DECATUR, Ga. – A Decatur school dedicated to educating refugee girls is breaking ground on a major expansion that will double its capacity and provide new opportunities for students who often arrive in the U.S. with significant educational gaps.
The Global Village Project Middle School
What we know:
The Global Village Project Middle School, the only school of its kind in the country, will expand from serving 45 students to 100 when construction is completed. Administrators expect the new campus to be ready for classes by August, with construction wrapping up next spring.
The school’s intensive three-year program focuses on English, math, science and social studies, preparing girls to transition to high school. Ezell said the school boasts a high school graduation rate of 79 percent, compared with about 60 percent for English language learners in DeKalb County.
The expansion will include two new buildings, each with six classrooms. The project carries an $8 million price tag, funded largely through private donations, foundations and a capital campaign that has raised nearly $6 million. A $1 million investment from the New Market Tax Credit program and Truist Bank will help close the gap, though administrators say they still need between $500,000 and $800,000 in additional support.
Founded 16 years ago by volunteers, the school is considered a national model for addressing the needs of refugee students.
Middle school for refuges
What they’re saying:
“Our students come into the U.S. as refugees through the Refugee Resettlement Program,” said administrator Allison Ezell. “They come with their families, but many have missed three to six years of schooling. They arrive with very limited or no English and giant gaps in their education. They just didn’t fit into the public school system that places you by age.”
“These students are amazing,” Ezell said. “They come to us with no English and leave fluent, writing thesis papers, and many go on to college.”
What’s next:
The expansion, leaders say, will ensure more girls have the chance to catch up academically and thrive in their new communities.
The Source: Allison Ezell, an administrator with the Global Village Project Middle School, spoke with FOX 5 for this article.
