Description+of+Site+and+Learners


 * DESCRIPTION OF SITE AND LEARNERS**

The mission of the Atlanta Heights Charter School Media Center is to provide and support students and staff with information services to foster learning by providing instruction and access to a range of resources while promoting an enjoyment of literature in an educational environment. The collection development policy is to provide a clear statement concerning the philosophy and framework for collection development at Atlanta Heights. It is written for the benefit and enlightenment of the public and other interested parties.

Atlanta Heights Charter School is a charter school located in Atlanta, Georgia in Fulton County. It is located in the Atlanta neighborhood of Adamsville. Adamsville (population of 3,169) is a predominantly African-American neighborhood on the west side. The town’s early history formed around the junction of the roads that led from ferries and bridges at the Chattahoochee River to downtown Atlanta; it served as a community center for the surrounding land area.

Dollar Mill Wilson was the first member of the Wilson Family to settle here arriving in 1853. His son, Judge William A. Wilson, built a house on the original home site between 1856-1859. This building survived the Civil War and still stands in a depreciated state. It is made notable by a story that General Sherman tied his horse in the downstairs hall while spending the night there in 1864. The town was originally called Lick Skillet and was changed around 1870 to Adamsville after George W. Adams. He founded Adams Lodge, a Masonic organization. In 1871, Adams deeded the property with a two-story house to the Adamsville Lodge for meeting purposes. First Saint John Missionary Baptist Church was organized as Saint John Baptist Church in 1883 and is still in its present location; although, it was reconstructed in 1972.

West Atlanta began major development in the 1950s and 1960s. The growth included a number of new subdivisions, commercial outlets, and schools. Schools were constructed to serve the increased school age population. Currently, Adamsville is zoned for Atlanta Public Schools. The public schools consist of one elementary, two middle and high schools.The main route leading from Adamsville into downtown Atlanta is now known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive where Atlanta Heights Charter School is now located. Median household income 2009: $41,795 Percentage of people that speak English not well or not at all: 3.5%

Charter schools are public schools run by independent entities sponsored by a state approved organization. Atlanta Heights Charter School is run by National Heritage Academies and is sponsored by The Georgia Charter Schools Commission. Atlanta Heights is one charter school out of sixty-seven schools across eight states that are a part of National Heritage Academies. It is governed by an all-volunteer board of directors compromised of local community and business leaders. It is a tuition-free charter school that allows any student zoned in the Atlanta Public Schools to enroll. Atlanta Heights Charter School officially opened its doors on August 23, 2010, and is the first NHA school to open in Georgia. National Heritage Academies was built on the four pillars of academic excellence, moral focus, parental partnerships, and student responsibility. These set a strong foundation for each school to build on.

The school media center, approximately 1200 size of square feet, is located in the front of the school by the office. There is one part-time media specialist, and the technology includes thirty thin client computers, thirty mobile thin clients, two desktop computers, and a BrightLink board with an LCD projector and Elmo. The media center also has a listening center. The media center is currently used for book check-in and check-out, mobile lab availability, computer lab, internet searching, school and faculty meetings and book fairs.

There are three administrators consisting of one principal and two deans, twenty certified teachers, and twelve classified employees. There are currently 386 students enrolled with 97.3% qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Our student demographics are currently 100% African American. Our school is projected to serve approximately 700 children by 2013 with the addition of a new grade each year up to eighth grade is not currently being served, but our fifth grade consists of two classes with a total of 57 students. Currently, we have zero ESOL students. There is one special education collaboration room. Zero 5th grade students are in the special education program; although, twelve 5th grade students are targeted for Title I services. Previously on the Achievement Network Test, we found how proficient our 5th grade students were in reading: 52% in vocabulary, 31% in parts of speech, 53% in literary comprehension, 52% in main idea, and 61% in drawing conclusions and analyzing details.