2022 Education Guide
Atlanta Independent School Directory
Atlanta is home to many excellent schools and learning resources,
which means you can find exactly the right environment for a challenging and nurturing education for your child.The following profiles represent a selection of independent schools and nearby boarding schools serving the metro Atlanta area. For additional information about the schools listed below, including location, tuition, class size and open house dates, turn to “Beyond the Basics."
Atlanta Academy
Atlanta Academy, located in Roswell, serves 375 private preschool through eighth-grade students in surrounding North Fulton communities. Small class sizes allow teachers to understand students’ strengths and help them discover their unique talents. This warm, nurturing culture fosters good character alongside academic success, and research shows that this learning environment enriches students’ academic performance, well-being and happiness.
The school’s forward-thinking curriculum focuses on building confidence and skills while providing various opportunities for students to succeed at public and prestigious private high schools. Its graduates thrive in a range of exceptional college-preparatory high schools, with over 96 percent of Atlanta Academy graduates being accepted into their top choice high school.
High-performing student achievement is nurtured in the school’s inclusive, non-denominational, family-engaged atmosphere. Teachers model and instill values encouraging social and emotional development, such as empathy, integrity, resiliency and honesty. The Atlanta Academy faculty ranks among some of the industry’s best educators. The school is fully invested in helping children grow into well-educated, independent problem solvers prepared to excel in high school and beyond. To schedule a tour, call 678-461-6102 or visit atlantaacademy.com.
Atlanta International School
Atlanta International School (AIS) is an inclusive multicultural community providing a world-class education to 1,319 US and international students from kindergarten (starting with 3-year-olds) to Grade 12.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) program provides a rigorous academic structure that is complemented by language acquisition programs beginning with a full-immersion preschool program in French, German, Chinese or Spanish.
In addition to the prestigious IB diploma, AIS offers STEM- and STEAM-endorsed and bilingual diplomas. The curriculum is further enhanced with a wide range of activities to help expand learning experiences beyond the classroom. Students can participate in award-winning performing and fine arts opportunities, competitive athletics, and an impressive range of global experiential learning options, all designed to help students realize the school’s mission: To develop courageous leaders who shape their world for the better.
Along with the authorization to offer IB education, AIS is also accredited by the following academic programs: AdvancED/Cognia, Agency of French Teaching Abroad (aefe), Council for International Schools (CIS), European Council for International Schools (ECIS), and Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). For more information, visit aischool.org or call 404-841-3840.
Baylor School
Located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Baylor School is among the finest college-prep schools in the country and is only two hours from Atlanta.
Academics is one constant in Baylor’s 129-year history because it provides a college-preparatory program that engages, challenges, and inspires students to achieve their greatest academic potential at both Baylor and beyond.
While Baylor is first and foremost an academic institution, it believes that prepping students for college requires attention to the body and the spirit as well as the mind. That commitment is reflected in every aspect of Baylor life outside the classroom.
Its students find that balance on what is arguably the most beautiful independent school campus in the Southeast, with 690 acres along the Tennessee River and an abundance of extracurricular opportunities. The campus is home to boarding students from 15 countries and 23 states who enjoy a deep sense of community while discovering an independence most students are not able to experience until college. For more information, visit baylorschool.org or call 423-267-5902.
Brandon Hall School
Brandon Hall’s mission as a co-educational, global day and boarding school is to challenge students to lead lives of leadership, scholarship, and service. Its community celebrates learning, fosters global citizenship, embraces diversity, encourages athleticism and artistic expression, and inspires students to find their path and lead the way.
The school’s 24-acre campus in Sandy Springs is historically and naturally preserved, nestled on the Chattahoochee River. An average class size of eight students ensures that students are fully engaged learners, and its diverse community comprises 22 countries and 10 states. The IB Diploma Programme is offered to eligible students entering their junior year. Bran- don Hall offers world-class arts and athletics partnerships and a variety of extracurricular clubs. All students have regular opportunities to serve local and international communities through its extensive partnerships.
