Organization: THE BOYCE L ANSLEY SCHOOL INC
Mission: OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A TUITION-FREE, PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS IN ATLANTA. WE STRIVE TO HELP FAMILIES BREAK THE CYCLE OF GENERATIONAL POVERTY BY PROVIDING CHILDREN WITH AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION AND COLLABORATIVE FAMILY SUPPORT IN A NURTURING AND FAITH-INSPIRED ENVIRONMENT.
Activities: BEGUN IN 2015 AND INCORPORATED IN 2017, THE BOYCE L. ANSLEY SCHOOL IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION TO CHILDREN IN THE METRO ATLANTA AREA WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS. IN 2018, WE OPENED OUR DOORS TO OUR INAUGURAL PRE-K CLASS OF 12 YOUNG SCHOLARS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE AT RISK OF SIGNIFICANT UNDER- PERFORMANCE AT SCHOOL, AND THIS UNDERPERFORMANCE CAN LAST FOR YEARS AFTER CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES OBTAIN PERMANENT HOUSING. AT THE BOYCE L. ANSLEY SCHOOL, WE BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN A SCHOOL WHERE THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS ARE RECOGNIZED AND MET. TAS ACCOMPLISHES THIS THROUGH SMALL CLASS SIZE (8:1 STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO OR LESS), AND ROBUST SUPPORT OF STUDENTS' PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC NEEDS THROUGH AN INTENSIVE FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM. TAS DOES NOT CHARGE TUITION, AND TRANSPORTATION, MEALS AND SNACKS, UNIFORMS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES ARE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH YMCA OF METRO ATLANTA. OUR FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM OFFERS PARENTS BIWEEKLY MEETINGS ON SUBJECTS SUCH AS NUTRITION, RESUME BUILDING AND PERSONAL FINANCE, CONDUCTS FREQUENT HOME VISITS WITH FAMILIES AND CONNECTS FAMILIES WITH PARTNERS WHO CAN OFFER VITAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS INCLUDING CHRIS180, UNITED WAY, READING IS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL PEOPLE, YMCA OF METRO ATLANTA, CROSSROADS, AND GOOD SAMARITAN HEALTH CENTER TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE SERVICES THEY NEED TO ADDRESS PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH NEEDS. THE 2019-2020 FISCAL YEAR WAS A MOMENTOUS ONE FOR THE SCHOOL. WE MORE THAN DOUBLED IN SIZE BY ADDING A KINDERGARTEN CLASS. WE ENROLLED 15 YOUNG SCHOLARS IN OUR NEW KINDERGARTEN CLASS (11 MATRICULATING FROM OUR INAUGURAL PRE-K CLASS), AND 13 NEW SCHOLARS INTO OUR PRE-K CLASS. IN TOTAL, WE SERVED 28 SCHOLARS AND 70 PARENTS AND SIBLINGS. IN THE SPRING OF 2020, WE LAUNCHED A NATIONAL SEARCH TO HIRE OUR FIRST PRINCIPAL. KELLY WIX, MED. JOINED OUR TEAM IN MARCH AND LEADS THE ACADEMIC VISION AND THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS. FOUNDER, KATE KENNEDY, ROLLED OFF THE BOARD TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT, OVERSEEING FUNDRAISING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING. CHAD COSTLEY, MD WAS ELECTED BOARD CHAIR. IN MAY OF 2020, THE BOYCE L ANSLEY SCHOOL MOVED TO ITS OWN 12,000 SQ FT STATE-OF-THE-ART SPACE ON RALPH MCGILL BLVD, ACROSS THE STREET FROM ITS ORIGINAL HOME AT ST LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. COVID-19 CAUSED A BREAK IN OUR IN-PERSON LEARNING, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY ADOPT A UNIQUE ONLINE PLATFORM TO SERVE OUR SCHOLARS AND THEIR FAMILIES. EACH ANSLEY SCHOLAR RECEIVED A TABLET PRE-LOADED WITH ACADEMIC CONTENT, A WEEKLY FOOD STIPEND, MARTA CARDS, AND WEEKLY VIRTUAL CONFERENCES WITH TEACHERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS. WE CONCLUDED OUR YEAR WITH THE RE- ENROLLMENT OF 100% OF OUR SCHOLARS. ON AVERAGE, SCHOLARS MISSED LESS THAN 10 DAYS OF SCHOOL AND 95% OF OUR FAMILIES GAINED GREATER HOUSING STABILITY. WE ALSO ENDED WITH A FINANCIAL SURPLUS OF 500,000 TO CARRY OVER INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
NTEE category: Education
Secondary category: Housing & Shelter