The DREAM Academy board of directors announced today that the school will open for students for the 2018-2019 school year and will be located at 151 Madison St., Macon, GA 31201.
 
“The DREAM board has worked diligently to find the right home for our school,” said Karla Redding-Andrews, governing board chair. “We have never wavered from the quest to bring the best education options to this community and to make art and music a part of a child’s life in every lesson, every day.”
 
The school’s charter petition was unanimously approved by the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia in August 2016, and since that time, the DREAM leadership team has been planning for the grand opening of the school. In fact, the Georgia Department of Education recently awarded the school a $850,000 grant for planning and implementation, which will assist with opening the school as well as support the school’s first two years of operation.
 
“These funds will assist us in bringing our dreams to fruition,” Redding-Andrews said. “We have a strong leadership team who has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare and is now ready to lead us forward. We are all delighted to have our efforts recognized by the Georgia Department of Education.”
 
Karla also announced at the press conference that the Griffith Family Charitable Foundation made a $100,000 donation. The funds will be used to further the mission of DREAM Academy.

As a state charter school of choice, DREAM Academy is open to all students residing in
Georgia. Its mission is to empower students to maximize their full potential through the
integration of arts and academics. Beginning in August 2018, the school will serve grades K-6 with plans to expand one grade each year to create a K-12 school.
 
According to Redding-Andrews, the school will focus on building students’ capacity for conceptual thinking, inquiry, analysis, interpretation, self-expression and self-esteem through the Authentic Arts Integration (AAI) curriculum. This curriculum exposes students to a wide range of fine arts through a balanced and comprehensive educational model that integrates music and arts into the teaching standards. Classroom teachers and arts teachers work collaboratively to structure interdisciplinary curricula that promote deep learning of subject matter, higher-order thinking, creativity, adaptability and teamwork.
 
“The founders and partners believe a collaborative educational model can enhance the public education and community programming opportunities in Middle Georgia,” said Betsy Fitzgerald, DREAM Academy governing board vice chair. “By offering a unique learning environment that embraces the arts and leverages higher education, community and industry partnerships, DREAM Academy is poised to move the needle in education by advancing student success through the arts.”
 
Karla announced at the press conference that the Griffith Family Charitable Foundation made a $100,000 donation today. The funds will be used to further the mission of DREAM Academy.
 
The application period for the 2018-2019 school year begins Feb. 7 at 12 a.m. and runs through March 2 at 11:59 p.m. Students will be selected randomly through a lottery process to be conducted by a third party.  Those wishing to apply may complete the application anytime between Feb. 7 and March 2. All names with completed applications submitted by the deadline are entered into the lottery, and all names, regardless of day or time of applying, have an equal chance of being selected.
 
To enroll, complete an application by visiting www.dreamacademycharter.org or completing a paper application at the Otis Redding Foundation office located at 339 Cotton Ave., Macon GA. For more information on DREAM Academy and how to apply, visit www.dreamacademycharter.org.