The Center for Global Youth Leadership inspires students to be innovators, problem solvers, and pioneers. Boarding students benefit from the school’s structured and organized program that teaches accountability, character, study habits, and essential life skills.
For more information, visit brandonhall.org or call 770-394-8177.
The Bedford School
The mission of The Bedford School is to maximize the potential of children with learning differences and develop foundations for success. Bedford offers a fresh start to students who may have been frustrated in a traditional setting due to learning differences and provides them opportunities for success. The school serves children in grades 1-9 who have been professionally identified as having specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia and related disorders. This is accomplished through small classes (5-12 per class), a structured, multi-sensory approach and a dedicated staff. Grade-level, college prep curriculum is taught with appropriate accommodations for learning disabled students such as math and English taught twice daily and all material read aloud in class. The school was established in 1985 and currently serves 150 students. Bedford is located on a 45-acre campus in Fairburn, 15 minutes south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. For more information, call 770-774-8001 or visit thebedfordschool.org.
The Cottage School
Building a sense of self for students with special learning needs through academic and experiential programming, The Cottage School (TCS) prepares individuals for fulfillment of their true potential as confident, productive, and independent adults.
It provides an educational environment for students with learning differences in grades 3-12. TCS meets the student where they are today and recognizes that all students learn differently. TCS teaches differently. Based on three pillars of success: academic, social, and emotional, TCS school offers:
• Experiential learning
• Small class sizes (10-student average) for individualized learning
• Customized education plans for every student
• A business-based, incentive-based model that teaches life skills
• Year-round athletic programs that encourage all students to participate
• Post-secondary planning that ensures continued success after graduation Come visit the school’s beautiful 23-acre campus and contact the director of admissions for an appointment today. For more information, call 770-641-8688 or visit cottageschool.org.
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 educate for peace and justice by nurturing the goodness within each student. Offering classes for children from PreK3 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. Enrolling for 2022-23, class space permitting. For more information, visit friendsschoolatlanta.org or call 404-373-8746.
Georgia Cyber Academy
Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) is a tuition-free, online, public charter school serving students in grades K-12 throughout the state. Students can enjoy everything they love about traditional brick-and-mortar education, from the comfort of their own homes. Once partnered with the school’s certified teachers and a family success liaison, students will participate in live interactive classes and an engaging curriculum that sup- ports their individualized learning path. Students access lessons and live classes via an online learning management system, and laptops are provided to qualifying families. During the school day, a parent or guardian acts as a learning coach to provide support and guidance to the student while in the safety and security of the home environment.
Since 2007, the school has been providing high-quality, accredited education to students throughout the state. Some of the programs and services it provides include an advanced & gifted program, English learner program, special education services, counseling, Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment and many more.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of in-person social activities, including field trips, extracurricular clubs, sports, college visits, and even an annual Statewide Community Event Day held in several different regions throughout Georgia.
Interested in enrolling your student at GCA? The school would love for you and your family to join its community of champions. Working together, Georgia Cyber Academy can help your student Rise Up, Aim High, and Soar toward their bright future!
If anyone has questions about the school or the enrollment process or needs more information, call 404-334-4790, visit georgiacyber.org/champions, or email info@georgiacyber.org.
Heritage Preparatory School
Heritage Preparatory School is a classical, Christ-centered school that equips students to think with excellence, believe with confidence, and live with character. The school’s purpose is to offer an academically rigorous experience designed to help students know, love, and practice that which is true, good, and excellent and prepare them to live purposefully and intelligently in the service of God and man.
A Heritage education is aimed at equipping students to become lovers of both learning and Truth. To that end, the school cultivates lifelong learners that think critically and communicate eloquently. It develops graduates who serve the kingdom of God and engage culture faithfully. Heritage believes the purpose of education is not the transfer of information, but the preparation of a mind, nurturing of a heart, and development of a soul to live and think with truth, wisdom, and excellence.
