My 3-year-old attends Smyrna Bilingual Academy (SBA) and I feel so blessed to have found this gem! My daughter has been attending since she was 1 and a half. Since I have been there, I have had such a positive experience and I want to share with parents looking for primary care options.
The entire staff is loving, friendly, and nurturing. I have witnessed every teacher provide personal attention to each child. In the baby room, you receive a daily report at the end of the day that lets you know how well they ate, slept, and went to the bathroom. This was extremely helpful for me because it aided in me growing comfortable being away from my baby girl and also knowing how she was progressing.
The premise of the academy’s program is that children learn both English and Spanish. You may have heard of programs such as this referred to as dual language education. Therefore, starting in the baby room, students learn content taught in both English and Spanish. This includes number sense and identification, letter and sound recognition, shapes and colors, simple directives, and other content that support students becoming bi-literate in English and Spanish. Most importantly, the school’s curriculum is aligned with the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS).
Smyrna Bilingual Academy has a goal to support students enrolled in their school to possess the foundational building blocks to become bilingual and bi-literate in both English and Spanish, develop positive cross-cultural understanding, and be proficient or beyond for kindergarten readiness.
I understand that Georgia provides free Pre-K programs funded by the lottery for all kids who turn 4 years old by September 1st. Often the class sizes are large, there are limited spots available, and therefore there are waiting lists for many of these programs.
At SBA’s private Pre-K, though it is not free, the cost to attend from 6 weeks to Pre-K is extremely reasonable. So to continue to pay for Pre-K at SBA is well worth it! Your child will be in a smaller class size getting personalized attention. Furthermore, your child will continue to increase biliteracy in English and Spanish, a skill that increases cognitive skills across subjects, aids students in valuing different perspectives, and potentially meets the growing demand for bilingual employees. We feel lucky that our daughter will be able to attend Pre-K at SBA because I know that the same care and concern she has been provided will continue to be provided in Smyrna Bilingual Academy’s private Pre-K.
My daughter experienced the baby room, grew out of the 2-year-old room, and is now in the 3-year-old room. She bosses us around at home in English and Spanish (i.e.Siéntate aquí or sit down here) blows us “besos' ' (kisses) on the way out the door, and counts in Spanish as she plays in the living room with her toys. Every week she surprises us with her new knowledge. She has grown very fond of her teachers who she feels care for her.
When I travel for work, my husband struggles with doing my daughter’s hair, so her teacher gladly does it for her. When I am not my best self as a mother, I know that when my daughter goes to Smyrna Bilingual Academy she is in the best care. So much so, that every morning she wants to make sure we are taking her to school. SBA has become an extension of our village, our family.
While there may be a few students who come into the program with foundational Spanish, most students come from an English-only speaking home. The student body is diverse which reflects the community at large. My husband and I love that there is a strong presence of involved mothers and fathers. Furthermore, the holiday celebrations here are epic!!!!! Every holiday is celebrated with parties, art activities, goody bags, and much more! If you are looking for a safe, nurturing environment for your child contact Smyrna Bilingual Academy.
Contact Information:
https://smyrnabilingualacademy.com/
(770) 438-1892
Here are some other things you should know:
- Hours are Monday- Friday (closed on holidays) from 6:30am- 6:30pm
- Ages starting at 6 weeks old to Pre-K
- Breakfast, lunch, and snack included
- Potty Training
- Daily crafts
- Science activities
- In house field trips
- Tumble class available on-site for additional fee
- Summer weekly themes
- Child care for older students during school breaks
- Curriculum aligned to GELDS standards and indicators
- CAPS assistance for qualifying parents
- Very affordable option
- Dress code for 2 years old and up
