GRADY HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMY PLACEMENT PROCESS

The academy placement process is for students who are zoned to Grady High School.  Students will have the opportunity to express their interest in one of the four Grady academies:  Biomedical Science and Engineering, Business and Entrepreneurship, Communications and Journalism, and Law and Leadership.

Each academy offers a college preparatory course of study that includes all of the core classes necessary to graduate from Atlanta Public Schools.  Additionally, each academy has a unique theme that prescribes electives at each grade level and includes projects, business partnerships, and field experiences.  The purpose of the theme is not to prepare students for careers in particular fields, but rather to provide an anchor around which teachers can collaborate and enrich students’ academic experiences.

In the event that there are more students interested in an academy than there are seats available, students will be placed by random lottery.  All students who submit all of the completed paperwork by the April 5, 2013 deadline will have an equal chance of being placed in their first choice of academy.  Students who are not placed in their first choice of academy at this time will be placed on a waiting list and will be moved into their first choice of academy as seats become available.  Academy placement is NOT on a first come, first served basis.  Additionally, all students have the opportunity to change academies at the end of their ninth grade year.

1.  Rising 9th grade students who attend Inman Middle School or an APS charter school (such as Atlanta Charter Middle, Drew Charter, and the Intown Academy):

·         Receive academy selection forms at their middle schools on Friday, March 29, 2013.

·         Submit completed academy selection forms to their middle school guidance counselors by 4 pm on Friday, April 5, 2013.

·         Academy placement letters and course selection forms will be mailed home towards the end of April; students and their families will return requested information directly to their Grady academy leaders.

2.  Students not currently enrolled in an APS middle school (for example, students currently attending a private school or are homeschooled):

•          Download an academy selection form here.
•          Submit completed academy selection form and proof of residency documents to Ms. MacBrien at Grady by 4 pm on Friday, April 5, 2013.
•       Academy placement letters and course selection forms will be mailed home towards the end of April; students and their families will return requested information directly to their Grady academy leaders.

PROOF OF RESIDENCY

To provide proof of residency for academy placement, parents/legal guardians of students not currently enrolled in an APS middle school must provide the following:

Please note that you will be required to provide this documentation again (and some additional documents) when you register your child at Grady over the summer.  Please visit http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/Page/34748 for details.

1)      Mortgage statement, warranty deed, quit‐claim deed, or security deed in the name of the parent/guardian for the location of the legal residence; or lease or rental agreement consisting of written evidence that a current valid agreement exists. Also to be included with this agreement shall be the name, address, and telephone number of the lessor;

AND

2)      Georgia Power utility bill with the address of the legal residence (current within 30 days)

For more information about the Grady academies, please visit the Grady website at http://www.atlanta.k12.ga.us/Page/14412  -->Academies

If you have questions regarding the academies, residency documents, or the placement process, please contact Grady High School directly:

•    Mr. Raymond Dawson, Biomedical Science and Engineering: rdawson@atlanta.k12.ga.us or 404-802-3033                                         

•    Mr. Willie Vincent, Business and Entrepreneurship:  wmvincent@atlanta.k12.ga.us or 404-802-3007

•    Ms. Carrie MacBrien, Communications and Journalism:  cmacbrien@atlanta.k12.ga.us or 404-802-3015

•   Dr. Russell Plasczyk, Law and Leadership:  rplasczyk@atlanta.k12.ga.us or 404-802-3064