No, tuition will not be charged for students who are residents of Barrow County. This school of choice is a public high school within in the Barrow County School System.

Yes! In addition to exceeding the state requirements for graduation and college entrance, BASA students have wide access to Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment courses for college credit. There are also a plethora of Dual Enrollment opportunities open to students right on our campus thanks to our partnership with Lanier Technical College.

We recognize that students may choose one academy, but later wish to change their path. This is to be expected, and is in fact encouraged! We would rather students come to this realization now rather than after starting college. In this case, the student would be able to change academies at the end of their current school year.

BASA is located on Austin Road in Winder, Georgia, right next to Sims Academy and Lanier Technical College. This convenient location is situated just off Highway 316, which connects I-85 with Athens-Clarke County.

Any student who lives in Barrow County is able to express their preference to attend BASA. If interest exceeds our capacity in any given year, students will be chosen based on a lottery system that factors in the enrollment interest for each of our academies and programs.

As a school of choice, any high school student who lives in Barrow County is eligible to attend BASA. Please note, enrollment is not guaranteed and depends on a variety of factors. We will communicate final enrollment status to each student and family as quickly as possible.

Yes, school system transportation options are available.

Enrollment is expected to be approximately 1200 students.

We believe that BASA students are able to develop quality relationships with others in this unique learning environment. Students at BASA choose one theme-based academy to enroll in. In this smaller group, students will get to know their teachers and peers even more closely than in a traditional high school. We encourage a family atmosphere in which positive, vibrant relationships fuel our work and success.

While students may take many of the same courses at BASA that they would at a regular high school, those courses will look and feel different. Many courses are taught through the lens of the academy theme, even academic courses like English and Math. For example, students in the Life & Health Science Academy might calculate medicine dosages in their math class in order to relate learning to their real world goals for college and career. Additionally, a focus on communication skills and project-based learning is pervasive across the campus. Even though this seems like a much different experience, students still exceed the state requirements for graduation and college entrance.

Yes, BASA students still take these tests in order to measure their current level of performance and gain admission to college.

Yes, you will still be able to take courses at Sims Academy of Innovation & Technology and Lanier Technical College. In fact, these opportunities will be even more convenient for you since they are literally steps away from the BASA campus.

Yes, you will still have access to the Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment courses you need for college. By the way, did you know that Lanier Technical College is just located a couple doors down from BASA, and that the academic courses there transfer to all public colleges and universities in Georgia?

BASA currently offers Spanish, French, and American Sign Language (ASL) on campus.  Some students are also eligible to take classes in other languages online.

Absolutely! In fact, you will be highly encouraged to take at least one elective outside of your academy every school year. This will help you to be more well-rounded in your studies. 

BASA currently offers Fine Arts courses in Visual Art, Photography, Dance, Band, Chorus, Music Technology, and Studio Art.  We offer fine arts courses to all students, even if you choose to enroll in one of the academies that is not arts focused. For example, you can be a part of the Life & Health Sciences Academy but still participate in our band program. In fact, we want you to be as well-rounded as possible so this is the recommended approach.

The BASA campus looks and feels more like a college campus than a high school. In all campus buildings there are spaces for you to work on projects either individually or with a small group of classmates. There is also a student center that includes our cafe, gymnasium, Makerspace, fine arts spaces, and Research and Design Center.  An auditorium and performance space is also expected to be added to the facility in Phase 2.

We are looking for innovative, creative, open minded, and driven students who are committed to putting in the time, practice, and hard work it takes to develop your talent and expertise. And, if you aren’t quite there yet on all of these adjectives - don’t worry, we’ll help you get there! Any student is welcome to express interest in attending BASA.

There are no academic or discipline requirements to attend. There is no extensive application, portfolio or audition required to apply.

We have counselors and advisors at BASA just like at your current school. These professionals will help you to ensure that you are not only on track to graduate, but also that the courses you have planned are preparing you for your unique future and career. BASA staff members meet with students to develop a four-year program of study that is tailored to their unique needs.