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City Academy 25th Celebration
Education
An Evening to Celebrate Navigating Bright Futures

As the autumn leaves began to turn and the evenings grew darker and colder, friends of City Academy gathered on the school’s campus in North St. Louis, to celebrate a quarter-century of transforming lives through exceptional education and bold expectations.  The night’s theme was “Navigating Bright Futures” and guests began their journey with a short […]

Briggs
Alumni
Alumni Spotlight: Stephanie Briggs

As a proud alumna of both City Academy and LEAD STL, Stephanie Briggs embodies the principles of leadership, empowerment, advocacy, and determination. Her role as Director of External Partnership at LEAD STL highlights her dedication to leveraging partnerships and resources to maximize the impact of the organization’s mission. Stephanie’s work is centered around creating programs […]

Baking
Category Name
Third Quarter Extended Day Opportunities

Extended Day Activities Registration is OPEN! Activities start week of January 8. Registration will take place entirely online through GOOGLE FORMS. As always, slots for each activity are limited. You will be asked to rank the choices for your child. Please be sure to read the details of each activity below to make sure you child is eligible for the activity […]

STEM Day Group Photo
Education
STEM Day at World Wide Technology

Our City Academy 6th graders were one of only five schools selected to participate in National STEM Day,sponsored by World Wide Technology. It was a full day of learning, listening and being actively engagedin exploring the various career opportunities within the realm of STEM. We watched proudly as our 6th grade scholars participated in an […]

WIN
Education
WIN Program

The echoes of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to resonate through the world of education, leaving a trail of disrupted learning and widening gaps in academic achievement. Among the most affected are young learners in the early elementary grades, where foundational literacy skills are established. In response to this challenge, educators and administrators at City Academy […]

Zuri Thomas
Alumni
Zuri Thomas’ Alumni Speech

The following is the remarks delivered by Zuri Thomas as City Academy’s 25th Celebration Event on November 4, 2023. ‘I can be my best, by doing my best in everything I do.’ Those were a few of the words that were part of the pledge that I and the rest of the student body would […]

St Louis Trust
Alumni
Campus to Careers

As part of City Academy’s ongoing efforts to provide opportunities to our alumni for networking, enrichment, and growth, internships were made available at four St. Louis companies this summer: M3 Engineering Group, Reinsurance Group of America (RGA), St. Louis Trust & Family Office, and Thompson Street Capital Partners.Three high school students interned with RGA, while […]

Juicing
Category Name
Second Quarter Extended Day Opportunities

Extended Day Activities Registration is OPEN! Activities start October 30. Registration will take place entirely online through GOOGLE FORMS. As always, slots for each activity are limited. You will be asked to rank the choices for your child. Please be sure to read the details of each activity below to make sure you child is eligible for the activity before signing […]

Cooking Class
Announcements | Education
First Quarter Extended Day Opportunities

Extended Day Activities Registration is OPEN! Activities start August 21. Registration will take place entirely online through ALMA. As always, slots for each activity are limited. You will be asked to rank the choices for your child. Please be sure to read the details of each activity below to make sure you child is eligible for the activity before signing them up. […]

Trophy Properties Logo
Donor Spotlight
Donor Spotlight: Trophy Properties and Auction

At first glance it may be a bit head-scratching as to why St. Louis-based real estate company Trophy Properties and Auction, known primarily for selling farms and hunting properties, would become consistent corporate sponsors of City Academy events. However, as Creative Director and Realtor Jake Brown tells it, supporting an educational institution like City Academy […]

Jarrett Young
Education
Reflections from Year One

By Jarrett Young, Head of School This summer I was on a road trip with my son through the middle of our nation. The drive was great because the weather was outstanding, traffic was at a minimum and I had good company. The drive also presented a chance to engage in deep reflection on the […]

Audrey and Noah
Alumni | Education
Martin Mathews Award Winners

Each year, City Academy awards the Martin Mathews Award to sixth grade students who reflect Mr. Mathews’ values and have demonstrated exceptional citizenship and academic integrity. Mr. Mathews was a visionary civic leader who had a profound impact on City Academy and the city of St. Louis. He led by example and spent his life […]

City Academy 6th Grade Class of 2023
Education
Preparing Students for Secondary School and Beyond

