Donahue Academy School Profile
Mission
The Donahue Academy strives for a culture of excellence where students encounter Christ and learn to see truths in relation to each other so that they illuminate each other, leading to an appreciation of the unity of all truth. The Donahue Academy provides students in grades K-12 an extraordinary college preparatory classical education in the Catholic tradition. Our curriculum exposes the students to Truth, Beauty and Goodness. It is structured and integrated, not only the transmission of knowledge but also the integration and synthesis of information. The academy focusing on the acquisition of knowledge through reading whenever possible original texts and classics. Our students study not simply individual academic disciplines, but also specifically essential truths that transcend the disciplines: especially those truths emphasizing human dignity and worth. Our graduates are not only fully prepared for the most demanding colleges, but are also self-motivated and self-correcting young adults inspired by a sense of wonder and a love for all learning.
Accreditation & Membership
The Donahue Academy is regionally accredited by the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS). The Academy is also accredited at the national level with the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS) and the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA). We are accredited at the state level with the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF). We are in the accreditation process with the Florida Catholic Conference. We are officially registered with the State of Florida (DOE code 5269) and are proud of our successful Bright Futures Scholarship recipients. We are registered with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to offer international student visas, and are members of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)
School & Community
The Donahue Academy, established in 2007, is a co-educational, college-preparatory, classical school in the Catholic tradition. We have a K-12 student body of 240 (71 in 9th -12th). We have a housing option as well as a standard day program. Our new, more than 50,000 sq foot facility is located on the campus of Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida. While independent from the university, we benefit from access to its state-of-the-art facilities and world-class research library. We offer a robust sports program including full contact 6 man football, boys and girls basketball, cross country and track.
Faculty
The Academy employs master teachers who have a passion for learning and who have advanced credentials and experience. Our twenty-eight full and part time faculty and staff members hold 17 master's degrees and three doctorates and average 11.5 years of experience.
Admission
Admission to The Donahue Academy is selective. The evaluation of each applicant is based on academic records, standardized test scores, admission assessments, and interviews. The Donahue Academy admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin to all of its programs.
Graduation Requirements
Given the high value we place on academics and the ability of our students, all courses are taught at what is widely considered an honors level, whether or not they are formally designated as such. Designated honors courses are weighted .5, as are Florida Department of Education level three classes. We do not offer AP classes. Students are required to follow a scripted curriculum scope and sequence, with any deviations approved in advance by the administration. The integrated and intensive nature of our curriculum precludes the option of electives. Students advancing from our middle school have taken first and second year Latin and so take a third year of Latin as freshmen and a fourth year as sophomores. Seniors are required to write, present, and defend a senior thesis before the faculty and parents. Completion of our complete and integrated course sequence more than satisfies the minimum graduation requirements to meet accreditation standards, which are:
| English | 4 Credits |
| Theology | 4 Credits |
| Mathematics | 4 Credits |
| Science | 3 Credits |
| Social Studies | 3 Credits |
| World Language | 2 Credits |
| Health/Fitness | 1 Credits |
| Fine Arts | 1 Credits |
| General Credits | 2 Credits |
Total Required (min. GPA of 2.00) 24 Credits. We use a standard 10 point grade scale.
Current Course Offerings 9th-12th Grade-No electives all students are expected to take all courses.
English I (Honors)
English II (Honors)
English III (Honors)
English IV (Honors)
World History (Honors)
Western Civilization (Honors)
European History (Honors)
American History (Honors)
U.S. Government (Honors)
Economics
Biology
Chemistry
Physics I
Adv. Scientific Topics
Geometry
Pre-Calculus
Calculus AB
Calculus C/Adv. Math
Old Testament
New Testament
Morality/Life Skills
Prayer/Apologetics
Rhetoric
Physical Education
Studio Art I, II, III, IV.
Choral Music I, II, III, IV.
Latin I, II, III, IV.
Spanish I, II.
Logic
Graduate Data:
We have graduated the following students:
2008 = 2 students
2009 = 1 student
2010 = 7 students
2011 = 14 students
2012 - 13 students
SAT SCORES 2011 | READING | MATH | WRITING | TOTAL | ||
Average | 636 | 599 | 597 | 1832 |
National Average for 2011 was 1500
National Merit Scholars Recognition
In the last two years, two students have been named commended students and one student has been named a semi-finalist.
Elementary Program
K-8th graders average in the top 22% on the Nationally Normed Iowa Tests.
College Acceptances (last three years)
Of our twenty four graduates since 2008, all have been accepted to colleges of their choice -1 who took a year off before college for missionary work.
Our students have been accepted by:
Ave Maria University
Bellmont Abbey
Christendom College
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Institute of Technology
Fordham University
Franciscan University, Steubenville
Jacksonville University
St. Leo University
The Virginia Military Institute
University of Central Florida
University of South Florida
University of Tampa
Webber International University
More information at www.donahueacademy.org Phone 239-280-2450