Page 36 - Clayton Newcomers Guide 2022

Charter Schools
Utopian Academy for the Arts is
a free, high-performing, public charter
school network that serves elementary,
middle, and high school students in Clayton
County. In 2018, Utopian Academy’s
middle school overall performance was
higher than 78 percent of Georgia public
schools and its students’ academic growth
outpaced 99 percent of the state’s schools.
Between fall 2020 and spring 2021
administrations of the MAP Assessment,
Utopian Academy’s elementary students
showed a 29 percent growth in reading
and a 15 percent growth in math. In 2021,
Utopian Academy’s middle school was
one of 17 schools (35 total state charter
schools) that outperformed on the State
Charter School Commission’s Content
CLAYTON STATE UNIVERSITY Mastery Scores.
With strong successes of its elementary
and middle school programs, the Utopian
Academy for the Arts was approved to
expand to add a third school in Clayton
is cultivating the ultimate classroom- journalism camp, designing County, the Utopian Academy for the
to-career experiences by aligning Smart Cities, engaging in farm-to-table Arts High School. The high school, which
work-based learning and career experiences, and more. will initially serve 150 students in ninth
pathways to industry demands to and tenth grade during the 2022-23
increase graduates’ ability to secure The district’s ambitious construction school year, will grow a grade each year,
high-skill, high-wage, and high- initiative, funded in part by Special Purpose eventually serving 550 students in ninth
demand careers. Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) dollars, through 12th grade in the 2024-25
• CCPS has a thriving K-12 Fine Arts includes an arena/graduation facility on school year.
program and a state-of-the-art property at Southlake Mall in Morrow. The Utopian Academy for the Arts is
Performing Arts Center (PAC) that program focuses on two key improvement the only public charter school network
provides a stage for the community needs for our community and its children. in Georgia to offer a comprehensive
and schools and provides a venue for Plans include the construction of Early educational program in the dramatic,
the performance of our Fine Arts Childhood Learning Centers to address the media, and culinary arts. Its educational
Magnet programs which include Kay instructional needs for Clayton County’s model leverages the positive effects of arts
R. Pace Elementary School of the Arts, pre-kindergarten population. Also, the education to engage and inspire students,
M.D. Roberts Middle School of the district will construct a future-ready college develop their academic and artistic
Arts, and M.E. Stilwell School of and career academy that will create a potential, and prepare them to be leaders
the Arts. work-ready pipeline to help drive economic in their communities. The course catalog
includes: animation, broadcast and video
• The district’s School Choice program growth locally and beyond. The district production, chorus, coding, culinary arts,
affords parents the opportunity to dance, film and television, journalism, music
apply to schools that reflect the continues its efforts to refine and expand appreciation, music production, piano, and
individual needs, interests, and talents all strategies that will graduate students on visual arts.
of their children. Some of the time, college and career ready. 2750 Forest Pkwy.
programs include: Dual Immersion Stakeholders can stay in touch with Ellenwood, GA 30294
[Spanish], Early College and Magnet the school district through YouTube Live (470) 446-1070
programs, Cambridge Assessment presentations, podcasts, Twitter posts, utopianacademyforthearts.com
International Education, STEM Facebook chats, Critical Conversations,
(Science, Technology, Engineering Real Talk sessions, the postings on
and Mathematics), and others. the district’s website, programming on Colleges & Universities
• Learning extends into the summer Educational Access Cable Channel 24, and Clayton State University serves
with the district’s highly acclaimed email communications. the south metro Atlanta area and enrolls
K-12 Summer STEM Camps, which 1058 Fifth Ave. nearly 7,000 students. Clayton State
include opportunities for summer Jonesboro, GA 30236 offers students engaging and experiential
internships, coding and robotics, (770) 473-2700 learning experiences in a supportive
programming and flying drones, clayton.k12.ga.us environment that values diversity and

34 EDUCATION Clayton County Chamber of Commerce Community Guide