Over the last five years, City Academy’s 6th grade graduates had an 87% acceptance rate into independent secondary schools in St. Louis with an average financial award of $23,309. Among the school’s 295 graduates, the most popular secondary schools have been John Burroughs (42), MICDS (38), and Crossroads (33).  In order to achieve these successes, […]

Img 8005
Education
Extended Day Provides Opportunities for Enrichment

City Academy strives to not only provide a challenging curriculum during the school day, but to offer several opportunities for enrichment and growth outside of the classroom during our Extended Day Program. The Extended Day Program is provided at no extra cost, and allows students to arrive as early as 7:00 a.m. and leave as late as 6:00 p.m. This is particularly helpful to working parents that are not able to pick their children up at 3:30 p.m. when the school day ends. 

Don Danforth and Martin Mathews
Announcements
Reflections on Martin Mathews’ Passing, by Don Danforth

Martin L. Mathews 1925 – 2022 Martin Luther Mathews passed away peacefully this week at the age of 97.  He was a pillar in our community who touched people from across our region with his positivity, his optimism and his belief in young people.   As founder of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club in 1960, […]

Pen Pal
Students
Pen Pals Program

Pen pals may seem like a program that would go by the wayside with the prevalence of texting, e-mailing, and Facetiming, but perhaps that’s all the more reason why it is still alive and well at City Academy.  Each year, our scholars in third through sixth grade are matched with a member of our community […]

Game Outside
Education
Responsive Classroom

If you have spent any time with children, you probably know that getting them to be quiet and listen, or to follow certain rules, is not always as easy as just asking them to do as you say – especially if it’s your first time meeting them. It is important to establish trust and respect, […]

Whitney Gross
Alumni
Alumni Spotlight: Whitney Gross

City Academy (2021), Villa Duchesne (Exp. 2027) A recent graduate of City Academy, Whitney Gross wasted no time in getting heavily involved at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School. Already a member of show choir, and the volleyball and basketball teams, Whitney applied and was selected to go on the Sacred Heart trip to Chicago […]

Michael Strawbridge
Alumni
Alumni Spotlight: Michael Strawbridge

City Academy (2009), John Burroughs (2015), Beloit College (2019), Rutgers University (Ex. 2024) Michael Strawbridge still remembers singing “Celebrate” while watching the bulldozers break ground on City Academy’s new campus in 2003 during his first year at the school, at the time based out of Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club.  “I remember the hype of […]

Jordan Bow
Alumni
Alumni Spotlight: Jordan Bow

City Academy (2011), John Burroughs (2017), Washington University (2021) Jordan spent just three years at City Academy, but his time here left a lasting impact on him. He fondly remembers his science classes and he enjoyed learning more about robotics during the extended day program.  One of his most inspiring teachers was his literature teacher, […]

Shalawn Fennoy and Donna Hynes
Education
Staff Milestones

A Family Celebration for Shalawn Fennoy’s 20th Anniversary Over the last 20 years, Shalawn Fennoy has built strong relationships with her students at every turn. She eats lunch with students and spends time at recess with them even before they are in her class in order to get to know each individual personality. By knowing […]

Jarrett Young greets a student.
Education
A Message from Jarrett Young, New Head of School

To the City Academy Community: The City Academy academic community is transformative, vibrant, and evolving – it supports the growth of both students and their families during an integral time in their lives. The adjectives used to describe our school make it a desired place for families to entrust their most precious treasure, their children. […]

Students
What Leadership Means to Me

City Academy strives to develop leadership skills in all of our scholars, including counting on our Upper School students to become leaders in our own community. Our current 6th grade scholars have truly grown to understand that responsibility and exemplify leadership each day. In ELA class, they were asked to respond to the question “What […]

Education
City Academy Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Did you know that every City Academy  student receives Spanish language and culture instruction, starting at age 3? September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the culture and history of the United States. Our Spanish curriculum already includes a heavy emphasis on cultural […]

Whitney Gross
Students
2021 Sixth Grade Graduation | Martin Mathews Award Winner

The Martin L. Mathews Award, given at graduation each year, is named for Martin Mathews, co-founder of Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club, whose inspiration made City Academy possible. It is awarded to a student or students who exemplify his exceptional leadership and citizenship while demonstrating academic integrity. The 2021 recipients, chosen by City Academy faculty, […]

Alumni
2021 Brightman Award Winner – Najaah Muhammad ’15 (MICDS ’21)

