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Dual Language Japanese-English State Charter School Accepting Applications for August 2019

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International Charter Academy

International Charter Academy of Georgia (ICA Georgia), a new dual language Japanese-English charter school, will start accepting applications for August 2019 on January 10, 2019. Applications will be available online at www.internationalcharteracademy.org.

As a statewide charter school located in Peachtree Corner, GA, the school is open to any K-5 student residing in the state of Georgia. ICA Georgia uses the Dual Language Model for Japanese and English instruction, which is supported by a wealth of research and recommended by experts in dual language acquisition. In this innovative model, the ratio of time spent in each language favors Japanese in younger grades and shifts to balance more evenly with English as students age. All core subjects will be taught in both languages, exposing students to a wide range of content learning areas in the target language and enhancing academic achievement in general.

The school will employ a number of other state-of-the-art techniques to further enhance students’ education. English and Japanese teachers will use a team teaching approach, and pull out classes will be available in both languages to ensure the success of non-native speakers. Hands-on inquiry based learning and a student-centered environment conducive to lifetime learning and open-mindedness will be hallmarks of ICA Georgia’s program. A special emphasis will be placed on writing in all grades, particularly research paper writing. Effective use of IT will further enhance cooperative learning and differentiation.  A high level of Japanese will be attained by using the Japanese Ministry of Education curriculum in the Japanese department.

Beyond learning the Japanese language, ICA Georgia students will also be exposed  to Japanese school life, including Japanese physical education, music, haiku, cultural events, healthy Japanese food (recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO), and Japanese calligraphy.

School days begin at 8:00 am and end at 3:00 pm Monday through Thursday, with Friday’s dismissal at 2:00 pm. After school care is available until 6:30 pm from Generation in Focus (www.generationinfocus.com). To balance the academic benefits of the year-round calendar for students while at the same time maintaining the convenience of the traditional calendar for parents, the school will have 190 school days per year.

ICA Georgia aims to broaden the horizons of students in Georgia so that they may become global citizens who promote peace around the world. ICA Georgia students will be expected to contribute to the local and global community through various service learning projects, and ICA Georgia will promote parental involvement and build a community that learns from one another.

According to Georgia State Representative Tom Taylor (District 79), “Our state needs employees who can speak more than one language, and there is no better time for its citizens to acquire language skills than when they are young. This charter school will also be an excellent educational environment for children with parents who come from Japan to do business in Georgia.”

Barbara Kennedy, Ed.D, Director of Dual Language and Bilingual Education at the Center for Applied Linguistics, states, “We are excited to see the progress in the preparations for the opening of International Charter Academy of Georgia. Multilingual education is a research-validated approach to promoting second language acquisition among students of various language backgrounds. Additionally, multilingual education can provide opportunities for the promotion of cross-cultural understanding among students, who, in turn, develop important lifelong skills that enhance their ability to interact effectively in our increasingly globalized world.”

Chenyi Zhang, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Georgia State University, states, “In recent years, given the trend of globalization and international collaboration, supporting children’s early foreign language learning has become an important educational issue in early childhood and elementary education. ICA Georgia employs a unique dual language immersion approach to promote children’s foreign language skills through environment exposure and adult-child interactions without interrupting typical English early literacy development…In short, ICA Georgia will provide an early learning experience that is valuable for preparing future generations of ‘global citizens.’”

The US State Department designates Japanese as a Critical Language, and there are more than 600 Japanese companies in Georgia. Yet despite the increasingly globalized nature of our society, research indicates that Global Literacy is low in American youth (Council on Foreign Relations, 2016). Studies show that immersion students develop greater cognitive flexibility, increased attention control, better memory, and superior problem-solving skills compared to their peers. (See Lindholm-Leary, Dual Language Education. (2001)). ICA Georgia’s mission is to provide the students of Georgia with the skills they need to succeed in our increasingly globalized society.

For further details about the school, visit www.internationalcharteracademy.org, call 770-604-0007, or email info@internationalcharteracademy.org.

