Columbus Academy
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| The Columbus Academy | |
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In Quest of the Best
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| Location | |
|---|---|
| Gahanna, Ohio, USA | |
| Information | |
| Religion | None |
| Headmaster | John Mackenzie |
| Enrollment |
1,067 (PreK - 12) |
| Faculty | 126 |
| Average class size | 16 |
| Student:teacher ratio | 7:1 |
| Average SAT scores (2004) | 1297 |
| Average ACT scores (2004) | Unknown |
| Type | Private |
| Campus | Suburban, 233 acres |
| Athletics | 15 varsity sports |
| Athletics conference | Mid-State League |
| Mascot | Vikings |
| Color(s) | Maroon and Gray |
| Established | 1911 |
| 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, in an effort to save the school because of declining enrollment. From its conception, the school has slowly expanded and reached the 1,000-student plateau at the beginning of the 2004-05 school year.
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[edit] Founding And Bexley 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
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. 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
| Lower School | |
|---|---|
| Pre-Kindergarten | $9,100 |
| Kindergarten--Grade 4 | $15,700 |
| Middle School | |
| Grades 5-8 | $16,550 |
| Upper School | |
| Grades 9-12 | $18,900 |
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] 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. Susan Neal directs the musicals, 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] Robotics
Columbus Academy saw the creation of the Academy Robotics team headed by coach Tyler Stieg '03 in early 2006. Every year, students design and build a robot to compete in the FIRST Vex Challenge. In its first year, the 2006-2007 team qualified for the FIRST World Championship.
[edit] Political Club
The Political Club is open to all Upper School students. The club’s aims are to cultivate interest in national and international politics and foster informed student opinion and discussion on world events. Its members meet to discuss current affairs, view films and documentaries of historical and political significance, and organize special activities.
[edit] And more...
For a full list please visit the Offical List of Clubs
[edit] Traditions
[edit] Junior Speech
Every student is required to present a speech to all students and faculty of the upper school. The speech is a right of passage on the way to graduation. Traditionally, the speech is given during student's junior year; students that enter the school as seniors must complete the requirement during their senior year.
[edit] Senior Trip
Every senior class takes a one week trip just before Spring Break. In 2007, the senior class traveled to Boston. In 2008, the destination was Chicago. The destination is determined by student vote from a choice of several cities decided by the senior advisors.
[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). Another major PACA fundraiser is the Lower School Book Fair in October. 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, such as a trip to Magic Mountain.
[edit] Artsmania
Artsmania is Academy's celebration of the arts. The day is organized by the CA Art Society. Artsmania was cancelled for the 2006-07 school year, replaced by "Diversity Day." This decision was met with animosity from much of the student body.
[edit] Athletics
[edit] Ohio High School Athletic Association Team State Championships
- Baseball - 1982 [1][2]
- American football – 1987,2003 [3][2]
- Soccer – 1995 [2]
- Golf – 1983,1991,1995,1997,1998,1999 [2]
- Track and Field – 1977,1981 [2]
- Girls Field Hockey – 1994,1997,1999,2000,2001,2003,2004,2006 [2]
[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.
- 2006 State Runner-Up Boys Tennis 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
- Columbus Academy web site
- Columbus Academy Service Board web site
- National Association of Independent Schools
- Columbus Academy is at coordinates Coordinates:
