About Atlanta Charter Middle School
The Students
For the 2007-2008 school year, ACMS enrolled 120 students in grades six, seven, and eight. Coming from all over Atlanta, the student body reflects the diversity of the city. 52% of our students are in the free and reduced meal program. The racial makeup of the students is 6% - Multiracial, 56% - Black, 29% - Caucasian, 8% - Hispanic, and 1% - Other. Though the school is still growing, the student body will not exceed 240 students.
The Faculty
The teachers and staff at ACMS possess a wide range of skills and talents useful to working with middle school students. Most hold advanced degrees, and several have served in leadership capacities in other schools and non-profit organizations. The ACMS faculty works collaboratively over the summer and throughout the year to create the unique educational program offered at the school. Teachers pursue ongoing professional development both individually and through organizations like the National Council of Teachers of English, National Council for the Social Studies, National Science Teachers Association, and the National Council for Teaching Mathematics. As well, several teachers participate in a "critical friends group", facilitated by a coach trained by the National School Reform Faculty, working together to improve their practice and student learning.
The Curriculum
ACMS uses a "constructivist" approach to guide teaching and learning. Rooted in research, constructivism places students at the center of their learning in a hands-on way, actively engaged in exploring questions and coached by their teachers towards the demonstration of mastery of higher-order concepts and critical-thinking skills. Classes at ACMS are heterogeneously grouped, with students of the same grade level in classes together.
The curriculum at ACMS does not rely on textbooks; rather, it is driven by rich and interesting learning experiences that help students to show understanding. Teachers develop the curriculum to reflect both the Georgia Performance Standards for each grade level and the standards of national discipline-specific organizations. As well, experiences which take students away from the school to support their learning occur on a regular basis, whether exploring the cosmos at the Space Science Center, comparing different artistic movements at the High Museum of Art, or getting to know more about our national history by visiting Washington, D.C. as the entire eighth grade will do this spring.
Students at ACMS have a daily schedule that rotates through three different blocks of approximately 2 hours each: one block of math and science (led by two teachers), one block of language arts and social studies (led by two teachers), and one block of the arts, technology, Spanish, Fit for Life, and/or project/work time.
Advisory
Another important component of the ACMS experience is advisory. Each teacher at the school also plays the role of an advisor to a small group of 10-13 students to help meet the developmental needs of middle school-aged students.
Advisory meets every morning for half an hour, and once a month there is an extended advisory time. Advisory encompasses many functions, most of which fall under one of four primary purposes:
- To learn to understand and appreciate people who are different from us.
- To participate in activities that build group spirit and cohesiveness.
- To support and be supported by other advisory members in discussing and facing academic, social, and community issues.
- To work together on common projects which benefit others through service to the community.
Meeting the Needs of Students
ACMS provides a number of supports to students with exhibited learning needs, including using a student support team to identify struggling learners and assess the effectiveness of various instructional interventions for students, offering before and after school help sessions, and accommodating and/or modifying the curriculum. The student services staff (which includes the student support team and special education) works in consultation with parents, guardians, and/or caregivers to develop individual plans for students. Additionally, a counselor works with students both in one-on-one and group settings to address social and emotional issues.
Beyond the Classroom
Students at ACMS are presented with numerous opportunities to grow outside of the classroom. Some of these academic, artistic, and athletic outlets include:
- The ACMS Wolves participate in the LUKE Sports League in flag football, cheerleading, basketball, and soccer
- A thriving after school band program that performs in concerts and at events
- The drama club which puts on as well as attends theatrical performances
- A math team that travels around the state matching their problem-solving abilities against other schools
- Student government and student mediation to help maintain a school in which student voice is honored and heard
- A commitment to the school and the world beyond through regular service projects
Performance on Outside Measures
Like all public schools in the state of Georgia, ACMS students are required to take the Criterion Referenced Competency Test in grades six, seven, and eight. The first two years of the school, ACMS students have performed strongly, ranking among the highest-scoring schools in the city and state.
CRCT, Spring 2007: Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding Standard
| Subject | 6th Grade | 7th Grade | ACMS (Overall) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 89.5 | 96.2 | 92.3 |
| Language Arts | 89.5 | 95 | 92.3 |
| Mathematics | 81.7 | 84.7 | 83.2 |
| Science | 77.1 | 87 | 82.1 |
| Social Studies | 86.9 | 87 | 86.9 |
The school is also required to submit an annual report to the Georgia Department of Education, and every five years, ACMS undergoes a rigorous school quality review by state and local officials as part of the renewal of its charter.
Governing Board
The ACMS Governing Board, a body composed of parents, community members, and faculty, guides decisions about school policy. The governing board meets collectively once a month, and sub-committees such as finance and parent/family involvement also convene regularly.
Parent & Family Involvement
ACMS was founded on the belief that the active involvement of parents and family in the life of the school promotes the well being of students. Each family, as part of enrollment in the school, agrees to give 15 hours (for a two parent/guardian household) or 10 hours (for a single parent/guardian household) of service to the school each year. From assisting in the classroom, offering expertise in certain areas, or serving on committees, parents, guardians, and caregivers play a significant role in the ACMS community.
What is a charter school?
Georgia law grants groups the right (or "charter") to start new public schools that report to the state Department of Education and to their own independent governing boards. By freeing charter schools from the constraints of district supervision, charter school law aims to promote innovative educational ideas. Charter schools, including ACMS, follow all state and federal regulations regarding non-discrimination. ACMS operates under a charter granted by the Atlanta Board of Education, and as such, serves students who are zoned for an Atlanta Public School
What is an Essential School?
Established in 1984 by Theodore Sizer at Brown University, the Coalition of Essential Schools is a national network of over 800 schools focused on restructuring and redesigning schools to promote student learning and more meaningful educational experiences.
Essential Schools are united in a belief in a set of ideas known as the "10 Common Principles" that call for schools to set clear and simple goals about the intellectual skills and content to be mastered by students; to lower the student-to-teacher ratio; to personalize teaching and curriculum; to make student work the center of classroom activity; to create an atmosphere of trust and respect; and to model democratic practices and honor diversity.