Thursday, December 12, 2024–11:20 a.m.
-News Release-
The Cave Spring Community Coalition (CSCC) founding committee for the Northwest Georgia Charter Academy announces that the City of Cave Spring has offered two adjoining properties as a location for the future public charter school proposed to open in fall 2026.
“We are delighted to announce our partnership with the City of Cave Spring,” stated Judy Taylor, President of the CSCC and founder of the NW GA Charter Academy. “Our students, staff, and families will enjoy the convenience of a campus in downtown Cave Spring.”
The Academy will serve students who live in Floyd and Polk counties and attend any school in the area (private or public), including three local public school systems: 1) Floyd County Schools; 2) Rome City Schools; and 3) Polk School District. The Academy plans to provide transportation services.
The lease agreement will become effective in 2025 when the CSCC expects to be authorized as a public charter school. The agreement will allow the Academy to renovate and use the current Community Center for classrooms and another building for offices and ancillary services. The Academy will cover all expenses for renovation and all facility costs (such as utilities), thus relieving the city of that responsibility while providing a site for the school at minimal cost compared to average costs for school facilities.
“By saving on facilities, we can direct more funding toward safety, student support, and academics,” said Jarrod Kinsey, Chair of the Academy’s Finance Committee.
Dr. Dawn Williams, Chair of the Academic Committee is a local educator with over 30 years of teaching and administrative experience.
“I am excited to be involved in designing this new public school,” she said. “The academic model is based on the Expeditionary Learning (EL) framework which was established over 25 years ago via a partnership between the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Outward Bound. The model has been proven to improve student performance and includes a national network with more than 700 schools and districts in 46 states serving 1.3 million students. This will be a game-changer for K-12 education in northwest Georgia.”
For Cave Spring residents, this news is particularly meaningful after the loss of local landmarks like the bank branch and its beloved Cave Spring Elementary School-CSES.
“CSES was the heart of our community,” said Tom Lindsey, Operations Committee Chair. “Today, we begin the process of getting a bit of our heart back – and we get the chance to share this new public school option with other families in the region.”
The NW GA Charter Academy plans to open in 2026 with grades K-5, growing to 9th grade by 2031 and to 12th grade by 2034. “Our goal is to offer an engaging, hands-on learning model in a secure, nurturing environment for students who live in Floyd and Polk counties,” said Cassie
Potts, Chair of the Community Engagement Committee. The Academy has already surpassed its initial target for signatures of interest from families and community members, thus reflecting the level of need for a public (no-cost) school option in the region.
For more information, visit: www.nwgacharteracademy.org.
