City Academy has been earning high marks since it opened its doors in North St. Louis to educate underserved children 10 years ago, and this year is no different.
The private, independent elementary school recently earned accreditation from the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS).
This is the first time since 1985 that a private school in the city has applied for and received initial full membership with ISACS, which requires extensive reporting and documentation.
Don Danforth III, president and co-founder of City Academy, took the accreditation as confirmation.
“ISACS accreditation affirms that we offer a high-quality program that anyone would want for his or her own child,” Danforth said.
ISACS is the accrediting agency for a 15-state region in the central corridor of the nation with a membership of 230 independent schools. City Academy is one of 43 member schools in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
“It goes along with the mission of the school to move forward and continue to be innovative and prepare our children for the secondary school process,” said parent Rochelle Williams.
Her oldest daughter Jazell graduated from the school last year, and her youngest daughter Daisha is a 4th-grader at City Academy.
“I have to say that this is the best school in the city of St. Louis,” Williams said.
Graduates of City Academy have matriculated into such secondary schools as Crossroads College Preparatory School, Chaminade College Preparatory School, Christian Brothers College High School and Mary Institute & Saint Louis Country Day School.
“We were wowed that you have come this far in just 10 years – it’s an amazing feat,” said ISACS Team Leader Lisa Lyle, head of school at MICDS.
ISACS reported City Academy devotion to excellence at all levels, recognizing its commitment to affordability and academic rigor.
Danforth stressed the importance of affordability. He said, “City Academy is an important resource for so many families whose educational opportunities are limited by geographic or economic factors.”
More than 95 percent of the students are African-American, with 90 percent of them living in North County, and every student receives financial aid.
Those statistics reflect the racial and economic makeup of the school’s surrounding community, as pointed out by Lyle in her report.
The report also noted open, respectful communication between faculty and parents, and praised sound management of the school and its finances, citing “a highly functioning and dedicated administrative team.”
“I always know everything I need to know and more – they always communicate well,” Shante Bradley, who has two students at the school, said of administrators.
Her son Christion Wynn is in junior kindergarten and her daughter Jasmyn, a graduating sixth-grader, has been accepted to Crossroads.
“Students achieve more because it’s more challenging and there’s tutoring,” Bradley said.
“Whatever your child needs, they can accommodate, and there’s always and opportunity for your child to improve.”
The ISACS noted strong commitment from parents and community, which is routinely cited as crucial ingredients for success in urban education.
“Children, parents, faculty, staff and trustees feel a shared purpose and sense of community,” ISACS reported.
“Students often complain at the end of a long school day about having to leave so soon, and parents have to budget time for hugs from children and conversations with other adults on their walk through the campus.”
City Academy was started in 1999 in the basement of Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club, at Penrose and Kingshighway. In 2004 the school was moved just across the street, where an attractive stand-alone facility was erected in 2004.