LAKE OCONEE ACADEMY NAMED TOP 5 FINALIST FOR GEORGIA CHARTER SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Greensboro, Ga. (January 11, 2016) – Lake Oconee Academy (LOA) has been selected as one of the five finalists for Georgia Charter School of the Year. Sponsored by The Coca-Cola Foundation, the award will be presented at the Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) Annual Conference in February. Presented each year to an outstanding charter school in Georgia, the prestigious award was established to honor excellence in education throughout the charter sector. As the final step in the process, LOA will participate in an interview before a selection committee on January 14.
Lake Oconee Academy CEO Dr. Otho Tucker said of the award, “This is just another indication that the hard work of the students, parents, staff, volunteers, and board does not go unnoticed by those outside of Greene County.” Tucker says that ultimately, the goal of LOA is setting a standard for others. “It is not being named Charter School of the Year that is important, though we would love the honor, it is creating a model for others to follow and a standard of excellence that all can achieve. We have proven that rural schools can provide the same opportunities to students as schools in metropolitan areas.”
In order to qualify for this award and the accompanying $50,000 grant, LOA has followed the guidelines strictly. LOA is a GCSA member school in good standing demonstrating academic excellence as measured by standardized achievement tests and serving students in Georgia. Operational for five or more years, LOA has demonstrated operational sustainability and sound fiscal practices as well as autonomous governance through the use of waivers and authority over academic, financial, and personnel decisions. If selected the Georgia Charter School of the Year, members of LOA will present at the 2017 conference on how they used the grant to further their academic excellence.
For immediate release
Contact: Kerry Minster
706.454.1562
kerry.minster@lakeoconeeacademy.org