The Paideia School
Encyclopedia
The Paideia School is an independent school
located in intown Atlanta, Georgia
. It teaches children ages 3 through 18. Paideia actively seeks racial, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity
in its student body.
and fine arts and 10 sports at the junior high and high school
level. Paideia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
and the Southern Association of Independent Schools
. Paul Bianchi has been the headmaster since Paideia began.
, interaction, and communication
.
faculty emphasizes the acquisition of basic skills: reading
, writing
, mathematics
, and the scientific method
. The development of social skills
is an important part of every learning experience at Paideia. Teachers frequently employ nontraditional means to achieve these traditional goals. Most academic work at the elementary school level is carried out through individually prescribed instruction in mixed-age or multi-age classrooms that emphasize individual challenge and achievement rather than competition. Teachers create in their classrooms a highly academic environment that promotes students’ confidence and desire to learn. In addition to teaching basic skills and content areas, Paideia encourages each child to develop abilities in art
, music
, and physical education
under the guidance of specialists. These activities are often coordinated with themes and subjects of classroom study.
and social studies
by the two homebase classroom teachers. Students leave the homebase for instruction in foreign language, math, music
, art and science
.
The program combines close contact and support from homeroom
teachers with independence, individual responsibility, and a wide range of choices. It demands a lot from students, but does so in relaxed surroundings in which kids can feel at home. It does an excellent job teaching basic skills like math and writing, but it also has a creative curriculum
designed to incorporate personal and social conflicts and develop self-awareness
and expression. And it’s presided over by a dedicated faculty that truly enjoys and appreciates kids this age.
, chemistry
, physics
, psychology
, European history, calculus
AB and BC, economics
, and statistics
. Students are able through their choices to create an individual schedule tailored to their needs and interests. Some courses are required and some are recommended, but there are many electives, increasing in number as the student progresses through school. The act of making one's own choices is important as it develops responsibility, increases commitment, and encourages exploration of new areas for learning. One of the strengths of Paideia is the enrichment which comes from such varied experiences.
501(c)(3)
Governed by Board of Trustees
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Python Park: 12 acres in Avondale Estates with two soccer fields and a baseball/softball field
AP courses: biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, U.S. history, European history, economics, psychology, calculus AB and BC, and statistics
Grades and written evaluations in junior high and high school
Parent/teacher conferences twice a year for half day, elementary, and junior high
National Merit honorees: 22% of the class of 2009, 24% of the class of 2010, 21% of the class of 2011
Georgia Governor’s Honors Program: two in 2008, five in 2009, four in 2010, two in 2011
Academic Bowl state champions 2006, 2008–2010, JV 2007
Mock Trial state finalist 2006
Georgia Math Team 8th grade state champions 2006. One student selected for American Region Mathematics League 2008
Robotics Team regional semi-finalist 2006
Individualized college counseling program
Campus-wide network includes both desktop and wireless connections
Technology used in all areas of curriculum including foreign language, music, art, and school publications
$1,849,178 spent on financial aid this year
Awards range from 39-99.9%
Older elementary students: band or orchestra and chorus
Junior high students: band, orchestra, and chorus
High School students: 47% involved in madrigals, chorus, jazz ensemble, wind ensemble, and chamber orchestra
Annual musical theater and drama productions in junior high and high school
Student and teacher Shuler Hensley Award recipients in 2009-2010
Paideia students selected for these groups: All-State Chorus, All-State Band, All-State Jazz Ensemble, All-State Orchestra, Spivey Hall Honor Choir, AYSO, AYJO , MAYWE, MYSO, EYSO, AJCO, GISA All-Select Orchestra, GISA All-Select Chorus, GSU High School Honor Orchestra, Governor’s Honors Program
25% of high school students take art classes
Each year students regularly win top visual arts and photography awards at juried exhibitions including Scholastic Art (national and regional gold and silver winners), Georgia Drawing, The Dogwood Festival, 5th Congressional District Art Show winners 2005 and 2009, Pace Photography Show winners 2005, 2006, and 2011
70% of students (grades 7-12) participate in at least one sport
55% of high school students participate in intramural sports
Division A, Region 9-B
Boys 7th grade basketball league champions 2007 and 2008, 8th grade basketball league champions 2007-2009
Boys basketball state tournament Elite Eight 2011, Sweet Sixteen 2009 and 2010, sub-region champions 2009
Girls basketball runner-up state championship 2008, Elite Eight 2010, Sweet Sixteen 2009 and 2011, state tournament 2005 and 2006
Girls cross country state meet 2008-2010
Boys cross country state meet 2008 and 2011
Boys soccer state tournament Final Four 2011, state tournament 2005, 2006, 2008–2010
Girls soccer state tournament runner-up 2011, Final Four 2006, state tournament 1997-2010
Boys and Girls swimming state meet 2011
Girls tennis state tournament 2010 and 2011
Boys tennis state tournament 2009 and 2011
Girls volleyball state tournament 2007 and 2009
Boys track region champion in high jump 2007, state tournament 2011
Girls track individual region champion in 100 meters 2007-2009, state tournament 2011
Boys ultimate undefeated 2007, winner of Paideia Cup and Amherst Invitational 2007, Hopkins Hustle 2010, Midwestern Championship 2011
Girls ultimate winner of Paideia Cup 2007-2010, high school Eastern champions 2008 and 2009, Hopkins Hustle 2010
Paideia School is committed to having a racial, socioeconomic, and cultural cross-section of students and faculty. The school considers applications for admission without regard to race, religion, ethnic group or sexual orientation.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
located in intown Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It teaches children ages 3 through 18. Paideia actively seeks racial, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity
Diversity (politics)
In the political arena, the term diversity is used to describe political entities with members who have identifiable differences in their backgrounds or lifestyles....