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ICAGeorgia Granted Middle School Expansion and 5-Year Charter Renewal

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From left to right: Ms. Felecia Tucker-Jones (Principal) Mr. Robert Johnson (Board Chair) Ms. Junko Jones (CFO) // Courtesy of ICAGeorgia

The International Charter Academy of Georgia (ICAGeorgia) is celebrating a big milestone. The Georgia State Charter School Commission (SCSC) approved its plan to expand. They will add a middle school for sixth through eighth grades. The SCSC has also awarded ICAGeorgia a standard five-year charter renewal.

Both decisions stem from the school’s track record of academic, financial and organizational performance according to the SCSC Comprehensive Performance Framework (CPF).

ICAGeorgia was founded in 2018. It has an innovative educational approach. It offers a K-5 dual language program in English and Japanese. Core subjects are taught in both languages.

Courtesy of ICAGeorgia

The school is dedicated to academic excellence, as shown by its outstanding “Content Mastery” score of 91.4%, which puts it in the top 18% of all Georgia elementary schools. ICAGeorgia also has a student math score of 98.28%, which highlights its commitment to fostering problem-solving and achievement.

“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter, empowering our students to thrive academically and culturally and become global citizens as envisioned in our mission statement,” said Robert Johnson, Chairman of the Board of ICAGeorgia.

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Education

Local Students Dazzle at Peachtree’s Got Talent Competition

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Explore the highlights of the Seventh Annual Peachtree's Got Talent show, where student performers showcased an array of unique talents.
Bryson Caldwell // photo courtesy of Gwinnett County Public Schools

There aren’t many times you can find talented student musicians, Tabu classical dancing and a glow in the dark jump roping team all in one place. Yet, the Seventh Annual Peachtree’s Got Talent show on Feb. 23 had all of those things and more.

“We had a total of 100 students audition at tryouts. 20 students in 14 acts were selected to perform based on the originality, diversity and creativity of their presentations,” said Yolanda Sato, head of the talent show committee. “As IB learners, all the students were risk takers while being caring and respectful to their fellow performers.”

Held at Norcross High School, the proceeds from Peachtree’s Got Talent benefited Relay for Life. In total, the event raised over $2,000.

The talent show judges included:

Ruwa Romman, Georgia State Representative,
Dr. Reuben Gresham, GCPS Norcross Cluster Superintendent,
Eric Christ, Peachtree Corners City Councilman,
Lorri Christopher, Former Council member and
Erika Miranda, filmmaker, director and actor.

“I could not have enjoyed my experience judging Peachtree’s Got Talent more. As a spectator, I was in awe of all the contestants as they bravely took the stage to share their joy with their community,” shared Miranda. “As an actor myself, I couldn’t have asked for better inspirations and reminders of the magic one feels when doing the things you love.”

The winners of the annual Peachtree’s Got Talent were:

• First place: El Tepper, who performed an interpretive dance to “Applause” by Lady Gaga),
• Second place: Bryson Caldwell for his drum solo and
• Third place: Skylar Atlakora, Ameena Chan and Madison Page, also known as the Glow in the Dark Jump Roping team.

Peachtree’s Got Talent concluded with performances from Norcross High School’s Eva Tepper and Paul Duke STEM High School’s Latino Dance Club.

Click here for more local school news.

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International Charter Academy of Georgia’s Japan Day at the Capitol [+ PHOTOS]

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International Charter Academy of Georgia students hosting "Japan Day" at the Georgia State Capitol

International Charter Academy of Georgia, located in Norcross, GA, offers a dual language education for students from kindergarten through fifth grade.

On January 23, 2024, International Charter Academy hosted a “Japan Day at the Capitol,” during which 20 students from fourth and fifth grade were selected to sing a variety of songs in both English and Japanese.

Ms. Norika Harada conducted the performance with assistant Ms. Mayuko Nelson, while Governor Brian Kemp and Consul General of Japan Mio Maedawatched on.

Kemp and Maeda recognized the school and the students performing as well as the 50th anniversary of the Consulate General of Japan’s office in Atlanta just before the performance.

During the performance, the students performed “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” “My Country Home,” “My Grandfather’s Clock,” and “It’s a Small World.”

Many families, supporters and businesses attended the event to support International Charter Academy of Georgia on this special occasion.

Photos by Peachtree Corners Magazine

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