AUGUSTA, Ga. () – Georgia Discovery Charter Academy, a new charter school, will open in Augusta next fall, initially serving 4th and 5th graders but will eventually expand over the next five years to 8th graders.

The Richmond County School Board approved the new charter school on Tuesday, marking the first locally approved charter school in the county.

The school aims to support students struggling after 3rd grade testing.

“We plan on solving that problem with outdoor learning, animal therapy, art therapy, STEM programs that students access daily, and we really think that will decrease behaviors and increase student engagement and prepare them better for high school,” said Kenisha Skaggs, founder of Georgia Discovery Charter Academy.

Kenisha Skaggs, who also founded SOAR Academy, will bring principles from her private school experience to the new charter school.

“There’s a mental health crisis among our young people; they are on smartphones quite a bit. With this school we’re getting kids back in the community, back outside to enjoy their childhood more and it’s creating a more emotionally sound child at graduation. We’re also working on ensuring that our children are engaged post high school.” Skaggs said

The approval process for the charter took approximately 6 to 9 months, but Skaggs feels it was worthwhile to provide access to educational resources typically unavailable to most families without public funding.

“That small group intervention, some of those therapy supports everyday is something that many families in Richmond County desperately needed.” Skaggs said.

While the school is working on partnerships for a permanent location, it will temporarily operate at Pineview Baptist Church when it opens next fall.

The Georgia Discovery Charter Academy is offering innovative educational approaches to enhance student engagement and address the needs of underserved children in Augusta.

“I’m very excited for parents to not have the burden of paying for something super innovative. For kids seeing that there’s so much more than what’s in their backyards. We believe in kids leaning outside, we believe in community based learning. So many kids haven’t been to the Savannah River, they haven’t been to the Jessye Norman Ampitheater, we just believe in learning out loud.” said Skaggs.

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