Curriculum
Educational Program: Heron Bay Academy incorporates a core curriculum with the Paragon® Curriculum and a magnet-like Arts and Technology focus that links core learning with multiple learning styles. Core curriculum includes top rated, phonics-based Open Court Reading, SRA Math (the nation’s top-rated math program), Harcourt Brace Science, and Spanish. Paragon® is a proprietary social studies/history/geography program that incorporates literature, drama, art, music, and technology. Paragon® engages students with hands-on exploration and reinforces core morning classes by addressing varying student-learning styles.
- Unique Program Aspects (In addition to meeting or exceeding all state and federal standards):
- 192-day school year
- Uniform dress code and strong student behavior code of civility
- Personalized Student Achievement Plans for every student (with annual learning goals and strategies to help achieve those goals)
- Instructional grouping (allows individual children to be grouped every 10 weeks with peers at the same instructional level, assuring that children are continuously growing academically and are appropriately challenged)
- Parental involvement
- Pre and post-testing each fall and spring
- Longer school day (8:00 AM to 3:30 PM)
- Multiple assessments including Dibels, A+, ITBS and CRCT
- Spanish education for all students at all grade levels
- Full-time teaching coach provides daily professional development
- World-class, research-based curriculum
- “Looping” whereby the student stays with the same teacher for 2-3 years
- Educational assistants supporting kindergarten classes
- Technology integrated with a 1:3 computer-student ratio
- Fee based before and after school programs
- “Paragon® Night” (students to demonstrate their learning accomplishments to their parents and community every 5 weeks)
- Annual customer satisfaction surveys of parents.)
- Extensive professional development plan
- Food Service: No
- Free and Reduced Meal Program: Yes (need based)
- Transportation: Walking/Biking trails and Carpools
- Special Education: Yes
- Gifted and Talented: Yes
- English Language Learner program: Yes, immersion model
- Curriculum aligned with Georgia Performance Standards: Yes
- Certified staff and administration: Yes
- Longitudinal assessment plus CRCT testing: Yes
- Before and after school programs: Yes
- Participation in state accountability, accreditation and school improvement program: Yes