's charter expires after Thursday, May 31, as the school continues its quest to reopen in the fall as a private school open to all students Pre-K through 8th grade in Georgia.
"In answer to the Governor's plea to have a science and math education in North Fulton County, FSA will remain open," said Tom Deeb, a school supporter.
According to Deeb, more than 130 student applications have been received since the school announced plans to go private. During the recently school year, approximately 500 students were enrolled.
The school will begin to send out acceptance letters today, March 29, which will include enrollment information. Private enrollment begins Wednesday, May 30, according to the Fulton Science Academy website. And online tuition payment should be available soon.
Tuition starts at $8,000 with another $300 in application and enrollment fees. A $500 discount is available for a family that enrolls and pays in full by June 1. The school provides a sliding scale of discounts based on how long it takes to pay tuition. To pay by month costs $800 for 10 months, June through March.
Enrolling a second child gets a discount as well, with the annual tuition $7,500 plus the same $300 in fees. But again there's a $500 discount by enrolling and paying in full by June 1.
Depending upon how many early enrollments and how may siblings apply, the tuition should bring in around $1 million annually with 130 students.
Likewise, enroll after June 1 and you'll pay another $500 per year.
"Open enrollment has begun so parents from all over Georgia are free to send their children to one of the few schools of excellence in the state," Deeb said in his email message about the school.
The school announced it is registered under Georgia GOAL Scholarship program, which allows state tax credits for scholarship donations.
The FSA Private School Financial Aid Application will be available its website soon. The financial aid requests will be determined starting in July 2012.
It also states on its website that is an AdvancED accredited school.
If you cared about American "interests" $$ and American people, you would be protecting us from the Gulen Movement and their cult members. How much money are you paid to protect Gulen interests in Azerbaijan? If you wanted to REALLY represent American interest, you should be encouraging your cult friends to be honest about their affiliation with Hocaefendi. Fulton Science Academy is NOT the best education, but this group is good at marketing themselves and it's not the first time one of their Gulenist managed/operated Charter schools have claimed the "Blue Ribbon Status" Gateway Science Academy in St. Louis, MO (tried to but had to take it down) they also were advertising as "Turkish Scholars" 2 years ago. Big LIE! Gulen himself only has a 5th grade education, most of your buddies comming here on H1-b Visas to teach (mostly men and all part of Hizmet) barely have a Bachelors some do not. None are acrediated or qualified to teach in the USA. They get on the payroll of the school and in some cases never walk into a classroom but rather are at the local university getting a higher education at the American tax payer's expense or creating yet another Gulen front group or business that services the schools as described in the NY Times article about your "friends" (catering, construction, etc.,) So Mr. Deeb do you advocate lying to Americans? using our Tax Dollars for their Agenda?
Here is your latest video marketing the school. Nice job by ERBU TV that Gulen Family channel. Americans are not fooled anymore we want truth not your hype, festivals, olympiads, awards, fake free trips, etc., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v3Y_eES9-I&feature=related
There may be nothing to the Gulen Movement except the peace and prosperity they appear to espouse, but if that's the case, why do they hide? This movement is associated with conservative Islam and the gender attitudes that group holds, so it's only right to have concerns. These Georgia politicians who are accepting awards and political support/contributions from the Gulenists make one wonder if his supporters aren't now 'moving within the arteries" of the system here in the US. Now that most of Fulton Science Academy's teachers are no longer employed, what do they have to say on the subject?
Over 3000 middle schools across the country participated in Science Olympiad this year and of those only 60 teams made it to the national tournament. (Ten states are so competitive that they are allowed to send two teams. Georgia is one of them.) Fulton Science Academy came in 2nd in the state of Georgia and 25th out of 60 teams at Nationals. What an amazing accomplishment for the students, whose love of Science drove them to work tirelessly to reach this level of competition, and for the coaches and parents who supported them. It is an accomplishment that should be lauded rather than demeaned. Say what you want about FSA’s ties to the Gulen Movement. I am here to tell you it doesn’t matter to my children. FSA is led by an administration and teaching staff dedicated to providing the best possible education for each individual student. In our three years at FSA, our children have not observed or encountered any religious indoctrination, inappropriate treatment of women, or shady behavior. Rather, they have enjoyed an environment focused on learning, where they have never had to worry about drugs or violence, where there are numerous competitive academic teams, and where the culture is such that it is cool to be a good student. Here’s hoping that FSA Private School succeeds.
