Columbus Academy

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The Columbus Academy
Image:CA_Ship_Seal_200x198.gif
In Quest of the Best
Established 1911
School type Private
Religious affiliation None
Headmaster John Mackenzie
Location Gahanna, Ohio, USA
Campus Suburban, 233 acres
Enrollment 1,016 (PreK - 12)
Faculty 126
Average class size 16
Student:teacher
ratio		 7:1
Average SAT
scores (2004)		 1297
Average ACT
scores (2004)		 Unknown
Athletics 15 varsity sports
Color(s) Maroon and Gray
Mascot Vikings
Conference Unknown
Homepage www.columbusacademy.org

The Columbus Academy is a private college-preparatory school in Gahanna, Ohio that offers education to students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. It was founded in 1911 in Bexley, Ohio and moved to its current campus in 1968. It was an all-boys school until 1991 when the Board of Trustees decided to open the school to girls. From its conception, the school has slowly expanded to its current size of approximately one thousand students.

Contents

[edit] Founding And Bexley Campus

Aerial view of campus
Aerial view of campus

In 1911, a group of area businessmen founded The Columbus Academy to provide an elite local educational option for boys. They adopted the independent country day school philosophy that academic preparation was a cooperative effort between the school and the home. Thus Columbus Academy began as a college preparatory school dedicated to the highest standards of intellectual, social, moral, aesthetic and physical development.

Columbus Academy's first home was situated on four acres along Alum Creek. Numerous additions to the "main house" were made as the number of students in grades 5-12 grew. Academy's first headmaster, Frank P.R. Van Syckel, instituted a strong liberal arts program coupled with vigorous athletic instruction. He established a tradition of excellence which is reflected in the school's motto, "In Quest of the Best."

Columbus Academy prospered in the 1920s as more families trusted the school to prepare their sons for the future. The school weathered the Depression and a WWII enrollment dip to emerge in 1950 as a leading independent school that could choose from among qualified applicants. Demand prompted the addition of a Lower School so that area young men could complete their elementary and secondary educations at one institution.

[edit] Move To Current Campus

Part of the new addition
Part of the new addition

After repeated flooding along Alum Creek and continued enrollment growth, the Board approved a 20-year plan for relocation. The school acquired 230 acres in Gahanna[1] (eight miles northeast of Columbus), raised funds, and built a new campus. The original five-building complex served the school well until the student body exceeded 600 boys. In the mid-'70s, the school undertook a major building program that added a lower school wing and the Schoedinger Theatre. This expansion allowed Kindergarten to be added to the school in the early 1980s. In 1991, the school became a co-educational institution.

The school is situated on a secluded suburban campus accessed by long driveways. In 1999 the school built a new library reminiscent of its old Bexley campus, and added large additions to the theatre and Lower and Upper schools in 2004. In the past few years, beginning in 2003, they added another addition, respectably larger than the last. This addition consisted of a new athletic building, new sports facilities and courts, additional parking lots, a new upper school wing, and a third library (totaling three libraries: one lower school, one middle school, and one upper school).


[edit] Tuition & Endowment

2006 - 2007 Tuition
Lower School
Pre-Kindergarten $8,400
Kindergarten--Grade 4 $14,500
Middle School
Grades 5-8 $15,300
Upper School
Grades 9-12 $16,750

While expensive by Columbus, Ohio standards, the school's educational quality matches those of its east coast counterparts, with alumni spread across nation finding great success in numerous fields. Tuition increases from lower school to middle and from middle school to upper school.

According to the school, the current endowment is $19m. In 2002, Columbus Academy kicked off the Advancing the Quest campaign, the school's largest-ever fundraising effort. ATQ's goal was to raise $17M to support the following areas: Faculty and Staff Excellence, Student Body Diversity, School Size and Structure, and Facilities. The most important objective of the Advancing the Quest campaign was to create an educational community that better serves CA students, their families, and the community as a whole by enhancing facilities and enriching programs. Advancing the Quest exceeded its goal in record time and the advancements it prompted continue to resonate across campus.

The operating budget for 2005-06 was $17.7m. Income from non-discretionary Annual Fund gifts covered 7% of the school's operating budget and expenses. Last year, $1.1 million was contributed by parents, alumni, trustees, grandparents, former parents, faculty/staff and friends.

[edit] Faculty & Student Body

Columbus Academy strives to provide the best possible learning environment. To that end, an excellent faculty has been assembled and maintained over the life of the institution. Currently, there are 126 full time faculty and 20 part-time faculty members. The average teacher has 18 years of experience, and 68% hold an advanced degree (Masters and/or Doctoral). Class ratios are maintained at a level conducive to optimal attention for each student.

In the Lower School the student/teacher ratio is 8:1, in the Middle School and Upper Schools the average class size is 16.

Students must abide by a dress code which calls for polo shirts and khaki pants. Despite its modest enrollment, myriad athletics teams are available, including football, soccer, cross country, field hockey, volleyball, golf, swimming, basketball, track, lacrosse, wrestling and baseball teams are present at the school, along with good art and theatre programs and a monthly newspaper, the Academy Life. Moreover, almost every student is involved in the extracurricular life of the school. More activities are added at each grade level with the most activities being offered in the Upper School. Involvement centers on student leadership, the performing arts, student publications, athletics and community service......

[edit] Academic Excellence

SAT Scores
Columbus Academy
Math 639
Verbal 658
Ohio Average
Math 543
Verbal 539
National Average
Math 520
Verbal 508

On average, 25-30% of the last five graduating classes received recognition as National Merit Scholars, Finalists, Semifinalists or Commended scholars.

Columbus Academy offers 21 Advanced Placement exam preparation courses - the most in Central Ohio. In 2006, 53 graduating seniors took an average of 4 Advanced Placement exams. Columbus Academy was first school in central Ohio to introduce all-day Kindergarten; an Asian studies curriculum beginning in 7th grade including a five-plus year relationship and exchange program with the Hefei City Schools in Hefei, China; and elementary foreign language instruction (Spanish). The Columbus Academy also offers classes in French and Latin.

The Columbus Academy is served by three libraries: the Reinberger Lower School Library, located in the McCoy Learning Center, serves students in Pre-Kindergarten - grade 4; The Reinberger Middle School Library, located in Van Syckel Hall, serves grades 5-8; and the Reinberger Upper School Library, located in Academy Hall, enriches the 9-12 curriculum.

Supporting The Columbus Academy's tradition of academic excellence, Reinberger Libraries provide extensive print and electronic resources to foster intellectual curiosity, to inspire lifelong reading and learning, and to encourage creativity.


[edit] Requirements

Requirements for graduation include 50 service hours, a speech given to the school during junior year, a 3-week senior project, a gym and health credit, 3 years of language, history, math and science and 4 of English. Spanish language begins in the lower school, with French, Chinese and Latin as options beginning in the 7th grade.

[edit] Extracurricular activities

[edit] Student council

The Columbus Academy Student Council is a representative body, comprised of committed and identifiable leaders, which acknowledges and fulfills the wants and needs of the students. By upholding the Mission Statement of The Columbus Academy and serving as a bridge to unite the students, faculty, and administration, The Council will encourage, initiate, and ensure the interests of the individual student. The Council consists of 22 voting members, including a Student Body President who presides over the meetings, a Student Body Vice President, as well as 5 council members per grade. The Student Body Secretary and the President of the Service Board serve as non-voting members of Student Council.

[edit] Service Board

An act of service reflects generosity of time, resources, and energy. It is an investment of self - spirit, mind and body - in helping to meet the needs of others.

The Columbus Academy Service Board is the student organization which sponsors, encourages and provides acts of service, and determines community service mores in conjunction with the student body. As shown in the The Service Board Mission and Purpose Statement, The Service Board has three functions: It is a group of student leaders whose mission is to serve the public, make a difference in the world, and be virtuous in the community; It is a group of student representatives with the responsibility, as ordained by The Columbus Academy, to determine community service ethics for the school; It is a group of student visionaries who strive to make community service a more pervasive part of the existing spheres at The Columbus Academy. The Board's faculty advisor is Christy Bening, Upper School Community Service Coordinator.

[edit] The Academy Life

The Academy Life is a newspaper produced by students of Columbus Academy during the school year and is published primarily for the students, alumni, faculty, parents and advertisers. It is produced to inform and entertain its readers by providing coverage of current events, sports, features and reviews.

[edit] Theatre

There are two productions open to upper school students, one a fall drama, and the other a spring musical. Stefan Farrenkopf is the director, and Scott Dillon is the Technical Director.

[edit] Quest

Quest is The Columbus Academy’s art and literary magazine published every spring. It solicits writings and art work from upper school students. David Block and Cynthia Wilson are the faculty advisors.

[edit] And more...

For a full list please visit the Offical List of Clubs

[edit] Annual Events

[edit] Antiques Show

Each year the school hosts the Columbus Academy Antiques Show in May. The Antiques Show is an annual event and the primary fundraiser of the Parents' Association of Columbus Academy (PACA). Proceeds of this event support the PACA Scholarship Fund which benefits students who might not otherwise be able to attend the school. In addition, funds raised provide enhancements to other programs and activities in all three divisions of the school. The Antiques Show has its own web page at www.columbusacademy-antiquesshow.org

[edit] Senior Fun Day

A day of great joy and delight when seniors take the day off to partake in wondrous activities.

[edit] Artsmania

Artsmania is Academy's celebration of the arts. The day is organized by the CA Art Society. Artsmania has been cancelled for the 2006-07 school year, replaced by a "Diversity Day." This decision has been met with animosity from some of the student body.

[edit] Athletics

[edit] Ohio High School Athletic Association Team State Championships

[edit] Other athletic accomplishments

  • 1980 State Runner-Up Boys Track Class A.
  • 1981 State Runner-Up Basketball Class A.
  • 1981 State Runner-Up Baseball Class A.
  • 1982 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Class A.
  • 1982 State Runner-Up Boys Track Class A.
  • 1990 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. II.
  • 1996 State Runner-Up Field Hockey Div. I.
  • 1996 State Runner-Up Girls Tennis Div. II.
  • 1996 State Runner-Up Boys Track Div.III.
  • 1997 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
  • 1998 Girls Midwest Lacrosse Champions.
  • 1998 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div.II.
  • 2000 State Champion Girls Lacrosse Div. I.
  • 2000 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
  • 2001 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. III.
  • 2001 State Runner-Up Girls Lacrosse Div. I.
  • 2001 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
  • 2002 State Runner-Up Field Hockey Div. I.
  • 2002 State Runner-Up Girls Lacrosse Div. I.
  • 2003 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. II.
  • 2003 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis Div. II.
  • 2003 State Runner-Up Baseball Div. III.
  • 2004 State Runner-Up Boys Golf Div. II.

[edit] Accreditation & Memberships

  • National Association of Independent Schools
  • Independent Schools Association of the Central States
  • Ohio Association of Independent Schools

[edit] External links


[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Yappi. Yappi Sports Baseball. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f OHSAA. Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site. Retrieved on December 31, 2006.
  3. ^ Yappi. Yappi Sports Football. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
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