FREQUENTLY ASKED Questions
admissions
OMNI comprises 2 levels of academics. The academy serves students pk2-pk5; the upper school serves students kindergarten through 6th grade.
For the academy, pk2 students must be 2 years old and potty-trained. There is a preadmissions test given to determine general knowledge base and appropriate placement.
On average OMNI teaches 2-3 grade levels above public school counterparts. Ideal candidates are receptive to feedback, motivated to learn, and have strong parental support. Additionally, they are dedicated to the process and committed to learning multiple languages in a literacy rich environment.
Specifically, 2 year olds should come knowing letters, letter sounds, identify numbers, colors, shapes, and have had prior exposure holding a crayon/pencil.
Kindergartners are proficient readers, writers, and can complete single and double digit addition and subtraction.
OMNI accepts students without prior language exposure primarily in grades Pk2-3rd. A 4th -6th grade student may be accepted if language testing shows they are at the same level of the class as a whole.
Tours are usually held on the last Thursday of every month at 9am unless otherwise noted. We have two Saturday Open Houses each year. One in the fall and the other in the spring. There are instances special concessions are made given availability of staff to facilitate a tour. Please inquire within. Please check the website for Open House dates and to rsvp.
Although we have a hard deadline in April, we have rolling admissions until we are full.
Taking a tour of the school helps parents have an honest conversation about the transition to language immersion. OMNI also offer trials for incoming students or students who have applied to the school prior to enrolling.
There are a number of ways parents can help students acclimate to their new school environment once enrolled. Show support and interest of learning a new language, provide a set homework schedule and place to complete homework daily. Encourage students to be open about their feelings related to the school, their workload, etc. Develop relationships with the teachers and keep the lines of communication open. Once enrolled, parents are buddied with mentor parents to answer questions related to the school life.
OMNI uses an online portal to receive applications, admissions, and enrollment forms http://mytads.com/a/omni. There is a mandatory testing/interview however that must be done in person. The only concession with the testing for students k-6th grade is a copy of current test scores for any of the batteries of test, i.e. WISC, IOWA, SSAT. If your test is not listed, please contact the school for more information.
Parents are required to interview with the student but are not permitted in the test. Unfortunately parent attendance in the test has usually proven distracting and disruptive.
Depending on the test, OMNI views scores with a 1.5-2 year filter due to the rigor and accelerated pace of the classroom instruction and the design of norm referenced evaluations. For example, a grade equivalence of 4.0 on the IOWA and WISC is viewed as 2.0-2.5 grade, etc. SSAT scores are usually accepted as declared.
Preadmission test results are usually available up to two weeks after testing, sometimes sooner. Parents will receive an email to denote completion and recommendations for placement.
There are multiple ways to submit documents to the school. Most documents can be uploaded as requested through the TADS portal or emailed to documents@omnischoolatl.com.
The application checklist (also found on www.tads.com) calls for a release of information for the current school to give OMNI school records, the teacher evaluation forms (based on ages, i.e. Academy Pk2-Pk5, Upper school K-3rd grade and 4th-6th grade), previous test scores.
Up to three teachers should complete the evaluation form. It is great to hear different perspectives from varying teachers, especially when different subjects are taught. For a child who has not been enrolled in a structured environment, a sitter or parent is encouraged to complete an evaluation form.
There are generally three times of year when OMNI accepts students in programs (June, August, January). However there are some concessions made space available. Parents will be notified once a space is available or seemingly becoming available based on promotions and/or attrition.
teachers
Once enrolled, parents receive all teacher’s email addresses, office hours and Class Dojo access codes. Some teachers are okay with allowing calls on their private phone numbers with stipulations.
Our teacher to student ratio varies depending on the age/maturity of the student as follows: pk2-Pk3- up to 6 students per teacher; Pk4-5 up to 8 students per teacher; Kindergarten up to 10 students per teacher; 1st-6th up to 12 students per teacher. The classroom ratios average 1:6 however.
All of OMNI’s teachers have a background in teaching students of varying ages. All of the teachers have degrees, 60% of the teachers have master’s degrees. Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish is taught by native instructors with proficiency certifications through ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). Our core teachers have certifications through GA Professional Standards and Christian Ministries. Teachers are required to obtain at least 10 hours of professional development each year to meet the needs of the students. Some of those certifications have been in differentiation, working with gifted students, etc.
school information
OMNI opened its doors in 2012 as a Pk2 through second grade entity. It has added a grade each year and is now a pk2-6th grade school.
OMNI is ‘Accredited with Quality’ through the Georgia Accrediting Commission which is their highest distinction. The Georgia Accrediting Commission is Georgia’s oldest accrediting body.