If they have not explained where the 19 million is they need to start explaining. THis group starts building FIRST before they have permission, they don't seem to think they work for the American people and need to be accountable. The same methods have been at their other Gulenist operated charter schools, Coral Science, Harmony Science Academy, etc., they have all taken American Tax payers money and started "projects" withouth prior written consent from the school board and in many cases building permits and inspectors. Especially their school where they tried to slip in a boarding area for their oversea students they were trying to house. Why is it that American tax money would be used to pay for a student who attends a school in Azerbaijan, or somewhere else whom happens to be "transferred" to America to fill up a spot in a Charter School which is a public school? THere are way too many questions about this group and no answers because the Gulen way is to keep secrets and to have puppets like Mr. Deeb. To "Datch" poster; Where is there "racially motivated comments?" Turkish is not a race but an ethnicity, which by the way has many other ethnic blood lines mixed. THe Gulenists like to try and throw out the race card.
THey go typically like this: I am a _________(fill in religion) parent of _______ (fill in the amount) student (s) at _________________(fill in which Gulenist operated school) We are happy our child is miracously finally getting straight A's, as they were failing at their last school. We don't care who operates the school, we only care that somehow our child is NOW succeeding where he was once failing. OK Gulenists, this doesn't work. You will not win by slamming on line boards or "Great Schools" rankings, or Newsweek "voting of best schools" It doesn't matter. Just because you say it's a great school or the Gulenists say "its a great school" doesn't make it so. In fact, it's the same BS at all of their schools. So aren't you busy at the Internatonal Olympiad in Turkey this week? The show that the Gulen schools put on (over 100 countries) and over 800 students who speak the "language of love" (Turkish) it's all a show, even these posts are predictable. Let's see "Dale" if you would care if your kid went to a Gulen School in SE Turkey that is pipe bombed by the Kurds, if you would like these liars so much. You are a tool, the Gulenists know how to brainwash as they themselves have been brainwashed at a Gulen Lighthouse school. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2116330,00.html FSA private school will succeed with Azeribaijani oil money backing it. Ask Tom Deeb.
The only point you are making with your excessive comments, Mr. Munoz, is your bigotry.
I'm not brainwashed, no one asked me to reply to these posts, and my children are and have always been straight A students, regardless of the schools they attended. I am sorry you are so are feeling so much anger on this issue. I hope you find peace.
First it was "too high" until your Gulen buddy pointed out that it was a "Bargen" because the private schools in the area were higher at 14-20,000 a year. I merely pointed out that if this FSA was the "stellar" "award winning" school that the Gulen Administrators claim that maybe you didn't have to be a bargen or bargin. On the point of argumentation my posts make very much sense and yours are more lame derailment of the specific communication (Gulenist style) to avoid being accountable you create straw man argumentations which will not work and HAS NOT worked in America. About the correction of spelling, merely trying to point out that most of you posting are Gulenists and English is your second language. You are teaching American children you should have a better command of the English language. As "60 minutes" reports is that is the major complaint at the Gulenist operated schools in the USA, the American children don't understand you. As well as the segment had the audio on a Turkish teacher who answered Lesley Stahl and no one seems to know what he was talking about. But one thing you are good at is Marketing, PR and Advertising how great thou art and giving awards to students, politicians and others to manipulate them. Also those Science projects are old, you are re cycling them at all your schools in the USA and in many cases the teachers are doing the projects for the students. Think out your argumentation and stick to the facts.
I am not angry, I am happy that the state of Georgia found out the truth about your school and denied your renewal. I am also happy that the writer Mr. Pepalis has been monitoring this site and can obviously see that it is school administrators and Gulencis that are slamming the board. If you are still using the computers at the school for this, I caution you that that will be looked at and examine if they need to be. I want to thank Mr. Pepalis for clarify where the money is at. The next question is the $5.8 million going to be refunded now that FSA is no longer a public school joining the ranks of Truebright Science Academy, Abramson Science and Technology, etc., or will this "group" get to be unaccountable to the money spent? Is there an accountability breakdown for where the money was spent? $5.8 million seems excessive to build a school, our experience with this group has been much of the money gets wired out of the country or distributed (laundered) among the many Gulen front groups. Lastly, it would be interesting to hear what the community thinks of Tom Deeb's connections to the Gulen interest in Azerbaijan and how this creates a conflict of interest or is protecting American interest.