At the 2021 Virtual Annual Luncheon, we were thrilled to present alumna Najaah Muhammad ’15 (MICDS ’21) with this year’s Brightman Award. The Brightman Award is named for John Brightman, one of City Academy’s original board members and supporters. John was integral in the start of the school, and this award, including a $1,000 scholarship, […]

Announcements
An Important Message from Don Danforth

Dear City Academy Family, I am writing to share that Nikki Doughty has accepted a position at Washington University’s Institute for School Partnership. Nikki will be “graduating” from City Academy at the end of this school year, after 15 amazing years. At Washington University, Nikki will continue the important work of removing barriers to transform […]

Education
A Legacy of Optimism

This year’s celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King is especially timely as our country tries to heal from the recent events in Washington and all of the challenges that we faced in 2020. While dedicating his life for racial equality and justice for all, Dr. King was also an optimist who, even in the darkest […]

Education
Squid Science – Hands-On Learning in 4th Grade

Engaging hands-on experiences are a hallmark of City Academy’s STEAM program, and our faculty are finding creative ways to make that possible during virtual learning. This week in 4th grade science, our scholars dissected squids as part of the biology curriculum. Each student was given their own specimen to dissect, following along with 3rd and […]

Education | Students
Third and Fourth Grade Scientists Zoom with Fox 2 Meteorologist Chris Higgins

Students in third and fourth grade science classes wrapped up their ecology unit this week with a livestream Q & A with Fox 2 meteorologist Chris Higgins. The unit began with creating nature journals to record daily abiotic elements of weather such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind and clouds. After students practiced recording data, they […]

Students
Graduation Ceremony 2019 | Martin Mathews Awards

Martin Mathews Award Recipients | Ayomide Ajakaiye and Isaac Taylor Mr. Martin Mathews, the founder of Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club and a wonderful friend of City Academy, has spent his life serving others. Mr. Mathews always espouses his three R’s: respect, restraint, and responsibility. His philosophy of high expectations inspired the vision for City […]

Zion Thomas
Alumni
Graduation Ceremony 2019 | Alumnus Reflection

Graduation Alumnus Speech | Zion Thomas ’13 (MICDS ’19) Hello! I’m Zion Thomas, a 2013 City Academy alumnus, and a recent graduate of MICDS, headed to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio this Fall. Let me begin by saying congratulations…to all of you. Today marks a significant milestone in your lives, a resolution to […]

City Academy students touring the Express Scripts facility
Education | Students
Building Bridges: The Real World Applications of STEAM Outside of The Classroom

In addition to cutting edge collaboration and integration of the five STEAM fields into classroom learning, the STEAM program includes experiential learning in the community through field trips that help students build bridges between classroom learning and real world applications. Generous support from the Monsanto Fund (now the Bayer Fund) has made these field trips possible. The fifth […]

Whitfield Volunteers
Students | Volunteers
Whitfield School Gives Back to City Academy

We are thrilled to have great partnerships with other private, independent schools in St. Louis including Whitfield School. On Thursday, October 4, 2018, several Whitfield students volunteered their time at City Academy for Whitfield’s community service day. One of the students was City Academy alumnus, Malik Smith ’15 (Whitfield School ’21), who decided to give back to his […]

City Academy Rendering
Announcements
News Release: Early Childhood Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Early Childhood Center Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Wednesday, September 26 at 8:00am City Academy 4175 North Kingshighway Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63115 Making Early Childhood Education Accessible in North St. Louis On September 26, 2018 at 8:00am, City Academy will host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the school’s new Early Childhood Center. The Center is a […]

Camille Smith Cultural Leadership Summer 2018
Alumni
Cultural Leadership by Camille Smith

Camp Cultural Leadership was an influential experience. I learned about social justice issues and how they affected people, African American and Jewish history, and made great new friends. Camp Cultural Leadership is the 3 week camp version of the high school program, Cultural Leadership. During camp we studied African American and Jewish history, and their […]

Knight
Education | Students
2018 Oliver M. Langenberg Award Recipient | The Charles Knight Family

The Charles Knight Family At our first graduation in 2005, we created the Oliver Langenberg Award. This award honors a St. Louisan whose contributions have made City Academy and our broader community better. Oliver Langenberg was City Academy’s first donor in 1998, a year before we opened! Think about that. He gave money to a […]

