your child to observe their “Montessori Magic,” call 770-814-8001 or visit jcmsog.org.
Midtown International School
What would it be like for students to learn without limits? At Midtown International School (MIS), Atlanta’s K-12 home for globally-minded, gifted learners, students are doing just that. Authentic, real-world problems provide students opportunities to collaborate and think critically to generate solutions. Teachers serve as equally curious co-learners on the quest to expand worldviews and catalyze new thinking. MIS ignites the educational and social learning of gifted students through advanced instruction in science, math, world languages, and technology; arts integration across the curriculum; and educational travel for all upper elementary, middle, and high school students. Schedule a tour at midtowninternationalschool.com today! Midtown International School, 1475 Sheridan Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30324, 404-542-7003
The Friends School of Atlanta
The Friends School of Atlanta (FSA) provides challenging academics in a diverse environment, drawing on values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship to empower students to go out into the world with conscience, conviction and compassion. Founded as a model of diversity in 1991, FSA strives to address the development of the whole child and seeks to nurture that of goodness within each student. Offering classes for children from pre-K3 through eighth grade, FSA’s program is designed to prepare students for a successful high school future and a lifetime of engagement as thoughtful citizens. The school is enrolling for 2019- 20, class space permitting. For more information, visit friendsschoolatlanta.org or call 404-373-8746.
High Meadows School
Since 1973, High Meadows School has inspired children to think critically, learn creatively, act globally, and live compassionately. High Meadows is a place of learning and laughter, exploration and discovery, and friendship and connection. The school was built on 42-acres of historic farm property in Roswell. Students age 3 through eighth grade experience a school environment where adventure and play go hand in hand with extraordinary academic preparation and exemplary student outcomes. From the outstanding faculty and breathtaking campus to the small class sizes and acclaimed International Baccalaureate curriculum, a High Meadows School education is unlike any other. Plan your visit to experience the magic of High Meadows! 1055 Willeo Rd., Roswell, GA 30075. For more information, visit highmeadows.org or call 770-993-2940.
Midway Covenant Christian School
Midway Covenant Christian School strives in every way possible to provide an environment that helps children excel in all areas of life. The school wants to afford every opportunity to its students and understands that true success—both academic and social—must be achieved through moral excellence and intellectual challenge. MCCS was started as a ministry of Midway Presbyterian Church with the goal of assisting parents to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It provides an education that is Christian, classical, and covenantal. At Midway, faculty and staff strive for excellence in character as directed by the Bible and excellence in each student’s academic development. Midway is not a Christian school because it teaches verses and has a Scripture lesson each day. It is so because Biblical principles permeate every aspect of the school day. For more information, call 770-590-1866 or visit midwayschool.org.
Lyndon Academy
Linda Murdock founded Lyndon Academy in 2005 with an interest in creating an elite private educational experience for local and international students alike. Now, 14 years later, this goal has been met with flying colors. But that doesn’t mean the school is resting on its past accomplishments.
With its small class sizes and a vested interest in seeing pupils grow into leaders, Lyndon sees that its students, no matter how young, are confident and eager to engage in classroom activities. Students are taught to speak up and share what they’ve learned.
There’s a lot that goes into that level of preparedness and enthusiasm, but perhaps the biggest detail is the student-teacher ratios in relation to the advanced courses offered. With a ratio of 8 to 1, students receive personal instruction in a wide range of topics, from hands-on science opportunities to immersive studies in Spanish and Mandarin. In addition to meeting local public and private institutions class for class, Lyndon offers more Advanced Placement classes than the average school in the U.S.
As a family-founded school, Lyndon knows the importance of social development, and it helps to create this through athletics, special events, and extracurricular activities. The competitive sports teams have tapped into school pride and taken home local, regional, and state awards. The school is also taking strides to include a number of artistic endeavors for growing minds, including its band and the choral group.
This is Lyndon’s goal in motion: preparing young minds for the rigors of higher education, from pre-K to high school. For more information, call 770-926-0166 or visit lyndonacademy.com
The Piedmont School of Atlanta
The Piedmont School of Atlanta serves children in kindergarten through high school with challenges in the areas of learning, social skills, and social problem-solving. Certified, masters-level teachers deliver differentiated instruction using a project-based dynamic approach. The curriculum exceeds the Georgia Standards and includes PE, art, foreign language, theater, social-emotional, and ethical behavior, transition planning, job coaching, and community-based instruction. The Piedmont School has been named a Boxlight National Demonstration School serving as a model site for incorporating technology in the classroom. The school offers after-school programming. For more information, call The Piedmont School of Atlanta at 404-382-8200 or visit tpsoa.org.
