Hall County schools plans to hold a public hearing from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday on its plans to convert Chestnut Mountain Elementary School into a “world languages” charter school.

The hearing will take place at the school, which is at 4670 Winder Highway.

The school system, which hopes to start the charter school in fall 2008, has applied to the state Department of Education for charter school status.

The school likely would feature a “dual-language immersion” program for students in early grades, allowing them to learn different subjects in both English and Spanish, and “opportunities to learn Mandarin Chinese as a third language,” according to a letter sent home to parents.

Also, North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega is working with the system on an effort to send North Georgia student-teachers and faculty advisers to the new school to work with Hall teachers and students.

The hearing is open to anyone interested in the school, but the letter was sent to parents of children at Chestnut Mountain Elementary and nearby Spout Springs, Friendship, Martin and Chicopee Woods elementary schools.

The state requires the hearing as part of Hall’s plans to create a charter school.

The school system, meanwhile, is building the new Chestnut Mountain Elementary off Union Church Road.
The new school is set to open in fall 2008.

It will serve students in the current Chestnut Mountain district and pull some students from the Spout Springs district. As part of the change, some Friendship students will be placed in the Spout Springs district.

For more information on the planned charter school, call the school system at 770-534-1080.