Campus life
OMNI does not currently provide any group sports other than martial arts. Most families interested in sports are heavily involved in the local recreational departments. Once OMNI’s census increases, it will add popular team sports as demanded.
OMNI is not a Christian school nor is it affiliated with any religious organizations. We do believe in prayer and helping build the spiritual component of student growth through a daily creed, prayer during lunchtime, etc. however.
The standard school day is 9am-4pm. Academy students’ day is as follows: 1st block of class from 9-1130; lunch from 1130-12pm; naps from 1215-130pm, a second block of classes from 130-4pm. One block is in English and the other is in Chinese or Japanese. Students have recess daily.
The standard school day is 9am-4pm. Upper school students’ day is as follows: 1st block of class from 9-1100; 2nd block is 11-2, 3rd block is from 2-4pm. Lunch is from 1200-12:30pm; recess is from 1230-100pm. Each block reflects Chinese or Japanese for 2 hours, Math and Science, and English Language Arts and Social Studies. Electives are held once a week to include a structured P.E. class, Health, Agriculture, Music, and Spanish.
OMNI has an active PVC (Parent Volunteer Community) with a 24 hour annual commitment per family. Parents must complete a sign-up form to designate their areas of interest to volunteer. There are ongoing opportunities to include field trips, fundraisers, family functions, etc.
OMNI has partnered with a number of local vendors to provide on-site enrichment. We currently have jiu-jitsu, kung fu, karate, dance, private piano, Chinese, Spanish, and engineering. These classes are facilitated as demand dictates. There are a minimum number of students required for each class.
Uniforms are not required for everyday use however they are required for field trips and special events. Uniforms generally consist of an OMNI logo t-shirt and khaki bottoms (shorts, pants, skort, skirt) for outside/casual field trips and a navy polo/navy OMNI cardigan and khaki bottoms for field trips requiring nicer dress wear.
OMNI’s teaching personnel reflects teachers from Japan, China, Chile, Colombia, and the US. Our aim is to grow our student body to reflect the diversity we see in our teaching personnel.
OMNI parents reflect a diverse body of professionals residing within a 25 mile radius of OMNI. The OMNI parent believes in higher education and properly preparing their children to compete in a global economy.
Students must bring their own nut-free, nutritious lunches and snacks. Additionally students must bring a spill-proof water bottle. Students eating breakfast at school must eat no later than 8:20 a.m. and must finish no later than 8:30am.
CURRICULUM
Although small in stature, OMNI is very big in scope. Students do well on standardized tests like the nationally normed ITBS, averaging in the upper 90th percentile in all subjects across the board. Students are proficient in their language of study yielding passing scores on the YCT and JLPT for all students that have tested.
OMNI’s curriculum for the academy is a custom curriculum reflecting rigorous objectives to prepare students to learn at an accelerated pace. This essentially sets the precedent for students to receive subsequent work generally 2 grade levels above their public school counterparts as well.
We offer a well-rounded education based on high academic standards in all core subjects with emphasis on foreign language literacy in Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish; math, science and technology; and other components to include social studies/history, geography, music, arts and more. Additionally, spiritual and character development through the writings and research of philosophers, scriptures and song are integrated through our annual performances and showcases.
OMNI’s curriculum is an adaptation of standards synthesized from a number of researched based curricula to provide a comprehensive platform for student learning. OMNI uses the nationally aligned Common Core Standards in Math and English/Language Arts. Standards from top-performing countries played a significant role in the development of the math and English language arts/literacy standards. OMNI utilizes the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to implement the science aspect of the curriculum. The NGSS standards were developed by an organization called Achieve, which is an independent, non-profit education reform agency that has been a catalyst for making “college and career readiness a priority”.
TUITION
There is a preadmissions test to determine general knowledge base and appropriate placement for upper school students. Students must be proficient in above grade level work.
We are a tuition based school with limited financial aid opportunities. Please complete the financial aid assessment to be determined for eligibility. With our 501 c 3 however we hope to obtain support from local businesses and corporate sponsorships to help defray the costs for parents in need.
OMNI does not currently offer scholarships. With our 501 c 3 however we hope to obtain support from local businesses and corporate sponsorships.
The sibling discount is 10% of the market rate.
Please see our tuition and fee schedule here.
OMNI permits parents to make monthly installments from 1-10 months with a 3% finance charge. There is a deposit of 10% required in June.
There is no discount and no penalty on advance payments. Our rates are under market value and priced to be competitive.
OMNI currently accepts payments with major credit cards, cash, check, ACH and/or money order.