Alumni Volunteer with Students
Volunteers
Volunteers Are Role Models for City Academy Students

Volunteers from Whitfield School and John Burroughs School This spring, two very special visitors have been around City Academy. You may find on the field playing kickball, in the classroom assisting our students, or in the library helping pack up our books for renovations to our current facility. Josh (John Burroughs School ’18) and Jordan […]

Education | Students | Volunteers
National Volunteer Week 2018

Why City Academy is Important To Me by Megan Chaney Walker and Daphne (4th grade student) We’re celebrating our volunteers during National Volunteer Week (April 15-21, 2018)! One long-time volunteer, Megan Chaney Walker, has been volunteering as a mentor for many years. She also serves on our Marketing Committee and is a regular attendee at […]

Shawn Williamson
Alumni
Then and Now: An Alumna Story

Shawn Williamson ’07 (Whitfield School ’13, Texas Christian University ’17) City Academy began in 1999 with three grades at Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club. One student in City Academy’s first junior kindergarten class was Shawn Williamson ’07 (Whitfield School ’13, Texas Christian University ’17). Now in her first semester at Saint Louis University School of […]

2018 City Academy Trivia Night
Education
City Academy Trivia Night Raises Record Funds For Scholarship Program!

Are you smarter than a fifth grader? Over 500 people attended City Academy’s sixth annual Trivia Night on March 3, 2018, to test their smarts and prove their knowledge! This event was held at a new location, John Burroughs School, to accommodate the growth in attendance. All proceeds from the event go directly to our […]

Towle Family
My Giving Story
Giving Story: The Towle Family

“City Academy is so good and so right for the St. Louis community. We want to see the school continue indefinitely.” – Chris & Laura Towle Our family strongly believes in the transformational power of education. Don Danforth’s vision to provide exceptional education and bold expectations to children in St. Louis, regardless of their family’s […]

John Brightman and Student
My Giving Story
Giving Story: John Brightman

“No matter how intelligent a person may be, you will accomplish more if you have a sense of urgency about getting things done.” – John Brightman, 1932 – 2017 City Academy recently lost one of our “Founding Fathers.” John Brightman led us to our early success. He was an original board member, generous supporter, and […]

My Giving Story
Donating Your Holiday

NO GIFTS FOR ME! With the holidays approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about how blessed I am. And how I really don’t need a thing. (Especially since I have a December birthday, so I’ve just received gifts.) So I’ve decided to “donate my holiday” to City Academy.

Zuri, Zion, and Zain Thomas
Alumni | Education | Students
Transforming Lives: The Thomas Family

For several families in St. Louis, quality and affordable educational opportunities are out of reach. Like all parents, Tamara and Demetrius want the best for their children. After being disappointed in their neighborhood’s school district, they were thrilled to find an innovative school near their home. At City Academy, the Thomas family has found a […]

Education | Students
A Kid For Character

“When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.” – R.J. Palacio, Wonder Every day, our students start the day by saying our school pledge and singing “A Kid For Character.” This semester, our first grade class created a music video to learn more about the words in the song. While singing “A […]

2017 Groundbreaking Ceremony
Announcements
Groundbreaking Ceremony | September 27, 2017

For Immediate Release On September 27, 2017, City Academy officially broke ground on the school’s new Early Childhood Center and publicly launched the Campaign for City Academy. By 2020, City Academy will grow the school’s student population from 185 scholars to 250 students. In order to do so, the Campaign for City Academy will include […]

Nikki Doughty
Alumni | Education | Students
Relationship Culture

Schools with a Relationship Culture say, “You are always my student. You can graduate from my school, but I stay with you. I stay with your family. I will judge my success not by your eighth-grade degree, but by your college degree.” I see similar commitment at City Academy, where school runs through sixth grade but […]

Students on iPad
Alumni | Education | Students
Scholarship for every student

We believe that every child should have access to high quality education, regardless of a family’s income or geographic location. All students at City Academy receive tuition support through generous donations from local foundations, corporations, and individual donors. Tuition is based on income and varies by family. Tuition includes before and after school programs, as […]

Class of 2017 Graduation
Education | Students
A Year of Transformation – Reflection from the Principal

As I sat on the edge of my seat, hanging on to each word of the beautifully-written and presented speeches of our graduating sixth graders, I was unexpectedly overcome by a wave of feelings and reflections. Just a year and a half before, I was being interviewing by these very students as candidate to be […]