Heritage serves students in Pre-K through high school. The school is dually accredited by SAIS and Cognia and is a member of ACSI and ACCS. The lower school campus is located at 1700 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta, and the upper school is located at 1824 Piedmont Ave. NE, Atlanta. For more information, visit heritageprep.org or call 404-815-7711.
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, 17 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 classrooms 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 AP 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 lo- cal, regional, and state awards. The school is also taking strides to include a number of artistic endeavors for growing minds, including its band and 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.org.
High Meadows School
Since 1973, High Meadows School has inspired children to think critically, learn creatively, act globally, and live compassionately. High Meadows is about learning and laughter, exploration and discovery, and friendship and connection.
The school was built on 42 acres of historic farm property in Roswell, Georgia, and students from 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 education is unlike any other. Visit the campus, located at 1055 Willeo Rd., Roswell, GA 30075, to experience its magic. For more information, visit highmeadows.org or call 770-993-2940.
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 Hwy. 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 6 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 the school’s “Montessori Magic,” call 770-814-8001 or visit jcmsog.org.
Oak Meadow Montessori School
Oak Meadow Montessori School (OMMS) has been awakening children’s natural desire to learn since 1993. Its high-fidelity Montessori environments serve children ages 15 months to 12 years old. Well-equipped Montessori classrooms and the school’s dedicated, experienced staff combine to cultivate a nurturing, inclusive, and vibrant school experience that fosters independence, self-motivation, and a lifelong love of learning. Exploration of its classroom and outdoor environments ignites students’ natural curiosity, and its guides (or teachers) fan their flames of interest, allowing students to maximize their potential.
OMMS is accredited by both the American Montessori Society and SACS/Cognia, ensuring the highest of Montessori and academic standards are met. Come, see what the excitement is all about!
For more information, visit oakmeadowmontessori.com or call 770-963-8303.
The Piedmont School of Atlanta
The Piedmont School of Atlanta serves students in kindergarten through high school with challenges in the areas of learning, social skills, and social problem solving. Typically, Piedmont students have a diagnosis of autism, learning disability, and/or attention deficit disorder.
Certified, master’s-level teachers deliver differentiated instruction. 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 when COVID-19 permits. Piedmont has been named a Boxlight National Demonstration School serving as a model site for incorporating technology in the classroom. For more information, call 404-382-8200 or visit tpsoa.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 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 self-confidence and self-respect. The school has grown, but the child-centered 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 prepares young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service. On its beautiful mountain campus, Rabun Gap inspires students to grow in character, intellect, and spirit. The school values educational accessibility and fosters a community of learners whose diversity is honored and reflects the world. Rabun Gap is the most geographically diverse boarding school in the nation, made up of a student body from 56 countries and 15 states.
The 1,400-acre mountain campus provides many opportunities for hands-on 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, with more than 75 percent of students receiving financial aid and merit scholarships. For more information, call 706-746-7720 or visit rabungap.org.
Springmont School
Springmont, the oldest Montessori school in the Southeast, offers students 18 months through middle school an authentic Montessori experience that is extraordinary by design. Individualized learning inspires students to become creative, independent, and globally minded. 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.
Specially designed Montessori materials support children’s developmental needs and 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.
Multi-aged classes allow younger children to learn from older ones and older students to mentor younger classmates.
Art, music, physical education, and Spanish are important parts of each student’s experience. At Springmont, each student is challenged to reach his or her fullest potential and is empowered to help steer his or 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.
Still Waters International Academy
If you’re looking for a place to call home, Still Waters International Academy (SWIA) serves children from day care through 12th grade. With students and staff from many nations, Still Waters is a community that provides students with an excellent education with Scripture at its center.
Its goal is to prepare students to succeed in competitive environments and develop their unique abilities to the fullest to show forth God’s glory. The school believes small class-size ratios create the most effective classroom environments for students to learn, be challenged, and develop positive relationships.
SWIA is a private Christian school located in Norcross. Its families love the convenience of a day care and K-12 school in one location.
