Walking through the front door, the visitor knows immediately that they are not in a normal American school. The left wall is adorned with a map of the world while the front wall carries welcome messages from around the globe. Looking past the foyer, a line of uniform-clad students share a hauntingly familiar melody from childhood days. “Laterne, Laterne, Sonne, Mond, und Sterne!” Welcome to the newest offering in dual-language immersion education in Georgia – The International Charter School of Atlanta.
ICSAtlanta opened its doors in August 2015 to nearly 400 students in grades K-4. Located at 1335 Northmeadow Parkway in Roswell, ICSAtlanta offers the Georgia Common Core Curriculum in either French, Spanish, Mandarin, or German. As a state charter school, all children, regardless of their county of residence, are welcome to attend and grades offered will be expanding each year.
The German program here is a reflection of our culture. With native speaking teachers and a blend of novice to native students, German, Austrian, and Swiss customs are taught and celebrated. Currently, the community is learning about St. Martin’s Tag and planning their first Lantern Procession scheduled for November 14. With hand-made lanterns, fresh grilled bratwurst, bretzeln, hot chocolate, and favorite German songs, the night is sure to be one to remember.
In just a short time, the founders of the German language track have managed to garner support both locally and abroad. A partner school in Baden Wuertemberg, a teaching assistant from Bonn and an expanding interest in the program promises good things to come. The Georgia business community as well as local international organizations and foundations understand and value the benefits of an international education. At ICSAtlanta, we aim to support this vision by developing a future workforce of intellectually astute, bilingual, and multicultural citizens of the world who will be assets for the state of Georgia in attracting new corporations, organizations, and foundations as well as foreign investments.
For more information, please visit www.icsatlanta.org.