Galloway School
15 Chastain Park Ave NW, Atlanta
GallowaySchool.org
750 students, Pre-K3-12th Grade
The Galloway School is a community where learning is joyful, individuals are valued and self-discovery is encouraged. Galloway students confidently embrace challenges while developing the knowledge, skills and cultural competence to thrive as enlightened contributors in their chosen pathways.
New students are welcomed on campus for orientation before the first day of school. Seniors wear white on the first day of school and take a senior photo! First day of school carpool is a special event with balloons, photos and music. New students have an ambassador buddy to show them the ropes and where their classes are located. Middle Learning students have the opportunity to decorate their lockers.
Ivybrook Academy-Sandy Springs/Buckhead
4506 Roswell Road NE
IvybrookAcademy.com/sandy-springs18months-6 years old
At Ivybrook Academy, each child's unique capabilities are celebrated through their engaging curriculum. Ivybrook’s innovative approach empowers children to explore, discover and learn in a supportive environment, fostering a lifelong love of learning.
At the beginning of the school year, there’s a Meet the Teacher Night, a Signing Day (a day dedicated to building confidence in starting their beautiful educational journey) and every fall there is a young authors celebration where students author their very own books. Every spring, students’ art is featured in an art show on campus.
Pace Academy
966 W. Paces Ferry Road NW
PaceAcademy.org
1,150 students in grades Pre-First through 12th
Pace’s mission is to create prepared, confident citizens of the world who honor the values of Pace Academy.
The welcome to Pace Academy begins long before the first bell rings. The transition kicks off in the spring, when families entering Pre-First, sixth and ninth grades gather on campus to meet classmates, division leaders and faculty. All new families are matched with buddy groups that meet throughout the break. August amplifies this momentum with Lower School family gatherings and orientations across the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. The entire ninth-grade class participates in a two-day off-campus retreat led by senior peer leaders to build camaraderie. This bonding continues into the first week of school as sixth and seventh graders embark on their own grade-level retreats. The school year officially roars to life with one of Pace’s most vibrant traditions: the Senior Parade up West Paces Ferry Road. Middle and Upper School convocations take place on the second day of school, and immediately following the Upper School ceremony, the entire senior class departs for a daylong whitewater rafting trip.
Springmont School
5750 Long Island Dr NW
Springmont.com
240 students, 18 months through 8th grade
Springmont School provides a learning environment where diversity of thought and global perspective empower students to be inquisitive, knowledgeable, independent, compassionate and effective.
During the summer, they host Playdates and Family Picnics for younger students – 18 months – Kindergarten-age. Students are welcomed at the beginning of the school year with a week of Orientation, which includes:
Open Houses for families to be able to drop by campus to say hello to teachers and staff informally and explore any campus or classroom updates, as well as opportunities to learn about lunch, after-school enrichment programs and Chorus & Strings.
Days for only new students so that they get small group and individual time with teachers.
Gatherings for parents new to the school and new to academic levels.
Middle School students take a team-building trip to their campus in North Georgia.
Additionally, parents are invited to campus for Opening Night, an evening that includes a school-wide social gathering followed by time in classrooms with teachers.
Trinity School
4301 Northside Parkway NW
TrinityAtl.org
601 students, ages 3 – 6th grade
Trinity School creates a community of learners in a diverse and distinctly elementary-only environment, in which each child develops the knowledge, skills and character to achieve his or her unique potential as a responsible, productive and compassionate member of the School and greater community.
At Trinity, welcoming new students begins long before the first day of school. Every new family is paired with a current Trinity host family, with matches made by grade level and, whenever possible, shared interests. Throughout the summer, host families organize informal get-togethers, often inviting additional Trinity families to join, helping new students and parents begin building connections. Trinity’s newest Tigers are also invited to special events designed to foster friendships and build excitement. New families are also invited to participate in Pictures by the Bell, a cherished Trinity tradition where families can capture a photo by and ring the School’s iconic bell to commemorate the beginning of their Trinity journey.
The Lovett School
4075 Paces Ferry Road, N.W.
Lovett.org
K-12
The Lovett School is a community of belonging that develops students of honor, faith and wisdom with the character and intellect to thrive in learning and life.
Lovett's back-to-school season opens with Senior Walk, a procession through campus where seniors move together through a tradition they've watched for years and now finally lead. A speech marks the moment before each senior signs Lovett's character pledge, a commitment that sets the tone for everything that follows. Meanwhile, in Lower School and Middle School, faculty and staff line the halls and drop-off lanes to welcome every student back by name. A couple of weeks later, the whole community gathers for Opening Chapel, where seniors and kindergarteners enter hand in hand, beginning the year together.