Program areas at Atlanta Girls School
AGS is committed to providing an outstanding girls' education to a student body that reflects the socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and religious diversity of Atlanta. To this end, AGS faculty deliver research-driven, girl-centered curricula to students from over 60 zip codes across metro Atlanta and several international students. More than 60 percent of our students are girls of color, and 41 percent of families receive financial aid. Sixty-one percent of AGS teachers hold advanced degrees, and the School offers extensive professional development opportunities to enable highly qualified staff to maintain and enrich their specialized, girl-centered teaching methods based on the latest research. With an average class size of 14 students, faculty deeply invest in helping each student succeed and attain her full potential. Leading programs: STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum and interdisciplinary learning have been a hallmark of AGS teaching and learning for years, and STEAM skills in their purest forms-design thinking, problem solving, resiliency, creativity-have been shown through numerous studies to have enormous effect on the way girls learn best. In Middle School, students learn computer programming, logical thinking, and develop reasoning skills through coding and use of a 3D printer. Upper School students learn about design thinking through production and graphic design courses. LEGO Robotics is explored during our SMART Girls summer camps and during Winterim, a ten-day term between semesters. we offer several cross-curricular courses for Middle and Upper School students that emphasize critical design-thinking STEAM skills. The Leadership Labs program sets AGS apart from its peer institutions by focusing on the consistent development of critical leadership skills. Students at every grade level learn these skills through topical classes that rotate on a quarterly basis. To gain real-world experience, sophomores and juniors undertake internships of at least 70 hours. Most girls complete more than the required hours of work and service through their internships at organizations such as Piedmont Hospital, Spaceworks, Children's Hospital of Atlanta, and Center for the Visually Impaired. Other students have spent their internships studying neuroscience at Emory University, participating in App Design and Robotics at Georgia Tech's design lab, and learning about environmental protection and sustainability at Integrated Environmental Services and Nexus Fuels. In selecting internships, girls are encouraged to explore their personal and career goals. These internships provide AGS girls with invaluable real world experiences, create academic and professional resources, and form a long-lasting understanding of the impact of the girls' work in the world. The Global Travel Program requires Upper School students to participate in at least one international trip prior to graduation. The Global Travel Program offers students a myriad of global experiences ranging from exchange programs to internships to spring break educational trips.