Schools

APS Admin, Parents Discuss Grade 6 Academy

Bockman, Walden suggest positive impacts of sixth-grade academy

Questions about the proposed grade six academy for were finally addressed Wednesday night by Atlanta Public Schools administrators.

Parents and residents have asked for more details about benefits of an off-site academy, how transportation would work, the impact on extra-curricular activities and other logistics, but failed to receive any concrete answers until Wednesday.

Though the possible location of the academy remains unknown, Betsy Bockman, the administrator that oversees the Grady cluster, and Karen Walden, director of curriculum for the district, reassured parents that students at a grade six academy would have many opportunities for clubs, sports and other extra-curricular activities.

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Details would be ironed out based on the final decision, Walden said, but administrators are working behind the scenes to prepare a plan.

District Superintendent Erroll B. Davis plans to release his final recommendation to the board of education sometime between March 31 and April 2.

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The board will vote on his recommendation at the .

closing Coan Middle School and using the building as a grade six academy for Inman.

Bockman said Wednesday night using Coan is off the table, and said a grade six academy could be a good learning environment for sixth-graders in a pivotal transition year.

"Many many many sixth-graders are much closer to still being fifth-graders than they are to being seventh-graders," Bockman said. "I think for the children, it might be a really, really unique very good experience that they might really enjoy, just being able to focus on being themselves and not trying to be like the seventh-graders or be like the eighth-graders."

Parent voices ranged from concerned to supportive Wednesday night.

parents urged administrators to include the community when finalizing the transition plan to avoid chaos similar to the kindergarten annex used to house students during the Springdale Park transition.

Watch video footage above from the Wednesday meeting.

Read more about Atlanta Public Schools redistricting.

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