St. Thomas More Academy

St. Thomas More Academy (STMA) is a private, co-educational, college preparatory high school operated by Catholic laymen. It is operated independent of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. It serves students and their families in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. The goal of St. Thomas More Academy is to build good Christian leaders who will be a beacon to all who encounter them as stated in the school's mission statement. St. Thomas More Academy seeks to restore Catholic education through classical, preparatory level education and solid religious formation in its youth. The school is a member of the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools.

History

The school was founded in 2002 to meet the growing needs of Raleigh Catholics. Some of these families approached Bishop Francis Joseph Gossman about starting and gaining approval for this independent school to operate. The first classes were held at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church in Raleigh. The school relocated to a larger facility at Paragon Park Road in Raleigh in 2004. In 2006 the school relocated to a larger space on Spring Forest Road. Since that time the school has grown and opened a new three-acre campus in August 2007. In 2012, the campus was further expanded to include a second building. The campus houses classrooms, faculty offices, laboratories, two theaters, a library, and a chapel.

The school's strong academic program has attracted attention. 100% of graduates have been admitted to four-year colleges, many in the top-tier. In 2013, the school was named a Medal School by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in recognition of superlative academic achievement and student motivation toward careers in science, engineering and technology. Colgate, Davidson, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt were among the nationally recognized colleges that admitted students from the school's class of 2015.

Student life

Service and outreach work is a requirement for all students at St. Thomas More Academy. Freshmen serve the young at St. Joseph Preschool, Sophomores feed the hungry at the Raleigh Rescue Mission and at Catholic Parish Outreach, Juniors care for the elderly at Raleigh Heritage Senior Living Center, and Seniors work at Habitat for Humanity construction sites to build shelters for the homeless. Every year a group of students from St. Thomas More Academy joins the Bishop of Raleigh and other members of the Diocese in Washington, D.C. at the March for Life.

St. Thomas More Academy offers a variety of clubs, special events, and sports. More than seventy-five percent of the student body is engaged in extracurricular activities, with most programs being started through the initiative of students. Among the many clubs and student groups offered at the school are Chess, Debate, Film, Food & Cookery, Math, Philosophy, Pro-Life Witness, the Honduras Mission Group, Rocket Science, Science Olympiad, Future Farmers of America, Self-Defense, and Weightlifting.

Athletics

St. Thomas More is a member of the Carolina Independent Conference. Sports offered include soccer, basketball, cross country, volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, track & field, and baseball.

See also

• Cardinal Gibbons High School
• National Catholic Educational Association

References

External links

• St.Thomas More Academy STMA homepage
• Diocese of Raleigh
• National Association of Private Catholic Schools(NAPCIS)
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina

Diocese of Raleigh Ordinaries Bishops William Joseph Hafey Eugene J. McGuinness Vincent Stanislaus Waters F. Joseph Gossman Michael Francis Burbidge Churches Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral Basilica Basilica Shrine of St. Mary, Wilmington Parishes St. Michael the Archangel Church, Cary St. Paul's Church, New Bern St. Raphael the Archangel Church, Raleigh Education High Schools John Paul II Catholic High School, Greenville Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh St. Thomas More Academy, Raleigh Catholicism Portal