The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dream of diverse school paves way for thriving SAE
Project-based learning makes for a different kind of environment.
Public school teacher and administrator Jimmy Arispe never imagined his career trajectory would lead to his opening a private academy. But three years ago, he did just that, launching The SAE School in Mableton.
“I believed in public schools and started in late 2010 to open a charter, the Smyrna Academy of Excellence,” he said. “When we didn’t get approved, it was a blessing in disguise. Instead, we opened an affordable, diverse private school because I wanted my son to grow up in a school that represented his community, and I wasn’t aware of any like that, even in South Cobb where there’s a pretty good cross-section of demographics.”
When SAE opened in August 2013, it kept the charter school initials and drew a 100-student body of 50 percent minorities. It’s grown steadily to about 300, offering classes from pre-K through 12 and planning a significant expansion next year into a larger location on Veterans Memorial Highway that will eventually accommodate about 1,500.
But it’s what’s happening in the classrooms that makes the school successful, said Arispe. To begin with, the curriculum is project-based, meaning students create instead of memorizing.
“They always have things in their hands that demonstrate their learning; we’re not asking them to regurgitate facts for a test,” he said. “For instance, our eighth-graders took an empty room and using cardboard structures created a city. They had researched the different elements, including what goes into planning. Other kids are building a garden where they also practice their Spanish while they’re learning about cultivation.”
The school also shuns textbooks, an approach that garnered a bit of buzz in the beginning, said Arispe.
“Part of the initial struggle was, ‘How am I supposed to help my kid with homework without work sheets?’ ” he said. “Instead, we rely on technology, and teachers and kids identify resources. Teachers send home videos to prepare students for the next day or link to a website where they can practice skills. And we have lots of other books and Kindles for students to read.”
Other differences include students working with the same team of teachers for a few years, an arrangement that encourages close connections. Classes meet 200 days year-round to keep the learning momentum high, and the school day itself is a bit longer, from 8:20 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. All students study Spanish. And there’s a strong focus on fitness, from being outside two to three times a day to mandatory martial arts classes.
“The emphasis on physical education and martial arts was really important for us,” said LeAnn Boucher, who has two children at SAE. “Little kids have such a hard time with their energy, and here they have outlets. Our kindergartner is really into martial arts. We’ve also been impressed that the projects are so interesting. Our second grader came home last year talking about water cycles. It was so exciting to hear her go on about the projects they do.”
Ranford Richardson’s daughter has been at SAE since it opened, and the Mableton dad has been impressed with the work she’s doing. “Sarah comes home talking about things like plant cells and photosynthesis that I didn’t know about until seventh grade! Because of the interaction in class, she’s retained more than if she memorized it. It’s been a great fit.”