Throw away those old-fashioned
roll books, toss the audio-visual carts in the dump and forget waiting
for the bell to ring. At the private New Century School, opening downtown
in August, teachers will take roll electronically, students will produce
and view presentations via multi-media, and no bells will ring to
signify the beginning or end of anything. "This school will be
different" - from its location on the lower level of the historic
Healey Building to its use of technology as a teaching tool - promises
founder Cole Walker.
The school initially will offer kindergarten
through 5th grade, add grades 6 through 8 in 1996-97 and grades 9
through 12 by the year 2000. New Century School is designed to be
a model for education in the 21st century. At the turn of the century,
education was much like the assembly line manufacturing methods,"
he said. "We just shuffled children through the process and expected
them to come out finished at the other end. But today," he continued,
"business is changing. Companies are producing custom-design
curriculums to fit individuals who have to live in a changing world."
Walker, who is 29, has been working with experimental education since
1992, when he joined a group of volunteers in Huntsville, Ala., to
develop a prototype school for a grant from the New American Schools
Development Corp. Competing against such big names as former Secretary
of Education William Bennett, Walker's group knew winning a grant
would be a longshot, but pursued the effort as an exercise. Walker
was so inspired by the project, that he has dedicated himself to turn
the exercise into reality.
Convenient for commuters
To help him put theories into practice,
Walker has named consultant Daniel Kinnaman, a former classroom teacher
and public school administrator from Connecticut who writes for Technology
& Learning magazine, and Odvard E. Dyrli, professor emeritus of education
at the University of Connecticut, as members of his executive board.
Local leaders, including Georgia State University President Carl Patton,
think the school will be a boon for downtown. "It will be wonderful
for people who work downtown and want to be more active participants
in their children's education," said Patton.
Walker has contracted for 12,000 square feet of space in the Healey
Building, commissioned the architectural firm of Venning, Atwood and
Kean to design a plan for the school and hired a director of education,
Bridgit Eaton-Partalis. Son of a wealthy Huntsville family, Walker
says he is financing the start-up of the school with his own money.
Partalis, who has been a teacher and administrator in both public
and private schools for 20 years, is the former director of curriculum
and staff development at Brandon Hall School in Sandy Springs. She
says her goal is to teach her students to find the method of learning
that work best for themselves. "That is a skill they will use
throughout life," she said.
Standard studies, new tools
And although the school will use the latest in technology, Walker
and Partalis say technology is only a tool in the education process.
"Technology allows great teachers to use great resources,"
said Partalis, who is currently interviewing candidates for a minimum
of six teaching positions. She expects to have an initial enrollment
of 100 children. Although many of the teaching methods will be innovative,
the school's curriculum will comply with all state and national standards,
said Walker.
Walker added that the school will be immediately seeking accreditation,
a process that can take up to five years. If a New Century School
student transfers to public school before NCS's accreditation is approved,
the student will be evaluated by the public school principal to determine
placement, according to Ed Shaw, Atlanta City Schools operations administrator.
And how much will all this cost? "Thirty-two-fifty a day,"
said Walker, who considers the $5,500 annual fee a bargain. The price
tag is slightly less than many other area private schools - Woodward
Academy's fees range from $6,545 to $8,270, depending on grade and
which of three campuses the child attends; Lovett's from $6,545 to
$7,745, and Westminster's from $6,360 to $8,365.
