Providence Academy

Preparing children for a faith-based life built on a strong foundation of academic excellence and personal character was the dream of Providence Academy’s Board President in 1994. After gathering a visionary group and working for many years, they founded Providence Academy in 2001. As the vision turned into reality, ground was broken on March 25, 2000 in Plymouth, Minnesota, a western suburb of Minneapolis. As an independent, nonprofit, coeducational Roman Catholic school, Providence Academy opened its doors with a starting enrollment of 206 students. The stately school building is beautifully designed for state-of-the-art functioning and student comfort.

Currently, approximately 840 students are enrolled in grades Prekindergarten through 12. The school employs more than 100 Lower, Middle and High School faculty and staff, including four full-time counselors (guidance and college), a full-time nurse and full-time security officers. About 60% of faculty members hold master’s degrees and roughly 8% hold a PhD.

Providence Academy is approved as a Catholic School and affiliated with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The school is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. It is also approved by the State of Minnesota Department of Education. Providence is also a member of the MAIS (Minnesota Association of Independent Schools).

As a member of the Minnesota State High School League’s Independent Metro Athletic Conference (IMAC), Providence Academy offers 25 sports and many additional activities. Approximately 80% of high school students participate in athletics and many more benefit from additional activities and clubs.

Providence Academy is a Roman Catholic college-preparatory school with a comprehensive, core-knowledge curriculum that promotes superior academic achievement, mastery of skills and content, character development and citizenship within a faith-filled, Christian environment.

From the heart of our motto, “Faith, Knowledge, Virtue,” Providence Academy develops habits of spirit, mind and action to prepare students for future leadership in vocations and civic life. The faith and morals taught by the Catholic Church provide the foundation for time-honored training in the liberal arts and sciences. An emphasis on the intellectual and cultural heritage of Western civilization highlights principles of freedom and justice necessary for American self-government. The curriculum’s rigor instills customs of discipline and assures breadth and depth in students’ mastery of educational basics. Extracurricular activities and events incorporate the diverse God-given talents and interests of young people, in accord with our mission. Providence Academy aims to graduate citizens who are good believers, good thinkers, good citizens, good people—in a word, good Christians, prepared to meet the challenges and complexities of American life in the 21st century.

Providence Academy accepts the governance of moral and civil law. We are a community of individuals who respect the good in each of God’s children, in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We recognize rightful authority. We speak truthfully. We are honest in our work and in our dealings with others. We are compassionate, gracious, and courteous to all. We aspire to be citizens who honor God, country and neighbor.

Providence Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally made available to students at the school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

The Providence Academy community is a Christian educational community dedicated to serving the needs of our students. Whether those needs are spiritual, moral, or intellectual we try to be people who serve Christ’s Kingdom. Our faculty, staff, and administration see PA’s communal focus as helping children become independent adults through the education of their minds, hearts, and souls. Such independence only happens when parents, students, faculty, and staff work together toward a common mission rooted in the Gospel vision of love. Alumni are our pride and joy. They represent everything that our school has worked so hard to foster. They are their parents’ and our success stories.

At Providence Academy the Lower School and Middle School core knowledge curriculum specifies what content is taught from one year to the next and encourages mastery of skills based on content. The curriculum incorporates United States history, world history and geography, essential elements of math, science, art, music, oral and written expression, classic stories and poems. Phonics and traditional math instruction are among proven teaching methods applied in classrooms. Exposure to foreign languages is offered K-5, with Latin added in 6-7. Small classes ensure effective personalized attention.

Our Upper School’s focused curricular philosophy channels students’ efforts into classes beneficial for college admission. State-of-the-art facilities enable students to pursue electives such as Studio Art, Engineering Lab, Publications, Photography, Family and Consumer Science, Speech and Debate, Theater, Band, Choir and Strings. Sports and other extracurricular activities help students develop skills and talents while providing fun outside the high school classroom.