The Communication Arts School program is designed for students with average to superior abilities who learn best in small classes. Incorporating multi-sensory and experiential instruction, the school’s holistic or "total child" approach allows students to learn about and achieve mastery of themselves and the world around them. The goal of the Communication Arts School is to enable students to become independent, lifelong learners. Self-respect, self-discipline, and regard for others are engendered in an atmosphere of individual acceptance, respect, and commitment. Mill Springs Academy is fully accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission, SACS, and NAIS accreditation. We are members of the Atlanta, Georgia, and National Association of Independent Schools.

Laptops | Winter Learning | Community Levels System
Advisory/Advisors | Block Schedule and Curriculum
LAPTOPS FOR LEARNING PROGRAM

Silver and Gold Winners

Beginning in the 1997-98 school year, Mill Springs became part of a Toshiba/Microsoft laptop project with the goal of becoming a model program for other schools. In the 97-98 term, students began individual ownership of laptops. As of the 98-99 term, every student will be required to own a laptop. beginning  in 4th grade. Starting in 2003 we began using IBM ThinkPad Laptops.

Through the school’s Local Area Network (LAN), students are able to connect wirelessly to the Internet as well as communicating with the faculty and staff and accessing the various portfolios of information stored on the server.

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WINTER LEARNING PROGRAM

The Winter Learning Program (WLP) is a 10 day long, hands-on, experiential learning program. Students take a variety of interest-generated courses on a for credit, graded basis. This program, which lasts the first two weeks of January, is a pure learning environment in which students attend workshops, internships, and week-long seminars, and participate in "mobile classrooms" on topics such as Photography, Theatre Production, Hiking, Community Service. Students choose a series of classes from the course outlines and schedules and spend two weeks learning about the topics.

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COMMUNITY LEVELS SYSTEM

Mill Springs Levels system is the "backbone" of the program and sets Mill Springs apart from other independent schools. The Levels System is a school-wide, reality-based structure that clearly defines student responsibilities. The system allows the student to make fully informed choices and to assume personal responsibility for those choices. The weekly Levels/Community meetings incorporate peer feedback. All students participate in values groups that focus on character development. Click here for the levels system.

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ADVISORY/ADVISORS

Advisory is the morning and afternoon class where each faculty member works with a small group of students. The goal of this time period is to enhance communication, to support our students and their families, and to integrate them successfully into the life of the school. The ultimate reward is a school climate that fosters community. Another role of the advisor is to disseminate information regarding the advisees to faculty and staff. Advisors routinely call the parents of his/her advisees in order to keep parents current with their student’s progress.

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BLOCK SCHEDULE AND CURRICULUM

The Communication Arts School utilizes a block schedule. This approach involves three, 95 minute classes per day and allows for more intensive individual attention to the instructional needs of each student. The curriculum is challenging with emphasis on the courses required for success in the upper grades. The curriculum design is innovative and individualized with a variety of approaches for presenting material and information, including focusing on the multiple intelligences. Every student works individually with each of his/her teachers to draft course syllabi that best meet the student’s learning style and academic goals.

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