When Ethos Classical Charter School opens its doors on Wednesday, August 7, it will be the fulfillment of a four-year journey and the start of a new opportunity for more than 160 students living in the city of Atlanta and Fulton County.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a dream that I鈥檝e poured into for so long, it鈥檚 amazing that it鈥檚 finally becoming a reality,鈥� says Ethos Classical Founding Head of School Emily Castillo Le贸n.
Ethos Classical Charter School is located in the Sylvan Hills neighborhood in Southwest Atlanta and will begin its first year by serving students in Kindergarten and the third grade. Ethos Classical plans to fully expand to a K-5 public charter school by the 2024-2025 school year. The school is authorized by the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia and is focused on serving families in Atlanta and Fulton County through a classical education within a safe, structured and supportive community. However, when school leaders use the word 鈥渃lassical鈥� they are referring to the school鈥檚 liberal arts focus rather than an emphasis on classical literature and history. Castillo Le贸n says the school鈥檚 curriculum is expansive and culturally relevant to its student population.
Castillo Le贸n says student literacy is major focus of Ethos Classical due to the abundance of research that shows its impact on long-term outcomes. Students will receive 210 minutes of daily literacy instruction and 140 minutes of text-rich mathematics instruction. The school鈥檚 students will also take part in a daily innovation lab.
The emphasis on literacy is crucial, because Castillo Le贸n says currently only four out of ten students can expect to read at grade level by the third grade in the highest-performing schools in the zip codes Ethos targeted for enrollment. That statistic is important because research has shown a student鈥檚 ability or inability to read by the third grade can determine their future trajectory. She says the school will have high expectations and wants to ensure its students are on the path to college and a life of opportunity.
鈥淲e believe that we鈥檙e creating a history-making school,鈥� says Castillo Le贸n.
However, getting to opening day took hard work and perseverance. Ethos Classical applied to be a local charter school in Fulton County and Atlanta Public Schools. The school was denied by the APS and asked to withdraw its petition from the Fulton County Boards of Education. The school then reapplied to APS, but school board members did not take a vote on Ethos鈥� application and concerns about a lack of community support were raised. Ethos then submitted a petition to the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia and was approved last July.
Castillo Le贸n says community interest for the school has always been strong. For its inaugural school year, Ethos received more than 420 applications for 162 available seats for students, and she says the waitlist is continuing to build. She also says the 12 orientation sessions the school has held have been well attended.
鈥淲hat we鈥檝e known all along and have been working to elevate are the voices of families and parents. These numbers are the tangible representation of their support, which I do not believe is any different than it was four years ago.鈥�
Despite family interest, Castillo Le贸n says the school may never have opened if it had not been for the passage of Georgia House Bill 787, which was championed by Georgia Charter Schools Association and members of its legislative coalition. The bill increased total funding for schools authorized by the State Charter Schools Commission by millions of dollars. Previously, commission-authorized schools were funded approximately 20 percent or more below traditional schools in Georgia.
鈥淲e would not have even applied to the State Charter Schools Commission without the more equitable funding that became a reality following the approval of HB 787,” says Castillo Le贸n. 鈥淚t would have compromised our program in too many ways.”
Castillo Le贸n is thankful that the school鈥檚 lengthy journey to opening has come to close. She鈥檚 looking forward to the school making a difference in the lives of students and local families.
鈥淲e want our scholars to be curious and interested in the world with the academic foundation to pursue those interests and continue growing,鈥� says Castillo Le贸n.