in its student body.
History
The school was started in 1971 by a small group of parents who wanted a school that taught children with respect for their individuality. Paideia was founded upon the idea that children have different interests and learning styles, and that they progress at different rates. The school offers a challenging academic curriculum along with performingPerforming arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
and fine arts and 10 sports at the junior high and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
level. Paideia is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
and the Southern Association of Independent Schools
Southern Association of Independent Schools
The Southern Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based voluntary organization of more than 340 independent elementary and secondary schools through the South, representing more than 180,000 students...
. Paul Bianchi has been the headmaster since Paideia began.
Facilities
- Main campus on 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) on Ponce de Leon Avenue with 14 buildings
- Python Park: 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) in Avondale EstatesAvondale Estates, GeorgiaAvondale Estates is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2010 census.Avondale Estates was founded in 1924 by George Francis Willis, who purchased the entire village of Ingleside to create a planned community. The city was named after Stratford-upon-Avon,...
with two soccer fields and a baseball/softball field
Half Day Program
The half day program consists of separate morning and afternoon classes for children 3, 4, and 5 years old. The half day classes promote social, emotional and intellectual growth through a rich environment emphasizing exploration, imaginationImagination
Imagination, also called the faculty of imagining, is the ability of forming mental images, sensations and concepts, in a moment when they are not perceived through sight, hearing or other senses...
, interaction, and communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
.
Elementary School Program
The elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
faculty emphasizes the acquisition of basic skills: reading
Reading (process)
Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols for the intention of constructing or deriving meaning . It is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas...
, writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, and the scientific method
Scientific method
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of...
. The development of social skills
Social skills
A social skill is any skill facilitating interaction and communication with others. Social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning such skills is called socialization...
is an important part of every learning experience at Paideia. Teachers frequently employ nontraditional means to achieve these traditional goals. Most academic work at the elementary school level is carried out through individually prescribed instruction in mixed-age or multi-age classrooms that emphasize individual challenge and achievement rather than competition. Teachers create in their classrooms a highly academic environment that promotes students’ confidence and desire to learn. In addition to teaching basic skills and content areas, Paideia encourages each child to develop abilities in art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
under the guidance of specialists. These activities are often coordinated with themes and subjects of classroom study.
Junior High School Program
Junior high classes combine 7th and 8th grade students into homebase classes where they are taught language artsLanguage arts
Traditionally, the primary divisions in the language arts are Literature and Language, where language in this case refers to both linguistics, and specific languages....
and social studies
Social studies
Social studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the American National Council for the Social Studies...
by the two homebase classroom teachers. Students leave the homebase for instruction in foreign language, math, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, art and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
.
The program combines close contact and support from homeroom
Homeroom
Homeroom or advisory is the classroom session in which a teacher records attendance and makes announcements. It can also be called Registration or Planning Period...
teachers with independence, individual responsibility, and a wide range of choices. It demands a lot from students, but does so in relaxed surroundings in which kids can feel at home. It does an excellent job teaching basic skills like math and writing, but it also has a creative curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
designed to incorporate personal and social conflicts and develop self-awareness
Self-awareness
Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals...
and expression. And it’s presided over by a dedicated faculty that truly enjoys and appreciates kids this age.
High School Program
The high school provides a well-rounded college preparatory curriculum with extensive offerings in English, social sciences, mathematics, foreign languages, sciences, art, music and drama. Advanced placement classes are offered in biologyBiology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, European history, calculus
Calculus
Calculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem...
AB and BC, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, and statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
. Students are able through their choices to create an individual schedule tailored to their needs and interests. Some courses are required and some are recommended, but there are many electives, increasing in number as the student progresses through school. The act of making one's own choices is important as it develops responsibility, increases commitment, and encourages exploration of new areas for learning. One of the strengths of Paideia is the enrichment which comes from such varied experiences.
