Pinecrest Academy, a private PreK3-12 Catholic School, serving North Atlanta families of all faiths, has been named a Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (SB10) school. The SB10 is a school choice program available for special needs students attending Georgia public schools who are served under an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
Created by the Georgia State Legislature in the 2007 Session, SB10 allows parents of students with disabilities to choose the educational setting for their child, including public and private schools. Pinecrest Academy is now an approved SB10 private school.
Upon acceptance to Pinecrest Academy, parents may apply for SB10 funding through the Georgia State Department. Funding is distributed three times per year, the amount of funding determined by the State. SB10 scholarship awards may be applied to the cost of a Pinecrest tuition.
The recent SB10 designation enhances the school’s learning resource program – the Pinecrest Academy Resource Center (PARC) – which launched during the 2018-2019 school year. PARC focuses on developing each student’s fortitude and resilience to aim higher academically and emotionally, reaching his or her full potential.
Lead by Dr. Alice Murphy, Pinecrest’s Learning Specialist, and a team of specialists in the Lower, Middle, and High Schools, PARC provides three levels of participation – named after the school’s mascot – including Rocky Gold Full-time, Rocky Green Part-time, and a Developmental Reading Program. Students must qualify for enrollment in a recommended level.
The development of PARC was based on research which shows that children learn differently, as influenced by brain functions that result in learning strengths and weaknesses. Research also confirms that when educators develop a greater understanding as to how students learn, and how to harness this insight into their teaching, students are more successful and gain self-confidence, and their interest in all aspects of school improves.
Students participating in Pinecrest’s PARC program may be identified with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), slow processing and working memory issues, or emotional stressors, such as anxiety. Learning differences are neurologically-based processing issues which can interfere with learning basic skills, such as reading, writing and/or math, resulting in a gap between intellectual potential and academic performance. They can also interfere with higher level skills, such as organization, time management, abstract reasoning, long- or short-term memory, or attention.
Pinecrest Academy is committed to providing resources needed to ensure the academic development of each and every student. Based on the school’s belief that each child can be successful in intellectual, spiritual, creative, and social development, the goal with PARC is to help every student discover his or her individual potential for greatness. Incorporating the SB10 status into the mix allows Pinecrest to welcome and accommodate more students who desire a private, Catholic education.
For more information on the PARC program at Pinecrest Academy, please visit the Pinecrest web site at https://www.pinecrestacademy.org/academics/learning-resources.
For more information on SB10, criteria for applying, eligibility, and important dates, please click here. Visit the Georgia Department of Education website here for complete program information and additional resources for parents.
