What makes the Academy distinctive?
At The Atonement Academy we strive for excellence in the physical, the intellectual, and the spiritual virtues through a challenging course of classical and Catholic education.
Some of the distinctive aspects of our school include:
-- We attend Mass daily as a school.
-- We are faithful to the Magisterium of the Church in our teaching.
-- We have an artistically ambitious choral music program. All students sing in choirs. All choirs perform several times annually. Our most proficient choirs are competitive statewide.
-- We adhere to the Catholic scholastic tradition in our classical and liberal arts-oriented curriculum.
-- We have a strong academic program. Lower school grades are advanced in Math and Phonics. Middle scholars have an an opportunity to accelerate to high school-level studies in Math, Science and Latin. The upper school program includes Honors courses and college-level Advanced Placement courses.
-- We maintain the traditional discipline of Catholic schools, including standards of courtesy and a school uniform.
This combination of attributes makes us unique among schools in San Antonio and rare among schools nationally. The families who are happiest and most successful in our school share our values.
How is the school organized? Who runs the school?
The Atonement Academy is the parish school of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church, which is part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. The Academy was founded as a parish school in 1994, and is fully integrated into parish life and worship.
The Archbishop of San Antonio is the chief teacher in the Archdiocese. It is through his recognition that we are designated a Catholic school. As a parish school, we are governed by our Pastor, Father Phillips. The Pastor is responsible for the school as for all programs of the parish, and he is also the spiritual leader of the school. The Pastor appoints a Headmaster who is the academic and administrative leader of the school. The Pastor is advised by a School Council whose function is consultative. Most day-to-day matters are handled by the school's administrative team and faculty, which are led by the Headmaster. Certain academic regulatory functions are carried out by the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, who works for the Archbishop.
Do we have to belong to the parish to get a better rate on tuition?
No. School families are welcome to join the parish, but are not required to do so. We invite school families to join us for Sunday Mass. Although ours is a personal parish of the Pastoral Provision, that is, a parish founded for Anglicans returning to full communion with Rome, any Western Rite Catholic may belong to the parish. Joining the parish should be driven by spiritual and pastoral needs, not economics. Tuition pricing is identical for parishioners and non-parishioners. Approximately half of our Catholic students belong to our parish, and approximately half belong to one of the nearby territorial parishes which have not established schools.
Is the Academy accredited, and how does it measure up academically compared to other schools?
The Academy is accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department, an organization run by the Catholic bishops of Texas which accredits all Catholic schools in Texas and is authorized by the Texas Education Agency to do this. Our TEPSAC accreditation number is 015-100-169.
The Academy has received the highest academic award in the nation, having been named a Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. To be named a Blue Ribbon School, the Academy had to show a five-year record of test scores in the top decile of all schools in the nation. The Academy has met this standard consistently for more than ten years including, most recently, in the spring of 2009. The academy is part of a very select group of schools which have achieved this high honor.
In 2008, we were named one of the Nation's Top 50 Catholic High Schools.
What colleges do your graduates attend?
To date we have graduated 37 students from the upper school, in three classes, June 2008, 2009 and 2010. Although our high school program is young, some of the most highly selective colleges in the nation have recognized our excellence and have offered admission to our seniors.
As of September 2010, the colleges our graduates are attending include:
University of Notre Dame (three graduates)
University of Dallas (seven graduates)
United States Naval Academy
Tufts University
Boston College
Birmingham Southern College
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Magdalen College
Marquette University
University of Maryland, University College
and Texas A&M University.
Other schools that have admitted members of the first three classes include:
Rice University
Duke University
George Washington University
Thomas Aquinas College
Wellesley College
Mount Holyoke College
Claremont McKenna College
Fordham University
Boston University
Southern Methodist University
St. John's University
St. Mary's University
University of the Incarnate Word
Baylor University
Chapman University
Rhodes College
Trinity University
Catholic University of America
The University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Dallas
and Christendom College.
Our 37 graduates have included two National Merit Scholars, two National Merit Commended Students, one National Hispanic Scholar, and numerous Advanced Placement Scholars of all ranks.
What is classical education?
Classical education begins with the goal of nurturing independent lifelong learners. It focuses on independent learning skills and independent critical thinking skills necessary to encourage and foster in the student a mature desire to learn, to explore, and to seek answers independent of the instructor. This educational approach, integrated with the magisterial teachings of the Catholic faith and a constant awareness of our culture of Western Christianity, encourages the rise of literate, wise and moral contributors for society.
Will my child have much homework?
Compared to many other schools, yes. The homework levels increase with age. Pre-Kindergarten students will have homework perhaps once a week. As the child matures, more homework is assigned to strengthen the skills learned during school hours. Middle scholars can expect at least sixty minutes of homework every night. Upper scholars can expect more than this. Some students take longer. The two big variables determining homework time are the student's ability to organize the work, and the student's ability to use spare minutes during the school day to get a start on homework.
Is your curriculum too hard for my child?
The Atonement Academy offers a challenging curriculum. While the program is rigorous, we do not assign work that cannot be accomplished by well-motivated students of average ability. Academic success is mostly about developing correct study habits. We believe that school and home can work together to lead students to academic success.
Are non-Catholic students welcome at the Academy?
Yes. However, we are a Catholic school and all students participate in our religious exercises and classes. Non-Catholic students do not receive the Sacraments, but they do attend daily Mass with their classmates, pray at the beginning of every class, learn the Catholic faith and devotional practices, and take Religion courses.
Do you use technology?
Yes. At The Atonement Academy, computer use is integrated into the academic disciplines. The library is equipped with computers for student use, and our Tech Room includes a complete computer classroom. Beginning in Kindergarten, students use computers to take Accelerated Reader tests. By first grade, every student is tested three times per year in the computerized STAR Math and STAR Reading programs. In Grades 4 and 5, tests are taken online in Geography. Upper School students use computers for the required course in Technology Applications and for World Geography classes. The academy does not offer courses in keyboarding or computer programming, because we prefer to use instructional time for academic subjects. Most of our instruction is traditional in form.
What is your discipline policy?
At The Atonement Academy, self-discipline is understood and taught as an important academic skill and social skill. Discipline is learned not just by the proliferation of rules, but also by the understanding of moral principles. There are five Academy rules, all of which proceed from the first of the five:
The student will treat others as he himself would like to be treated.
The student will not prevent the teacher from teaching.
The student will not prevent others from learning.
The student will not harm himself or harm others.
The student will not harm his own property or the property of others.
The Academy works with the parents of students who have difficulty initially in conforming to our standards of comportment. For those who do not comply, we have a progressive system of discipline.
How can I learn more?
We encourage prospective families to read our Handbook for Parents and Students, available online on the Documents page of our website.