Our Lady of Victory Catholic School
Celebrating 20 years, Our Lady of Victory serves students in prekindergarten through eighth grade providing an education of academic excellence in a dynamic, faith-filled environment that’s supported by a joyful, family-centered community. Victory students are engaged in the school’s rigorous curriculum with small classes, individual attention from highly qualified, dedicated teachers and state-of-the-art technology. Our Lady of Victory has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. OLV’s ethnically diverse population represents a culturally rich environment. Along with Catholic Christian values and character development, students have a solid foundation and are prepared for a lifetime of success. For more information, call 770-306-9026 or visit olvcatholicschoolK-8.org
Porter Academy
“We are so pleased with the progress he has made so far this year. He is beaming when he reads aloud, and his confidence is soaring. He is no longer too timid to take chances and try something new. We couldn’t be happier!” —Porter Academy parent
When parents first come tour Porter Academy, many of them feel heavy with frustration, anxiety, and sadness because they have fought hard for their children, but with little success to show for their efforts. These same families, within a few months of enrollment, are able to relax and feel hopeful, knowing that their children are finally happy and learning. The school’s founder, Claudia Porter, didn’t teach a curriculum, she taught a child. She knew each child’s passions, strengths, and stumbling blocks. She knew that their past struggles had made them feel less...less capable, less important...and that these feelings had led many of them to resist trying. They had learned to slip through the cracks or to distract from the real problems by acting out behaviorally. Mrs. Porter knew that the first step to getting children to learn was to rebuild their selfconfidence and self-respect. The school has grown, but the childcentered care and teaching persists, enabling each child to find joy and success in learning. For more information, call 770-594-1313 or visit porteracademy.org.
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School
Founded in 1903 and located just two hours north of Atlanta, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School nurtures and challenges students from diverse backgrounds as they prepare for college and a lifetime of service. Rabun Gap is the most geographically diverse boarding school in the nation, made up of a community of students from 50 different countries and 15 states. The 1,400-acre mountain campus provides many opportunities for experiential learning, as well as arts and athletic activities. Rabun Gap students graduate ready for college: 100% attend the top colleges and universities in the U.S. and around the world. Rabun Gap makes a boarding school education a reality for families. More than 75% of students receive financial aid and merit scholarships. Rabun Gap values diversity in all forms and offers students an opportunity to grow and learn in a community reflective of their future. For more information, call 706-746-7720 or visit rabungap.org.
The Suzuki School
The Suzuki school is a preparatory preschool committed to providing young children with the best in early childhood education. Its belief in the innate ability and talent of every child guides them in creating an environment rich in language, discovery, and stimulation. They know that a child’s learning experience begins right away, and that every moment is an opportunity to engage and explore. Suzuki recognizes that the first years of life are the most critical in the development of an inquisitive mind and a noble heart. The school’s faculty are comprised of well-qualified trained educators who also serve as thought leaders for other professionals in the field of early childhood education. With a full-time program for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children, the Suzuki School has been built upon these Five Foundations: Love of Learning, Respect for Nature, Culture and Tradition, A Noble Heart, and Talent Education. For more information, call 404-841-3939 or visit suzukischool.com.
T.H.R.I.V.E. Christian Academy
T.H.R.I.V.E. Christian Academy (TCA) empowers its students to achieve above national averages; excel beyond the walls of the classroom via annual out-ofstate enrichment trips; and cultivate their lives spiritually, developing their own faith and relationship with God. TCA serves children from early childhood through 12th grade, and offers advanced classes, in which each student is placed a grade level ahead in both reading and math. T.H.R.I.V.E. accommodates and celebrates exceptional learners and recognizes students with an Individual Education Plan (IEPs). TCA’s tailored academics, accelerated individualized curriculum, and victorious athletics make it the perfect fit for your child. For more information, call 470-375-4120 or visit theTHRIVEway.org. You may also visit the school at 6015 Old Stone Mountain Rd., Stone Mountain, GA 30087.
Springmont School
Springmont, the oldest Montessori school in the Southeast, offers students 18 months through middle school an integrated, experiential learning opportunity that is extraordinary by design. Classrooms are large, light-filled and thoughtfully prepared while the campus’ many natural areas, class gardens and farm animals afford rich outdoor life science lessons.
Multi-aged classes allow younger children to learn from older ones and older students to mentor younger classmates. Specially-designed Montessori materials, designed to support children’s developmental needs, offer students a wide variety of hands-on activities that concretely reinforce skills, lessons and concepts. Highly-experienced teachers guide students through an individualized curriculum that develops the whole child—socially, emotionally, and academically.
Physical Education, Spanish, Art, and Music are important parts of each student’s experience. At Springmont, each student is challenged to reach his/her fullest potential and is empowered to help steer his/her own education. Students’ innate curiosity grows into a lifelong love of learning and a quest for meaningful discoveries and deeper knowledge.
Middle school students run micro-economies, participate in internships, and compete in regional academic competitions. They have opportunities to hone time-management skills, experience active leadership roles, articulate complex ideas and work both independently and in diverse groups.