SWIA has a ST2E2AM internship program where middle and high school students work alongside industry leaders to create engineering solutions. ST2E2AM stands for Science, Technology, Theology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Art, and Math.
The core curriculum is Abeka Book, and Spanish and Chinese are a part of the curriculum as well. K-12 students participate in project-based learning within a grade-level context.
The school’s joy is to see each child grow to become lifelong lovers of learning for the purpose of serving God’s people.
For more information, visit stillwaters.academy or call 770-449-4125.
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 is 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, Suzuki 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.
The Walker School
At The Walker School, the infinite worth and dignity of each student define its approach to learning. Walker is the top pre-K3-12th-grade school open to all faiths in metro Atlanta. At Walker, students engage in advanced academics taught by dynamic faculty. With an average class size of 15 students, each child is challenged, supported and encouraged to explore all opportunities on its campus.
At Walker, you can star in the fall musical, represent your school on the soccer field and design your own genetic research project. Upper school students are able to customize their high school experience, choosing from a wide range of academic offerings, including 26 of the 31 College Board Advanced Placement courses. Most of all, your child is known.
One hundred percent of graduates are accepted to four-year colleges and universities. Walker students are excited and confident about college and beyond. Walker is located 2 miles from the Marietta Square, and it offers more than 20 bus routes in the metro area. At the school, tuition assistance is available to bridge the gap between the cost of tuition and a family’s ability to pay. For more information about the wonder of Walker, visit thewalkerschool.org/admission/why-walker.
Woodward Academy
With renowned college-preparatory academics and a community defined by its geographic, racial, spiritual, economic, and cognitive diversity, Woodward Academy is Atlanta at its best. From pre-K through 12th grade, Woodward is a place where a child can study Gauguin and golf, Copernicus and coding, rhetoric and robotics—all in one day.
With 2,500 students across two campuses spanning 133 acres, complemented by the intimacy of a 6:1 student-teacher ratio, Woodward offers the vast resources and opportunities of a college or university coupled with the intimacy and attention of home. Students learn how to think about and engage in the world outside of themselves, making a commitment to do their best, and gaining the confidence to make a difference. This shared purpose is something the school calls The Woodward Way.
Woodward challenges its students to explore new academic frontiers and reach their fullest potential. What does success look like? Look no further than the 24 AP classes, renowned Transition Program for students with mild learning differences, more than 100 clubs and cocurriculars, 75 yearly arts performances, and 18 varsity sports. Woodward’s Global Connections Program offers extensive international study abroad programs, and its innovative STEAM programs are woven into the curriculum—from coding for kindergarteners to the Independent Scientific Research program, which pairs juniors and seniors with university professors to work on real-world problems.
At Woodward, students don’t just gain knowledge. The Woodward Way imbues them with skills and traits such as respect, social awareness, empathy, open-mindedness, accountability, and dedication to service, which will serve them throughout their lives and enable them to make their mark in the world. 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. For more information, visit woodward.edu or call 404-765-4001.
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. Wesleyan started the 2022-2023 school year with 1,207 students enrolled in grades K-12. 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.
Whitefield Academy
Whitefield Academy’s college-preparatory education is built on Christ- centered values and beliefs, enabling students to succeed in both college and life. Whitefield teachers engage deeply with their students in the pursuit of knowledge and truth with shared experiences, grace and accountability. And because students are known, valued, and loved, they thrive academically and are equipped to face the challenges of the future.
Located just off I-285 in Smyrna, Whitefield maintains a solid academic reputation with its numerous Advanced Placement and honors courses, and a rigorous curriculum that sets the framework for 100 percent of its graduates to matriculate to colleges and universities. With more than 50 sports teams, including 20 varsity squads, Whitefield athletes have multiple opportunities for both participation and success.
Whitefield’s award-winning fine arts programs and newly debuted Innovation Lab are allowing students to explore and develop their passions in theater, music, and visual arts, as well as STEM subjects such as engineering and robotics. For more information about Whitefield or to register for a virtual tour, visit whitefieldacademy.com.
