Lab School

Older gentleman on a nature trail showing a young male child items present in a net

At Dalton State College, we believe that education is a tool to fuel and support our community. Toward that end, we are we are collaborating with the newly established LEARNING Foundation of Georgia to open a new charter school (Lab School*) in fall 2026 to serve families seeking a classical yet innovative education for their children.

For more information or to register your interest in enrollment, please complete the interest form.

Partnership with Dalton State

The new school will be a regular school with its own, dedicated teachers, but it will have the benefit of being connected to Dalton State College. Faculty and researchers from a wide range of disciplines will contribute their expertise and provide innovative instructional programs that pioneer teaching advancements and shape the future of learning.

The school will be a learning environment where future educators can develop their skills in authentic and diverse classroom settings, alongside master teachers. This approach reduces the teacher-to-student ratio and allows instructors to meet students’ individual needs more easily. With a goal of delivering educational excellence for every child, we also believe our approach will enhance teacher preparation for area public schools currently served by the Dalton State School of Education.

Hallmarks of the Lab School Experience

While the curriculum is still under exploration, we anticipate using a classical education model, a time-honored approach that teaches students how to learn and how to think for themselves using high-quality instructional programs and methods that are appropriate to specific developmental stages. Experiential learning is a key component of the learning process to foster student success and a community where intellectual curiosity thrives.

The classical model builds a firm foundation at each stage of a students’ intellectual and social development, enabling them to excel at math, reading and writing while also equipping them with the knowledge and skills to be resilient, responsible and successful in life. Features include:

  • Integration with the Standards of Excellence
  • An emphasis on experiential learning inclusive of outdoor classroom settings
  • Character education with a focus on unstructured play, resiliency, and finding joy
  • Immersion in English and Spanish, alongside Latin
  • Performing and fine arts
  • Uniforms that promote cohesion and a sense of belonging
  • No personal technology (cell phones) for lower-grade students
  • Exposure to and recitation of key facts in history, the sciences, and literature at early grades with a transition to exposure to classics of literature, philosophy, rhetoric, and logic in later grades
  • Intensive academic experience in grades 9-10 followed by a dual enrollment year at either Dalton State or Georgia Northwestern Technical College in grade 11, and an internship or apprenticeship in grade 12.
Female student teacher in an art classroom giving a young child a high five

Support that Fosters Success

Support for Students
  • Personalized success plans for each student
  • Tutoring
  • Extracurricular programs and schedules
  • Summer supports (i.e., Literacy Camp, summer camps)
  • While the school will eventually serve students in kindergarten through grade 12, it will initially open with grades K-3.
  • The school will have 8-20 students per class in the elementary grades with a primary teacher and a secondary assistant in larger class settings to ensure personal attention.
  • With a goal to be a diverse learning community, the school will accept of all abilities and life experiences, including students for whom English is a second language, students with special needs and students from low socio-economic backgrounds.
  • Preference for enrollment will be for children of college employees and for students in our community and the surrounding Georgia counties who may need a different teaching approach to succeed academically and reach their full potential. Mindful of the potential fiscal impact on surrounding public schools, our intent is to accept enrollment from multiple districts, and we may limit enrollment from any particular district consistent with our charter and applicable state rules.
Support for Families
  • A whole child-family approach to education
  • A school calendar that works more effectively for their families
  • Extracurricular programs and schedules
  • Caregiver Academy – a place/resource where parents come to learn how to assist their children at home
Support for Teachers & Teachers-in-Training
  • Extended planning time
  • Professional development and leadership opportunities
  • Paraprofessionals in each elementary classroom
  • Innovative environment for beginning Dalton State education majors to learn and improve teaching skills prior to teacher placement in public schools

Timeline

  • December 2024: Initial Board of Directors formed; Letter of Intent submitted.
  • January 2025: Work with local boards of education to develop concept and begin approval process.
  • Spring 2025: Seek local and/or state approval
  • Spring 2025 – Spring 2026: Appoint Founding Head of School; recruit teachers; secure facility
  • Fall 2026: Anticipated opening term

Board of Directors

The LEARNING Foundation of Georgia is a cooperative organization partnering with Dalton State College. It includes leaders from the northwest Georgia community and Dalton State. It will serve as the governing board for the charter school. The founding board members are listed below. Once the school is established, the founding head of school would roll off the board and the Dalton State board members would transition to ex-officio roles and 3-5 community members, to include parents, etc., would be added.

  • John Minor, V – chair
  • T’Angela Johnson – vice chair
  • Larry Winter – treasurer
  • Julie Patterson – secretary
  • David Elrod – assistant treasurer/executive director of the Dalton State Foundation
  • Dr. John Fuchko – president of Dalton State College
  • Dr. Sharon Hixon – dean of the Dalton State College School of Education

Relationship with Dalton State College

In addition to the ex officio members from Dalton State on the charter’s governing board, the school’s relationship with Dalton State likely would include:

  • A dual-appointment for the head of school as an assistant / associate dean and faculty member within the Dalton State School of Education
  • A cooperative organization relationship between the LEARNING Foundation board and the institution, consistent with the Board Policy governing cooperative organizations
  • A contract for services by which Dalton State provides certain services (fiscal reporting, grounds and physical plant, marketing & communications, IT, advancement, etc.) to the school in exchange for a payment from the school to Dalton State
  • Placement of interns from across Dalton State at the school
  • Use of Lab School facilities to provide certain classes to Dalton State students associated with serving school students
  • Cooperative efforts to submit proposals for federal, state, local, and/or private grants in support of Dalton State School of Education and school programs and activities, and
  • Participation in Dalton State educational programs by teachers, para-pros, etc.

We have not determined the actual name but are using “Lab School” as we launch this effort. The Lab School will be a separate organization from Dalton State College and will seek local and/or state authorization as we seek to begin operation.