Springmont graduates are confident, collaborative, engaged learners, prepared for success in Atlanta’s premier high schools as well as life beyond academics. Springmont School—Extraordinary by Design. For more information, call 404-252-3910 or visit springmont.com.
Stepping Stone Montessori School
Stepping Stone Montessori School is an authentic Montessori program for children ages six weeks to third grade. Each level consists of mixed-aged classrooms—Nido equals 6 weeks to 18 months; Toddler equals 18 months to 3-year-olds; Primary equals 3-year-olds to 6-year-olds. The Toddler community has a two-hour work cycle and the Primary Community has a three-hour work cycle.
At the AMI-Accredited Sugar Hill campus, the elementary class is first grade through third grade and will eventually expand to sixth grade. The children have access to all classroom materials during their time at school and choose their work according to their interests. This open-ended cycle promotes physical and mental independence.
At both campuses, all lead teachers are either AMI- or AMS-certified in one or more Montessori levels. The school provides continuing education for all staff members through Bright From The Start classes and Montessori workshops locally and nationally.
Stepping Stone’s mission is to support each child to be kind and respectful of the Earth and each other, to be self-disciplined, to have excellent critical thinking skills, and continue their love of learning. Equally important are its partnerships with parents through conferences, education nights and social gatherings. For more information, visit steppingstonemontessori.com or call to schedule a tour; Sugar Hill Campus, 770-614-4310; Cumming, 770-205-0317.
Vanguard School
Vanguard School, located in Lake Wales, Florida, is a learning environment that addresses student strengths and challenges to build self-confidence and learning skills. The school works with students through academics and residential settings to provide mentors, athletics and clubs, community service opportunities, and goal attainment for students in 6th through 12th grades with learning challenges. Students can qualify for dual-enrollment in post-secondary schools, complete college and career preparation, and internships in fields of their interest. Vanguard School is a co-educational boarding and day school where students overcome past hurdles and gain a wide spectrum of skills to discover their potential. For more information, call 863-676-6091 or visit vanguardschool.org. You may also visit the school for a personal tour: 22000 U.S. 27, Lake Wales, FL, 33859.
The Walker School
The Walker School is metro Atlanta’s top independent school for students in pre-K3 through 12th grade seeking an engaging customized educational experience within an intimately scaled, caring and diverse community. Walker helps each student chart a path of self-realization to become their best possible self, giving them the confidence and skills to navigate a 21st century world. A sense of wonder kindles students’ innate curiosity and is channeled into challenging curricula, competitive athletics and a varied offering of extracurricular activities. Walker teachers instill a lifelong love of learning, and students lead in all manner of endeavor. Walker is nonprofit and open to students of all faiths. The school offers 20 morning and afternoon bus stops. For more information, call 678-581-6891 or visit thewalkerschool.org.
Wesleyan School
Wesleyan School believes faith and intellect are great partners with each other. At Wesleyan, it’s not a matter of choosing faith or intellect, but rather using both to create the best possible education for your child. The school leadership and faculty work to provide students with an atmosphere that is challenging, reinforces the value of hard work, and emphasizes character and integrity above accomplishment. Wesleyan prepares students for each stage of life and provides them the opportunity to see all the possibilities that lie before them.
The school is located just outside of I-285 at Peachtree Corners, and will enroll 1,179 students from grades K-12 for the 2019- 2020 school year. Wesleyan offers bus routes throughout the metro Atlanta area and has morning and afternoon options. For more information or to schedule a campus tour, call 770-448-7640 or visit wesleyanschool.org
Woodward Academy
At Woodward Academy, one size doesn’t fit even two. From pre-K through 12th grade, Woodward is a place where your child can study Gauguin and golf, Copernicus and coding, rhetoric and robotics—all in one day. With 2,500 students on two campuses spanning 133-acres, yet a student-teacher ratio of just 7:1, Woodward has the resources and opportunities of a college but the intimacy and attention of home. It’s about creating your own path within a truly diverse community under the guidance of caring faculty, coaches, counselors, mentors, and advisors—all while cultivating strong character and a deep respect for difference. Woodward challenges its students to explore new academic frontiers and reach their fullest potential. What does success look like? Look no further than the 26 Advanced Placement classes, renowned Transition Program for students with mild learning differences, 86 student clubs, 75 yearly arts performances, and 18 varsity sports. Its Global Connections Program offers extensive international study abroad programs, and the innovative STEM programs are woven into the curriculum at every step of the way—from coding for kindergarteners to the Independent Scientific Research program, which pairs juniors and seniors with university professors to work on real-world problems. A typical Woodward Academy graduating class attends more than 100 different colleges and universities, devotes 5,000 hours to community service, and earns more than $15 million in scholarship awards. Find out more about Woodward Academy and the vast options available for students to create their own path. For more information, call 404-765-4001 or visit woodward.edu.
