Across metro Atlanta, many parents weighing where to send their children for elementary school are drawn to The Academy of Scholars. This accredited Christian school serving Pre-K through 6th grade now draws families from nearly 40 zip codes, and its reputation rests on a straightforward promise to deliver excellence that serves the whole child, from academics to sociality to spirituality.
That promise has resonated with families across a crowded private school market. It offers something that many big public schools don’t: a science-backed approach to reading instruction grounded in explicit skill instruction, a focus on Christian values, a safe learning environment, and a customized education that fits students’ unique learning journeys.
Phonics-Centered Reading Instruction
The school’s calling card is its phonics-based reading curriculum. Rather than asking children to memorize words by sight, teachers help them build the skills that allow them to decode even the most unfamiliar words.
It all starts with phonemic awareness, which helps students identify the sounds (phonemes) that make up words. In a reading class for kindergarten, here’s how that might look: A teacher presents the word “dog.” Young scholars don’t just memorize the word and move on. Rather, a teacher may ask the student to:
● Identify the three sounds in “dog”
● Think of three other words that begin with the /d/ sound
● Take out the /o/ sound and replace it with an /i/ sound
● Think of three words that rhyme with “dog”
If phonemic awareness helps students identify and manipulate sounds in words, phonics helps them understand the relationship between letters and sounds. Students learn to read and spell using magnetic letter tiles, internalize important rules of language (like the “silent E rule”), learn consonant blends and digraphs, and master common prefixes and suffixes.
The Academy’s instruction starts with its pre-K reading program and extends through 6th grade. It emphasizes science-backed decoding strategies alongside reading comprehension, with the goal of developing well-rounded readers who can make sense of complex texts and apply them to the world around them.
“We teach science, coding, foreign language, and the arts, but reading lies at the heart of every subject,” said Dr. Brian Bolden, Head of School. “We lay the foundation for all learning with our intensive emphasis on reading readiness.”
Faith Woven Through the Day
Many families seek out private schools for kindergarten and up because they want more than what public schools have to offer their scholars. From day one, they want forward-focused academics that fit the unique learning style of each student, and they want an environment that fosters strong morals.
The Academy of Scholars was founded to pair academic rigor with Christian values, and faith runs through the ordinary moments of the school day. Teachers model Christian values in how they speak with students, resolve conflicts, and shape a classroom culture rooted in respect and responsibility.
Students participate in hands-on activities that foster integrity, compassionate service, and respect for the people and world around them.
Spiritual growth at this Atlanta-area Christian school is cultivated in partnership with parents, reinforcing the values children are already learning at home rather than competing with them. Families often say that consistency between what children hear at home and what they experience in the classroom is a large part of why they enroll. It’s a steady focus on nurturing kids’ spirits alongside their minds.
A Safe Setting
In an era of aggressive rhetoric and violent actions, safety can feel elusive. But safety is a cornerstone of the Academy. It starts with Dr. Bolden, who led another Georgia school through an active shooter incident earlier in his career. Every student and staff member made it out of the building without injury. Bolden was publicly commended by the U.S. Secretary of Education for his leadership during the crisis, and he went on to speak nationally on school safety and crisis management.
He brings that experience to The Academy of Scholars, where campus security is a daily priority.
“A safe, orderly campus is what makes real learning possible,” Bolden said. “Kids must be able to shut out the chaos of the world and know that they will be protected as they learn.”
Individualized Attention
Too many kids get lost in the shuffle at oversized schools with crowded classrooms. The Academy of Scholars keeps its student-to-teacher ratio low. If a child is struggling emotionally or academically, teachers can spot the gaps. They can communicate with parents and help connect students with the resources they need. It’s the personalized attention that sets the school apart.
The Advantages Are Hard to Miss
For metro Atlanta parents deciding where their children will spend the formative elementary years, the Academy makes a clear case: start reading early, build it on phonics, anchor it in faith, and keep classes small and secure. It is a combination the school believes gives children a strong footing for the years ahead, in the classroom and beyond.
Families interested in learning more or scheduling a tour can visit AcademyofScholars.com or call 678-632-6001.