Congratulations for Fulton Science Academy making the NY Times. I am sure you are really proud. Next time be honest to the families, teachers, students and community. Acting like happy American parents is so low. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/us/audits-for-3-georgia-charter-schools-tied-to-gulen-movement.html?_r=2
"Wells Fargo Bank, trustee of a $19 million bond issue by the schools, told investors on May 15 that the three schools were in default on those bonds. The bank said the default was caused by the group’s failure to disclose in its bond offering last year that its middle school charter renewal might have been in jeopardy. “The failure to disclose the ongoing concerns with Fulton Science Academy’s charter renewal petition constituted an omission of material facts in the public statement,” Wells Fargo said. A default gives the bondholders the right to demand immediate payment, possibly requiring a liquidation of some school assets. The bonds are trading at about 70 percent of face value". FSA should refund the parents money back immediately before they skip the country.
"Concerns about the school's financial and management practices have been raised previously, including by State School Superintendent John Barge when the charter extension was denied. The construction loan, Barge said, threatens the financial viability of the three charter schools. Fulton hired a forensic auditor in February, in part to determine what taxpayer money or assets belonged to the school system, Avossa said. Auditors from IAG Forensics said that when they went to the school to examine records they were met by an "environment of resistance and obstructionism." The audit shows that Fulton Science Academy spent nearly $75,000 helping new employees -- and in some cases, their relatives -- who were coming from overseas to maneuver through the immigration process." I do believe Fulton Science Academy owes the American taxpayers of Georgia a refund as the Ohio Horizon Science Academy had to pay back for expecting taxpayers to pay the h1-b Visa fees of family members to the tune of $13,000. After this audit, Hizmet will make themselves scarce on these comment boards.
If the Gulen Movement (Hizmet, Cemaat,etc) is truly about peace, love, tolerance and dialogue why not be proud of admiting you are part of something so wonderful instead of lying about your obvious affiliation to a controversial group. Transparency goes a long way in American values. Conversely, American Tax payers should demand forensic accountant audits at each of these schools in the USA and learn how our tax money pays for their immigration and the higher education of these "teachers" at the local university while the average American families struggle with paying college tuition. America has spoken we will not tolerate liars to control our education, commerce and politics.
We can see that FSA has improved your English writing skills. I cannot look up your name because you used a fake name. Would you care to mention the great things that FSA students have achieved? Many of us would be curious to hear specifics instead of inflated waiting lists, awards obtained at Gulenist sponsored or owned contests. They love to give out awards, especially free trips to Turkey but only -- it isn't free the American Tax payer pays for it. Or those Turkish Olympiads were American girls wear harem outfits and boys look like a cross between a Kurd or Greek, dancing Pontic Greek folk dances, receiting poems from stolen indigenous people like Assyrians and Armenians, then parading the kids around like trained monkees at the big International Gulen Turkish Olympiad to the delight of Turkey's politicians who cry at the sight of American kids talking Turkish as they know they have a future jannissary.(look it up kid) Or achieving the goal of "7 billion people 1 language" for Gulen's wet dream of a neo ottoman empire caliphate for his golden generation to rule it. you should be angry at the administrators for being liars and putting the school in jeopardy. Misguided blame. P.S. No disrespect to the writer of this article, Pepalis about Greeks. . I have done many prominent things and one was exposing the lies of the Gulen Movement and FSA to the point of your demise and for that I am proud. Because, Son....America wins and you lose.
I agree with Bob making personal attacks on the web is not appropriate. For the record I am currently in Azerbaijan. I have no affiliation with any groups such Gulen. You suggest that there is some organization here in Azerbaijan called Gulen --- I will tell you --- there is not. There are many organizations here but that is not one of them. Bob -- thanks for clarifying that the monies have all been accounted for. It is disappointing to see individuals continue to harp on issues that were not only resolved could have simply never happened if the state had made a phone call.
I hope that Fulton County Schools subjects itself to an outside forensic audit as well. This year the Board President Linda Schultz announced proudly at her community meeting the financials were finally completed for the last 3 years. It seems they were unable to get their house in order before this. FY 13 budget is $1.1 billion dollars. Each year hundreds of purchases over 25,000 are made as a sole source. Interesting for things like Rosetta Stone, Software support, new equipment with little justification, no comparison bids they just needed it. But it is fine because they are Fulton County Schools. It is normal in for any organization to pay for the immigration fees of an employee and in many cases the families. Did you know that as does Fulton County Schools when they higher teachers from overseas. In fact for over 10 years they brought in 100's if not 1000's of international teachers to teach in Fulton County Schools and paid a recruiting agency to help with the process including immigration and visas. This program ended for a period of time in 2010 but one wonders if it will begin again.
