Tech skills take center stage at BIA

A day in a Norcross park three years ago turned into an educational edge for Lydia Bell’s two sons. That’s when she struck up a conversation with a mom who told her about a school in the area that was teaching kids to code.

“We had been looking at different schools in the area, but she told me about BIA Charter, a school right in my midst that I didn’t even know about,” said Bell. “My oldest is really into technology and coding, and when I realized coding and individualized learning were the focus, it sounded almost too good to be true.”

Bell and her husband met with the head of school and went to a teachers’ meet-and-greet that confirmed the school would be a good fit for their sons.

“We were floored by the diversity ratios, even among the teachers, and we liked that the younger grades are capped at 20,” said Bell. “So we applied, got on a waiting list and then were accepted.”

Bell’s children joined BIA’s 540 students in kindergarten through eighth grade who come from across the metro area. Associate Head of School Katie French said the recently accredited Norcross school operates on three primary tenets: project-based learning, personalized learning and coding across all grade levels.

“Yes, we start coding in kindergarten,” said French. “To them, it feels like a game. They build characters and put together simulations. That’s why many parents bring their students here: They’re looking for an alternative to a traditional public school where we prepare students with the skills they’ll need in the 21st century, and coding gives them a leg up.”

Grades six through eight use multiple coding languages, including Python, HTML, CSS and JavaScript to enhance learning, share and collaborate writing assignments, create virtual time capsules, design interactive maps and compose video games that provide practice with math concepts. Emphasis is also on learning through hands-on applications of skills, so students complete projects that often crossover the entire curriculum. Learning is also personalized based on students’ interests and abilities.

“This year we’re partnering with a program that will train students, provide coaches and focus on opportunities to study things they’re interested in,” said French. “For instance, if they’re working on a social studies project and need to learn about an historical figure in the Abolitionist movement, they can do that. It gives them ownership over the study.”

Since Bell’s boys have been at BIA, they’ve participated in quarterly presentations that showcase their work – a website, applications, 3D models of the Revolutionary War among them.

“We’ve seen kids coming up with products and doing business plans,” said Bell. “Even the kindergarteners walk you through what they’re doing. The kids are so empowered. They’ll be able to use the things they’re learning no matter what as the world moves more toward technology.”

Information about BIA Charter School is online at biaschool.org.

SEND US YOUR STORIES. Each week we look at programs, projects and successful endeavors at area schools, from pre-K to grad school. To suggest a story, contact H.M. Cauley at hm_cauley@yahoo.com or 770-744-3042.