New Terrytown charter school, Athlos Academies, to open in 2017
A new charter school is preparing to build a 90,000-square-foot building in Terrytown in advance of a fall 2017 opening. Athlos Academies, which currently has schools in Arizona, Texas and Minnesota, said it is under contract to buy a vacant site at Behrman Highway and Westside Drive.
The school projects opening with capacity for 900 students in kindergarten through 6th grade, eventually expanding to up to 1,200 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. The land deal has not yet closed, but Director of Community Relations Camille Wells said it should be finalized by this summer.
One of the three key “foundational pillars” of the school is helping students have healthy bodies, so their campuses are unique. Built from the ground up, they include a 30-yard indoor turf space and an indoor hardwood court.
Athlos’ other focuses are on conventional academics and creating “prepared minds,” as well as “performance character,” or helping instill attributes like integrity, humility and leadership.
The company applied to the Jefferson Parish School Board to open in the 2016-17 school year, but the board decided not to accept any new charters. Athlos then went to the state of Louisiana and received approval in December.
