Our Mission
The International Academy of Smyrna (IAS) is a tuition-free, state charter school which provides an engaging, student-centered environment and rigorous, relevant curriculum that promotes the development of critical thinking skills. Our graduates will be well-rounded world citizens who are academically prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Our Values
Our actions are based on and guided by our core values: integrity, responsibility, inclusion, and perseverance. Focus on our core values will serve what is best for students. These values, with respect to our mission, will provide the environment within which to best educate our students. The International Academy of Smyrna believes strongly that by teaching stakeholders to embrace these values, our students will realize their full potential.

Academic Focus

Rigorous
Instruction
Challenging lessons based on the Georgia Standards of Excellence

Experiential
Learning
Virtual, in house and/or off campus learning experiences.

Service
Learning
School-wide focus on problem-solving and meeting community needs.

Spanish
in all Grades
Scholars learning Spanish and applying their knowledge through practical conversations.

Personalized
Learning
Data analysis by staff to make adjustments to instruction and to close learning gaps or accelerate learning

Increased Stakeholder Involvement
Parent input is encouraged and we welcome involvement and participation in school activities.

International
Focus
At IAS we are intentional about exposing our scholars to various cultures around the world. Each month we focus on a different continent. For the month of September, scholars selected a country in South America to research and share what they learned about their foods and traditions. In the month of November, we explored Europe. Scholars selected a country and conducted research to compare their European country to America on certain aspects that relate to the standards they are learning. For example, in Kindergarten, scholars researched the holidays celebrated, while our third graders researched their habitats and culture, and fifth grade researched important places and economy. In December, scholars explored Antarctica. Scholars chose to write either a narrative, informational or opinion piece on Antarctica. In January, scholars will research Africa and explore various aspects from weather, topography, and plants and animals to ecosystems and organisms. In February, we will explore North America, April will we focus on Australia and May we will explore Asia.

H.E.A.R.T.S.
Humanities
Humanities places an emphasis on human need through identifying local and global concerns and developing service-learning projects or developing ways to address issues while demonstrating how scholars can learn to assist others or our world issues. This year in October we raised awareness for Breast Cancer by hosting a Pink Out Day. Scholars were encouraged to donate $5 and dress in pink. Donations were given to the Better Day Givings, an organization that helps those who have Breast Cancer. One of our teachers, a breast cancer survivor, received help from this organization and wanted us to help give back to them. She also shared a video with scholars marking her journey.
Exploration and Experiential Learning
Exploration and experiential learning allows for creative, fun, engaging, learning and promotes higher order thinking skills. We approach experiential learning through experiential learning projects where scholars learn about a different continent each month. We also have scholars participate in educational field trips both on and off campus. Scholars also participated in a career day where they had the opportunity to learn about various careers that they may want to do once they become adults. The Red Cross also came into the building and spoke to scholars regarding fire safety for K-2 and pillow case project in case of an emergency.
ARTS
The ARTS allow scholars to be exposed to a variety of activities that focus on the arts, through visual mediums, media usage, and literature. Scholars have opportunities to not only have information resented to them through a variety of mediums, they also have the opportunity to present what they’ve learned through various artistic mediums, digital presentations, dance, music, etc.

Service
Learning
At IAS we strive to teach our scholars to give back to the community. It is our goal to have scholars participate in a service-learning project every nine weeks. Service learning is important because it connects scholars learning in the classroom with real-world experiences in the community. So far this year, we’ve collected water for Jackson, Mississippi and donated it to the Red Cross for distribution. We also hosted a Pink Out Day to raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness. The funds were donated to Better Day Givings a non-profit organization that gives back to the community by providing spiritual support and custom made wigs to cancer patients.
