Private School: Fulton Science Academy Makes It Official

announced its opening as a private school for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year, the school announced in an email today.

The new FSA private school will now serve students with no residency limitations.

"FSA will continue to offer the same superior STEM academic programs that helped it to earn the 2011 National Blue Ribbon Award as well as the Governor’s Platinum Award," according to the release sent by Katherine Dion, spokesperson for the school.

She said it will provide a wide variety of free after school clubs and tutoring as well as numerous competitive academic teams.

"Local parents are thrilled that the school will remain open as an excellent option in education for their children. FSA has already begun accepting applications and early registrants will receive reduced annual tuition," Dion's release stated.

Online applications are being accepted. Inquiries regarding applications can be emailed to the admissions office.

Dr. Jeff Jackson, president of the Georgia Independent School Association, said the school will have a lot of steps to open. He said he didn't know a lot about this school, but he anticipates that many of its existing work–such as curriculum, mission statement and vision–will translate into the private school setting.

Running a private school is both freeing and carries great responsibility, Jackson said. The school has to be very sensitive to the market to operate.

Most private schools in Georgia are run by non-profit organizations, he said, usually as a 501(c)3.

As far as public vs. private, Jackson said "private schools certainly operate under a different setting."

They don't have to answer to the state Department of Education or a county school system.

"This school in particular I would assume that an awful lot of the curriculum, mission, governance would already be in place," he said. "Of course you have all your other concerns.

Those include having a physical plant, following local laws on everything from the length of the school year to fire safety.

"As far as heavy duty academic requirements, or use of this particular test, or something of testing on this certain date, noe of that stuff applies," he said.

Other private schools in Alpharetta and Milton include St. Francis High School and King's Ridge Christian School.