Stratford Academy

Stratford Academy was founded in 1960 by a group of Macon parents who felt that the Middle Georgia area needed an independent college preparatory school. In September of 1960, the school opened its doors to 117 students and 17 faculty members in the antebellum Overlook Mansion on Coleman Hill in Macon's historic district. Thirteen students became Stratford's first alumni in 1962, and since that time almost 3,800 young people have graduated from the school.

Stratford Academy is an independent, non-sectarian, college-preparatory school for students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve that challenges its students to achieve their full potential by providing a superior education for students with diverse backgrounds and talents and developing responsible, ethical, life-long learners.

At Stratford Academy, your child will be known. Even though we are a large institution by independent school standards, our student to teacher ratio remains small. This means that your child will have meaningful one-on-one contact with caring educators each and every day. Your child's teachers, advisors, and coaches have the time and passion to get to know each child's strengths and interests.

There is no typical Stratford Academy student. We are an inclusive school where children of all walks of life learn in an enriched academic environment. There are two common threads we are known for: it's cool to be oneself and work hard at whatever you do. At Stratford Academy, all students have the opportunity to explore the arts, athletics, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities all at the same time.

Our school is not dictated by arbitrary standardized tests. Our teachers are experts at designing classes that both challenge our students and build on their inherent curiosity. Your child will learn to write with clarity and think in complex ways. Your child will be asked to work hard and will discover the confidence that comes from accomplishing difficult assignments. Your child will make mistakes and struggle, and we will be there to lift him or her up. This is how one learns to be a confident, courageous, and independent adult.

We have all the rigor without the bad stress. Our program balances hard work with the joy and thrill that comes from learning something new. Sure, our students memorize facts, dates, spelling words, and multiplication tables - part of learning requires memorization and factual recall. We are not, however, interested in cramming just facts into your child's head. Rather, we challenge our students to think more deeply, write more often, and learn how to present to others and persuade them about what they believe. Our approach focuses on engaging children in the learning process rather than emphasizing rote learning. The outcome is a Stratford Academy graduate who is a problem-solver and is excited to continue their studies. And, our students are accepted into prestigious universities around the world.

Simply put, Stratford Academy is not just another school. We deliberately create an environment where children feel safe and supported no matter who they are. We base our culture on an assumption of trust and we believe that each student has the capacity to govern his or her behavior in productive ways. We teach self-governance and independence, two critical life skills, by instilling a sense of belonging and strong sense of community responsibility both on our school grounds and in our community at large.