What makes you think that the American Tax payer dollars are used for these trips. The fact is at FSA no tax payer dollars have been used to pay any of the trips costs. Instead these are paid by the students families and also through a student activity fund to which donations are made. So sorry no tax payer dollars here. Have a funny question though you seem to not like Turkish peoples --- you attack their culture, their heritage, you insinuate that they are thieves and crooks .... Where does all of this come from --- have you lived in the region, have you worked in the region, have you taken the time to meet the people you mock and belittle. Have you worked in Iraq, to meet the Kurds, have you worked in Greece or lived there, maybe Cyprus to meet Greeks and Turkish peoples. You have in writing here at the Patch attached individuals including myself --- you do this in a way that could be taken in many forms -- but it does beg the question while all of the hate --- Keep writing as American we respect free speech for all but you may want to tone down the personal attacks.
Give my love to Aliyev, he is a great man! Especially generous when he paid over $30 million for homes in Dubai and put them under his 12 year old son's name. About the other remarks. So What. Your school was still DENIED.
I guess you didn't read the audit report. Oh Well it doesn't matter, all of your posts are merely window dressings on the Titanic as your FSA is over as a charter school and the future doesn't look bright as a private school either. Especially with Americans who are traitiors and sell out to a group they know very well about. Even Ray Charles can see it. Turkish people? You just listed them all, I have no problems with them. I think they should have all the schools they want, teach Turkish, do the Turkish Olympiads, the fake awards, honors and festivals the whole 9 yards. But I don't wish it to be done at my expense, American Taxpayers should not be paying for a foreign CULT. Let them have 600 private schools for all I care, just do it without tax money. You cannot be accountable or trusted, because you continue to cast blame elsewhere instead of assuming responsibilities. Not exactly American values is it?
You will march on as a private school after you have paid off your "creative financing", if the community wants you.
Traitors -- interesting -- I have in all my years never been called one --- wow My only wish is for the community and our children to have the best education possible. Unfortunately our public schools system with a budget of $1.1 billion does make the grade. National ratings are dropping, graduation rates are falling, children are being abused and nothing is done. So from my perspective as a parent and community member I want the best education possible for our children --- FSA delivers --- and has for years -- so yeap if I had my way Fulton County would embrace FSA, learn from it success, and build on it. Not going happen --- so as parent I will make the hard choices and sacrifices -- and I will pay for the education of my children that our tax dollars can in no way provide. You really need to get our more come see the world it is a great place and really nice people. Cheers
Sorry cannot do as I do not travel is such high places but you can send a note to Secretary Clinton and maybe she can give your regards next time she is here. Unfortunately she just left.
They love tools like you, American and willing to take a hand out. Angela and you should get together you both make fools of yourself protecting a CULT from the responsibility of truthfulness. 10 years from now, when the USA rids itself of the Gulen Cult, hopefully you can show some self-pride and American patriotism where it belongs. Here in the USA and not 3,000 miles away. Would love to see your paycheck and perks, I bet it is over $400K a year. Leaving large off of Americans and having to sell your soul for it.
In the last 24 hours you have called me a traitor, a criminal and now I am selling my soul. You have an interesting perspective. And yes as you have pointed out many times I routinely work overseas sometimes a bit farther than 3000 miles away. American patriotism is not limited to the continental US. It is found around the world through proud patriotic Americans who work on every continent of the globe and recently even in outer space. I suggest that you take sometime get out a bit see the world and see what proud patriotic Americans are doing. You might find it interesting. Enjoy and get out -- see America and our diversity We are the greatest nation on the earth. We are made great because of our differences and uniqueness and of course due to our acceptance of other cultures, races, creeds, ethnicity, and genders. Embrace what we are --- one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Cheers Cheers
So what? Your school is still closing. One mistake about your posting is most of your Gulen "buddies" are not naturalized citizens and are loyalty to only Turkey. That is why the Gulen operated schools use a Turkocentric curriculum. So your post doesn't wash. Anyway, it doesn't matter. You are still closed as a public school.