Atlanta special needs school Cumberland Academy of Georgia hosts a gala every year to raise funds for academic opportunities. This year’s gala will be a Saturday Night Fever themed Disco Ball on March 19, 2016.

Atlanta special needs school Cumberland Academy of Georgia is a private school providing students with a safe and supportive educational environment. Every year, the school hosts a themed gala to celebrate the accomplishments of its students and to raise funds for the upcoming year. The 2016 gala is a Saturday Night Fever themed Disco Ball, held on March 19, 2016. […]

The search for a school that would provide the learning environment and support for her son with Asperger’s disorder led Debbi Scarborough on a journey she never imagined. With no formal training, she launched the sort of school she envisioned in 2007 with one student – her child.

“I was 50 years old and never thought I’d be starting a school,” said the Sandy Springs resident. “But my son was going into sixth grade, and I couldn’t find a school that was academically strong and socially challenging – the two things these students need. But I had also owned a business for 30 years and knew how to find good people.”

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Read the full article at AJC.com: https://www.ajc.com/news/local/making-the-grade-special-needs-school-uses-technology-level-field/1xNik3KxAfZmDBVJoRYigI/

Cumberland Academy of Georgia, an Atlanta private school for Autism, is proud to announce that student David Simanovsky is the winner of the school competition of the National Geographic Bee, which moves him one step closer to a $50,000 college scholarship. […]

On December 11, Atlanta autism school Cumberland Academy of Georgia participated in the Hour of Code, a global movement to introduce children to computer science and prepare them for successful careers in the digital age.

On December 11, Cumberland Academy of Georgia, an Atlanta school for Autism, participated in a global initiative known as the Hour of Code, which introduces computer science to students in the classroom. This online program provides hour-long programming lessons for all ages and skill levels, no experience needed, emphasizing the impact of technology on all aspects of life.

This year alone, over 120 million students signed up to participate in the Hour of Code in over 180 countries. These one-hour lessons made students aware of the impact that technology has on their lives and the importance of computer literacy for future success in any 21st century career path. Utilizing games and puzzles with exciting tie-ins from modern brands such as Disney’s Frozen, Angry Birds, Minecraft and Star Wars, young boys and girls learned the basics of coding in fun and engaging ways. The program is backed by an unprecedented coalition of celebrities and major companies, including President Barack Obama, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft, Apple, the College Board and more.

Coding requires students to think outside the box, nurturing problem solving skills, logic and creativity. Autistic individuals, like many of the students at Cumberland Academy of Georgia, have minds that are well-suited to coding and computer science, with the ability to devote all of their attention on a task until it’s finished, paying close attention to details others frequently overlook. The Hour of Code tutorials use simple drag-and-drop games to introduce programming concepts, providing Cumberland students with a visual way to understand coding that works well with autistic children, who tend to be more visual learners.

“This school-wide project was a great way to introduce our students to the foundations of coding,” said Jennifer Liang, teacher and technology specialist at Cumberland Academy of Georgia. “It’s not about becoming fluent in C++ or JavaScript. Instead, it’s about learning to solve problems and think logically. These skills are vital for students in any career, including computer programming. Moving forward, teachers will encourage students to keep practicing and using their skills to be powerful creators.”

About Cumberland Academy of Georgia:
Cumberland Academy of […]

Cumberland Academy of Georgia, an Atlanta school for students with autism and other learning disabilities, has been recognized as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School.

Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology, has recognized Cumberland Academy of Georgia, a private school in Atlanta for students with autism, Asperger’s ADHD, ADD and other learning disabilities, as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School.

Cumberland Academy of Georgia has demonstrated its commitment to taking a whole-community approach to preparing its students to use the immense power of digital media to explore, create, connect, and learn, while limiting the perils that exist in the online realm, such as plagiarism, loss of privacy, and cyberbullying.

“We applaud the faculty and staff of Cumberland Academy of Georgia for embracing digital citizenship as an important part of their students’ education,” said Rebecca Randall, vice president of education programs for Common Sense Education. “Cumberland deserves high praise for giving its students the foundational skills they need to compete and succeed in the 21st-century workplace and participate ethically in society at large.”

Cumberland has been using Common Sense Education’s innovative and research-based digital citizenship resources, which were created in collaboration with Dr. Howard Gardner of the GoodPlay Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The resources teach students, educators, and parents tangible skills related to Internet safety, protecting online reputations and personal privacy, managing online relationships, and respecting creative copyright. The free resources are currently used in more than 90,000 classrooms nationwide.

