WHO WE ARE

Amana Academy is among the most well-regarded charter public schools in the state of Georgia.

With the addition of a second campus​​​​​​​ in West Atlanta (opening August 2021), Amana Academy is emerging as a network of STEM-themed EL Education charter schools inspired by the successful track record at our flagship school in Alpharetta. The Alpharetta campus was established in 2005 and is authorized by the Georgia Department of Education and the Fulton County Schools system. The school is incorporated as a non-profit charter school, and it is located 30 minutes north of Atlanta in the city of Alpharetta, Georgia adjacent to beautiful Wills Park.

A wonderful characteristic of start-up charter schools like Amana is that they are usually founded on a central core-principle. Amana’s foundational principles are best represented in the broad concepts of stewardship and responsibility. These principles, woven into all aspects of the school’s vision and mission, led organizers to choose the Arabic word Amana for the school’s nameplate because it conveyed the pervasive sense of “a trust that must be nurtured and guarded”.

Amana envisions its graduates possessing a healthy balance of intellect and ethical character – with a positive self-image who are motivated for lifelong learning and achievement, who respect others and the environment, and who can skillfully communicate their interests.

Amana has grown from 130 students in its opening year to 700+ students. Despite this amazing growth, the school still manages to retain a community feel.

Amana’s educational approach centers on EL Education (formally Expeditionary Learning). With high standardized test scores, an integrated STEM curriculum, a focus on stewardship and ethical character, and Arabic world-language instruction across all grade levels, Amana is a success story in the world of whole-child education. Assessments are authentic and include Celebrations of Learning, Student-led Conferences, and scientific study through real-life field studies and case studies. Students are leaders of their own learning and are encouraged to believe there is more in them than they think.

Amana is a proud member of the Georgia Charter Schools Association and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and it has received numerous awards and recognition for high academic achievement, purposeful ethos, and vibrant community.

We welcome you to explore our website and to visit our amazing school!

Amana Academy’s Recognition and Awards

Ever since being named a ‘model charter petition’, Amana Academy has garnered a reputation for excellence. The following list represents many of the school’s accomplishments since opening in 2005:

  • 2018 – Highest CCRPI score among Georgia charter schools
  • 2018 – EL Education Credential
  • 2018 – Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) STEM Education Awards: STEM Day finalist
  • 2017 – Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) STEM Education Awards: Certified STEM School Outreach Award
  • 2017 – Breakout School Finalist – Georgia Secondary Principals Association
  • 2016 – Highest percentage of middle school students taking high school level coursework
  • 2016 – Georgia’s First K-8 Certified STEM School (1st middle school in Fulton)
  • 2015 – 3rd ranked middle school in Fulton County (Ga DOE CCRPI rating)
  • 2014 – Highest performing 7th grade in Fulton County Schools on CRCT
  • 2014 – Host to the Foreign Language Association of Georgia (FLAG) Contest
  • 2011 – Georgia High Performing Healthy Schools Award Finalist – Top-3 Environmental Curriculum
  • 2011 – First School to Receive the Georgia Department of Education Dissemination Grant Award for STEM Education – $143,500 Award
  • 2011 – Georgia Department of Education Facilities Grant Recipient – $75,000
  • 2011 – Coca-Cola Foundation Georgia Charter School of the Year – $50,000 Award
  • 2011 – Annie Casey Foundation Award Recipient – $50,000 Award 
  • 2011 – Recognized for Innovation & Excellence During National Charter Schools Week Proclamation by Governor Nathan Deal
  • 2011 – LEGO First Robotics Competition (2nd Year!) 1st Place (Region)
  • 2011 – National History Day Tournament – 1st Place (State), Finalist (National)
  • 2011 – Georgia Science Olympiad (1st Year!) Finalist (Regional)
  • 2011 – Math Kangaroo Olympiad (2nd Year!) – 1st Place – 8th Grade & 5th Grade (State)
  • 2010 – World Language Award Winners by the Georgia State Department of Education for Arabic Instruction: Best Student, Best Teacher, Best Leader, Best Parent
  • 2010 – Georgia Department of Education Grant Facilities Recipient $91,000
  • 2010 – Georgia Public Policy Foundation Ranking #1 Middle School in Georgia; Top 10% of All Georgia Elementary Schools
  • 2010 – Captain Planet Foundation National School of Environmental Excellence
  • 2009 – Recognized for Innovation & Excellence During National Charter Schools Week Proclamations by Governor Sonny Purdue, City of Roswell, City of Alpharetta
  • 2009 – Award Winner and Annual Bus Tour Stop for Georgia Partnership of Excellence in Education
  • 2009 – PTA Start-Up Award of Excellence Recipient
  • 2007 – Youth Clean Community Challenge – Awarded by Keep Georgia Beautiful Awards Program First place – $500 Award
  • 2007 – Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia Names Outdoor Teacher of the Year – Vicky Castro
  • 2006 – Evergreen School of the Year
  • 2006 – Evergreen Environmental Educator of the Year
  • 2006 – Broadcom Technology Grant – $5,000 Award
  • 2006 – GA Power Co. Community Service Award – Recipient: the late Bekir Ozcan – $1,500 Award
  • 2006 – Weyerhauser Excellence in School Recycling Award – $1,500 Award
  • 2005 – Energy Smart Schools Energy Audit $5,000 Award
  • 2005 – GA Governor’s Office of Academic Achievement Bronze Award – Highest Academic Achievement Award
  • 2004 – Walton Family Foundation Grant – For Innovative, Promising Start-Up Charter Schools – $180,000 Award

Other Noteworthy Accomplishments

Amana has received financial and in-kind support from numerous national and local sources including The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, The Charter School Growth Fund, RedefinEd Atlanta, The Walton Family Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, Wal Mart Corp., Coca Cola Foundation, Target Stores, Publix Corp., AES Atlanta, GA Power, Alif Institute, Hands on Atlanta, GA Tech CEISMC, Chattahoochee Nature Center, City of Roswell, City of Alpharetta, Captain Planet Foundation, Fulton County, U.S. Dept. of Education, GA Department of Education, GA Public Policy Foundation, Georgia Charter Schools Association and many other local and national organizations.

Amana has been featured on 11-Alive News, The Atlanta Business Chronicle, NPR, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Financial Times, Neighbor Newspaper, Atlanta Magazine, Channel-2 News, Atlanta’s Fox News, Atlanta Journal Constitution just to name a few.

The Amana charter framework is now used as a model template for other charter schools nationwide.