Pinecrest Academy (Cumming, Georgia)

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Location
Pinecrest Academy
Cumming, Georgia, USA
Information
Religion	Roman Catholic
Head teacher	Mr. John Tarpley
Students	800
Type	Private
Campus	Suburban, 68 acres (.0.28 km²)
Motto	Semper Altius, "Always Higher,"
Mascot	Paladins
Color(s)	Green & Gold
Established	1993
Tuition	$10,920 (Grades 9-12)
Homepage	www.pinecrestacademy.com

Pinecrest Academy is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Cumming, Georgia. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.

[edit] Background

The Pinecrest Academy elementary school was established in 1993 to serve the north Atlanta area. The high school was added in 2003, graduating its first students in May, 2007.^[1]

In 1993, a group of Catholic businessmen, educators, and lay leaders, under the spiritual direction of the Legionaries of Christ, and the support and encouragement from the Archdiocese of Atlanta, founded Pinecrest Academy as an independent, private elementary school in North Atlanta. This farsighted community of parents, teachers, and supporters recognized a need for a unique center of learning and spiritual growth.

In its very first year, Pinecrest set a standard of academic excellence and spirituality which struck a responsive chord in parents who learned of its mission and experienced first hand the academic and spiritual growth of their children.

With an initial enrollment of 29 students, the school began in rented facilities in a former Fulton County elementary school in Crabapple, Georgia.

In 1995, Pinecrest moved to Dunwoody, Georgia where, by the beginning of its fourth year of existence, enrollment had increased to the facility's maximum capacity of 153 elementary school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. In March of 1998, Pinecrest received accreditation status from The Georgia Accrediting Commission, Inc.

In August of 1998, Pinecrest began its sixth year of growth on its own 53-acre campus in a six building, 15-classroom facility in the city of Cumming in south Forsyth County, where it currently resides.

In the fall of 2003, the high school opened and the campus expanded to 68-acres.

In the fall of 2006, two of Pinecrest's first students returned to Pinecrest Academy to teach Latin, Art and Catholic Formation.

In 2007, the school graduates the first high school class. The facilities include a lower school campus for Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grades, a boys building for 6th through 12th grade boys, a girls building for 6th - 12th grade girls, a gymnasium with cafeteria, lighted athletic field, cross country course, and two playgrounds.

In 2007, Pinecrest received a donation to build and compete their Chapel. It is called the Our Lady of Guadelope church This is the first free standing Legionary school chapel in the United States.

Other developments which occurred that year also includes an ampitheatre, baseball field, and soccer/football fields.

The baseball field was completed in the Spring of 2007 and is considered the premier high school playing field in Forsyth County. The installation of the field was managed by Ed Mangan, Atlanta Braves Field Manager and NFL Super Bowl Field Manager, and includes two batting cages and brick dugouts. Future plans include additional seating and concession facilities.

When fully completed, the campus will feature separate buildings for lower, middle, and high schools, additional athletic fields, a commons building, high school gymnasium, fine arts, and media centers. The buildings will house computer and science labs, as well as chapels in each building to enhance studies and spiritual growth.

The first graduating class of 15 students, the Class of 2007, was awarded $1,428,416 in scholarships and accepted to 43 colleges and universities. [1]

The second graduating class of 2008, consisting of 42 students, received $3.5 million in scholarships and were accepted to 137 colleges and universities. [2]