Don Danforth with Jerris Kirkwood and family
Education
President and Co-Founder, Don Danforth III, Honored by the NCCJ St. Louis

For 72 years, NCCJ St. Louis has honored those leaders who, in their own lives, embrace the tenets of NCCJ’s work to make St. Louis a community where all people are valued and respected. Don Danforth III, President and Co-Founder of City Academy was honored with a Brotherhood Sisterhood Award on June 6. The award honors […]

Holly James, Alicia McDonnell, and Don Danforth
Volunteers
Presenting the 2017 Oliver M. Langenberg Award Recipients

In honor of City Academy’s earliest and most generous supporters,  Oliver M. Langenberg, City Academy recognized two St. Louis leaders, Holly James and Alicia McDonnell for this year’s award. These community leaders, who are also sisters, are staunch believers in the importance of education and passionate about City Academy.

Jim Cornblett And Buddy
Education | Students
Buddy Morning Changes Lives

Buddy Morning is a great opportunity for both community supporters and students. Twice a year, community partners, donors, supporters, and volunteers spend one-on-one time with a student and experience our unique mission. City Academy has hosted twenty-one Buddy Morning events since 2006. Each attendee is paired with a scholar and has the opportunity to build a relationship […]

2e Creative with Buddies
Education | Students | Volunteers
Buddy Morning | October 6, 2016

Buddy Morning is a great opportunity for corporate groups and individuals to spend quality time with a City Academy student. Twice a year, community partners, donors, supporters, and volunteers spend one-on-one time with a student and experience what makes our school so special. These buddies participate in a learning activity together and create a great […]

Student in Math Class
Education | Students
Dear (Math) Diary…

Dear Diary, As I type this blog, I recall the ebb and flow of teaching some years when I had a class of predominant high achievers then other years when the majority of the class needed extra practice. During both extremes, I was challenged because I wanted to do more for each group but wasn’t […]

First Day of City Academy
Education | Students
First Day of School | September 1, 1999

The very first day of school for City Academy was September 1, 1999.  There were 42 students in three classes- junior kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade, who were part of the inaugural celebration. The following is the first day of school speech given by President and Co-Founder of City Academy, Don Danforth III. First Day of […]

Marshall Strawbridge
Alumni | Education | Students | Volunteers
Community Transformation: Dreams for Urban Renewal

As the only private, independent school in north St. Louis city, we are committed to providing exceptional education that transforms the community. One of the best examples we have of our community impact is our alumni. For many students, once they graduate from elementary school, they no longer have much contact with the school or […]

Milton Mitchell and Family
Announcements
L.A. Can Have the Rams. We Get Milton Mitchell!

City Academy has named Milton Mitchell the school’s Principal beginning July 1, 2016. Mr. Mitchell grew up in Kinloch, MO, but has lived in California for the past fifteen years. He most recently served in administration at the Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, CA, just outside of Los Angeles, where he spearheaded the admission process […]

Stephanie Oteng teaching
Education | Students
Maintaining Momentum

For many schools, the end of the school year means that the pace of homework and assignments begins to wind down. Not so at City Academy. One thing I love about our rigorous program is that we go full throttle until the end. Many times this means contending with bumps and conflicts with the schedule […]

Wells Fargo Employees with Buddies at City Academy
Students
Buddy Morning Spring 2016

“Buddy Morning is my favorite day because I love seeing my buddy!” -Kyleigh, 5th grade student Exceptional education. Bold expectations. Community Transformation. These are the words that our school lives by, but what exactly do they mean? On April 15, 2016, more than 100 individuals from the community attended Buddy Morning to find out! Community […]

Alumni Volunteer at American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in St. Louis
Alumni
Alumni Give Back to St. Louis

City Academy alumni are dedicated to giving back to the community that has given them so much. Even after graduating from City Academy, the majority of our alumni realize the impact that the school has made on them and continue to come back to volunteer. In fact, a group of about a dozen alumni in […]

Color Of Love
Education | Students
The Color of Love

Our teachers have bold expectations for students. For our music teacher, Mr. Laren Loveless, these bold expectations provide students a creative environment and safe place where they can fuse every day life with music. One of the results from this environment is that sixth graders had the opportunity to write an original song first performed at City Academy’s 2016 Black […]

Robotic Arms
Education | Students
Building Robotic Arms While Developing a Love for Science

Seven years ago, City Academy embarked on a new program in innovation and design. Robotics was added to our science curriculum for fifth and sixth graders. However, students expressed so much interest in learning more about robotics and programming that our science teacher, Mr. Erik Taylor, provided them the opportunity to further develop their skills […]

Trivia Night committee
Volunteers
Friends Committee Organize Successful Trivia Night!

