Gifted Atlanta

Life-long educator Kristy Beam is in the planning stages of creating Georgia Accelerated Career Academy, a public charter school that will allow students in grades 6 to 12 to prepare for careers in healthcare and medicine. On Tuesday, October 22, she’ll host an online informational session, and she’s hoping parents of gifted students will tune in and provide feedback.

Beam, who has worked as a teacher, administrator, and assistant superintendent in the metro Atlanta area, envisions a school where students begin exploring healthcare careers in middle school, work toward certifications as underclassmen, and ultimately earn an associate’s degree while in high school. From there, students could go directly into a healthcare career or embark on further studies in medicine.

The ability to earn an associate’s degree while in high school is available to public school students in Georgia through the Accelerated Career Diploma program, but Beam says it isn’t offered at all schools, and it’s usually suggested only to students who are struggling to stay on track to graduate, not advanced learners. Beam notes that some gifted students become disengaged from typical academic classes, and they might benefit from a program that lets them start pursuing an interest in healthcare and medicine while in high school.

To learn more about the plans for the school, visit https://www.gaaca.net/. To register for the information session, go to the event page.