“We’re honored to be recognized as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School,” said Debbi Scarborough, headmaster and founding director of Cumberland Academy of Georgia. “By preparing our students to use technology safely and responsibly, we are providing them unlimited opportunities to maximize and personalize their learning.”

For more information about Cumberland Academy of Georgia, go to https://cumberlandacademy.org/. To learn more about the criteria Cumberland met to become certified as a Common Sense Certified School, visit http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/certification.

About Cumberland Academy of Georgia:
Cumberland Academy of Georgia specializes in the needs of students in grades 4 through 12 who have high-functioning Autism, Asperger’s, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities. Cumberland was founded in 2007 by Debbi and Matthew Scarborough, and is a fully-accredited, independent, non-profit school that seeks to provide a safe and supportive academic atmosphere for its students. Cumberland accepts applications […]

Atlanta Autism school Cumberland Academy of Georgia is teaming up with special needs schools from around the world in a collaborative project to gain global awareness and provide valuable learning experiences.

SMART Technologies hosts an event each year to bring together “Exemplary Educators” from around the world to discuss the latest technology and research in the education field. During the event this past summer in Calgary, Canada, five special education teachers from different countries came up with the idea to utilize technology to allow their classes to learn from and get to know each other. Through this international collaborative project, dubbed the SMARTee Project, these students will gain global awareness and learn valuable information about different cultures and countries.

Cumberland Academy of Georgia teacher Staci Gelbaum is one of a select group of teachers chosen to be a SMART Technologies Exemplary Educators. This group is chosen from teachers all over the world. Gelbaum was chosen from this prestigious group to join the five other international classes participating in the SMARTee project. This unique endeavor will allow her students to learn firsthand about different countries and cultures around the world. Currently, classes in Finland, Sweden, Germany, South Africa and New Mexico are participating in the project with Gelbaum’s class in Atlanta, Georgia.

All of the students participating are between the ages of eight and twelve. To kick off the project, each class made a video to introduce the students and school, which they shared on World Global Collaboration Day, September 17, 2015. “When we watched the videos from the other schools, our class was amazed at just how different they all were,” remarked Gelbaum. “Afterwards the students were excited to locate those countries on a map and see how far away they are from the United States.”

Cumberland Academy of Georgia emphasizes the development of their students’ social skills, which will be reinforced and further enriched through their participation with international students in the SMARTee Project. Students will gain social studies skills as they learn about international societies and cultures. They will learn about geography as they locate and map the countries and cities where the other schools are located. By measuring and calculating the distance between the different schools, students will also strengthen their math skills.

All of the schools participating in this project use SMART Technology to enhance the education experience for their students. “Using SMART Technology in […]

Atlanta school for students with Autism and special needs, Cumberland Academy of Georgia, has received generous support from the community after a break in on Monday, July 27.

Sometime during early morning hours on Monday, July 27, Cumberland Academy of Georgia, an Atlanta school for children with Autism and other learning disabilities, was broken into and robbed of thousands of dollars worth of electronics and equipment.

Cumberland’s founder, Debbi Scarborough, discovered the damage when she opened the school Monday morning. “I just can’t imagine who would want to do something like this to a school, especially for special needs kids,” said Scarborough. Numerous educational electronics were taken from the school. The value of these electronics was said to be over $10,000.

The school posted the regretful news about the robbery on their Facebook page, which became flooded with support from the local community. Scarborough and the Cumberland staff have been overwhelmed by the generosity they have received in the face of the tragedy. Individuals and organizations throughout the community have generously donated new and used electronics, games, supplies and funds to help the school during its time of need.

“We had worked all summer to prepare for students to begin their new school year. The robbery set us back a bit,” said Scarborough. “However, the kindness of people who have shown support for our school and the efforts of our teachers, as well as love for our students has been amazing.  We are so grateful to have this support and are ready for a great school year!”

Despite the robbery, Cumberland began the school year as planned on August 13, opening their doors to approximately 80 students with Autism, Asperger’s, ADHD and other learning disabilities. The staff worked diligently to make up for the losses before the school year began. Thanks to all the support, the Cumberland family is confident the new school year will be a success.

Currently, no arrests have been made in connection with the break in at Cumberland Academy of Georgia. The crime scene has been thoroughly examined for forensic evidence, and the school’s video surveillance system is currently under review by Sandy Springs police.

To see what equipment the school is still missing, visit Cumberland’s Facebook page. If you would like to make a contribution to Cumberland Academy of Georgia, donations can be made at https://cumberlandacademy.org/support/donate.

About Cumberland Academy of Georgia:

Cumberland Academy of […]