Are you smarter than a fifth grader? Over 300 people attended City Academy’s fourth annual Trivia Night on March 5, 2016, to test their smarts and prove their knowledge! Attendees enjoyed a fun night of trivia along with great food and drinks, fabulous silent auction items, and a whole lot of smiles and laughter. All […]

St. Louis Walk of Fame
Education | Students
St. Louis Walk of Fame

City Academy has always celebrated Black History Month by recognizing individuals who have made a difference in society. Students typically study historical African-American leaders in the classroom and honor these leaders at school assemblies. But this year, we decided to bring awareness to great local African-American leaders. We want our students to know there are […]

Andrea Davis Pinkney
Education
A Visit From Andrea Davis Pinkney

“Practicing peace while others showed hatred was tougher than any school test.” Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney These words are from Andrea Davis Pinkney’s award-winning book, Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down, based on the 1960 peaceful protest led by four students at a […]

Students reading
Education
City Academy is Restoring the American Dream

City Academy was recently honored by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) by being featured in their blog post, “Restoring the American Dream.” This was written by John Chubb (former President of NAIS who passed away in November 2015) and discusses how the American dream is at risk. We may all agree that everyone […]

Nikki Doughty
Alumni
Alumni Success Stories

City Academy is dedicated to providing support not only to our 180 students, but also to our 155 alumni. Each semester, I conduct about 100 visits to our alumni. I check in on their progress, conduct one-on-one counseling sessions, and meet with advisers, principals and heads of school. The following is an update as to […]

Monalisa Gooden and Sons
Alumni
Make Dreams Come True

For many families in our community, quality educational options are out of reach. Through City Academy’s scholarship program, Monalisa Gooden found a supportive community with exceptional academics for her two children, Charles ’13 and Carlos ’14. Like all parents, Monalisa dreams of providing the best opportunities for her children. After being disappointed in her neighborhood’s […]

Singapore Math
Education
Singing Singapore’s Praises

As we approach fall break, I continue to enjoy the Singapore approach to help our scholars understand mathematics. Singapore math utilizes a logical approach progressing from concrete to pictorial to abstract math. While not always easy, once scholars comprehend a skill, it’s a joy to see them proud of their accomplishment. But to me, Singapore is […]

2015 Google Earth view of City Academy
Alumni
Discovering the World Around Us

We are thrilled to offer social studies to students in grades second through sixth grade. Through a diverse study of different countries, cultures and religions, students form a broader view of the world while recognizing their own unique place. Our approach to social studies goes beyond the textbook as lessons are based on discussion, critical […]

Students on First Day Of School
Education
First Days of School

First days of school come with anticipation, wide eyes, a few tears and many smiles. But in all cases, they come with hope and renewal. For me, the first day of school means order is restored, expectations are high, and possibilities are endless. It is my favorite time of year! I relish seeing the excitement […]

Martin Mathews Award Winners - Allie and Malachi
Donor Spotlight | Education
Honoring Leadership and Philanthropy

Martin Mathews founded the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club as a way to provide young people in our city opportunities. Mr. Mathews’ philosophy of high expectations inspired the vision for City Academy. Each graduation, we honor Mr. Mathews by recognizing a member of our sixth grade class who reflects Mr. Mathews’ values, and who has […]

Noah Hollenkamp
Education
Don’t Procrastinate, Play Now!

Have you ever seen a child so deep into an activity that he ignores the world around? Bringing play into the classroom helps strengthen focus, independence, and problem solving, while also eliminating the fear of failure. Play can also help familiarize children with the world around them through social interactions and conflict resolution.

Madeleine Johnson
Alumni
Madeleine Johnson ’12 wins John Burroughs School Newman Prize

Each year, John Burroughs School juniors are encouraged to choose five Americans they would like to meet and write about each. A selection committee conducts individual interviews with finalists and chooses a winner based on “enthusiasm, character and a willingness to take chances in order to achieve their goals.”