History
Founded by parents in 1971501(c)(3)
Governed by Board of Trustees
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Facilities
Main campus on 16 acres on Ponce de Leon Avenue with 14 buildingsPython Park: 12 acres in Avondale Estates with two soccer fields and a baseball/softball field
Academics
Honors courses in every academic areaAP courses: biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, U.S. history, European history, economics, psychology, calculus AB and BC, and statistics
Grades and written evaluations in junior high and high school
Parent/teacher conferences twice a year for half day, elementary, and junior high
National Merit honorees: 22% of the class of 2009, 24% of the class of 2010, 21% of the class of 2011
Georgia Governor’s Honors Program: two in 2008, five in 2009, four in 2010, two in 2011
Academic Bowl state champions 2006, 2008–2010, JV 2007
Mock Trial state finalist 2006
Georgia Math Team 8th grade state champions 2006. One student selected for American Region Mathematics League 2008
Robotics Team regional semi-finalist 2006
Colleges
95 students in the Class of 2011 attend 50 different collegesIndividualized college counseling program
Technology
800 computers on campus, including 744 instructional computers, of which 130 are iPad 2sCampus-wide network includes both desktop and wireless connections
Technology used in all areas of curriculum including foreign language, music, art, and school publications
Financial Aid
Need-based financial aid program funds 132 students in 2011-2012 school year$1,849,178 spent on financial aid this year
Awards range from 39-99.9%
Parent Involvement
Parental involvement is an integral part of the Paideia community. Parents volunteer to raise money for the financial aid program, run the Green Team’s recycling program, serve lunches for Pi Bites, and create the playbill for the music department. The possibilities are endless. Parents fill over 3,000 volunteer jobs in a typical school year and view the opportunity to volunteer as an important way to participate in their child’s school.Music and Theater
Younger elementary students: general music instruction twice a weekOlder elementary students: band or orchestra and chorus
Junior high students: band, orchestra, and chorus
High School students: 47% involved in madrigals, chorus, jazz ensemble, wind ensemble, and chamber orchestra
Annual musical theater and drama productions in junior high and high school
Student and teacher Shuler Hensley Award recipients in 2009-2010
Paideia students selected for these groups: All-State Chorus, All-State Band, All-State Jazz Ensemble, All-State Orchestra, Spivey Hall Honor Choir, AYSO, AYJO , MAYWE, MYSO, EYSO, AJCO, GISA All-Select Orchestra, GISA All-Select Chorus, GSU High School Honor Orchestra, Governor’s Honors Program
Art
Elementary students have weekly art instruction25% of high school students take art classes
Each year students regularly win top visual arts and photography awards at juried exhibitions including Scholastic Art (national and regional gold and silver winners), Georgia Drawing, The Dogwood Festival, 5th Congressional District Art Show winners 2005 and 2009, Pace Photography Show winners 2005, 2006, and 2011
Sports
11 junior high and high school sports offered: soccer, volleyball, cross country, softball, basketball, swimming, baseball, track, tennis, golf, and ultimate70% of students (grades 7-12) participate in at least one sport
55% of high school students participate in intramural sports
Division A, Region 9-B
Boys 7th grade basketball league champions 2007 and 2008, 8th grade basketball league champions 2007-2009
Boys basketball state tournament Elite Eight 2011, Sweet Sixteen 2009 and 2010, sub-region champions 2009
Girls basketball runner-up state championship 2008, Elite Eight 2010, Sweet Sixteen 2009 and 2011, state tournament 2005 and 2006
Girls cross country state meet 2008-2010
Boys cross country state meet 2008 and 2011
Boys soccer state tournament Final Four 2011, state tournament 2005, 2006, 2008–2010
Girls soccer state tournament runner-up 2011, Final Four 2006, state tournament 1997-2010
Boys and Girls swimming state meet 2011
Girls tennis state tournament 2010 and 2011
Boys tennis state tournament 2009 and 2011
Girls volleyball state tournament 2007 and 2009
Boys track region champion in high jump 2007, state tournament 2011
Girls track individual region champion in 100 meters 2007-2009, state tournament 2011
Boys ultimate undefeated 2007, winner of Paideia Cup and Amherst Invitational 2007, Hopkins Hustle 2010, Midwestern Championship 2011
Girls ultimate winner of Paideia Cup 2007-2010, high school Eastern champions 2008 and 2009, Hopkins Hustle 2010
Paideia School is committed to having a racial, socioeconomic, and cultural cross-section of students and faculty. The school considers applications for admission without regard to race, religion, ethnic group or sexual orientation.