Bishop announces Academy-Model School to improve education for Pleasant Grove families

Kevin J. Farrell, Bishop of the Diocese of Dallas, delivered exciting news today that two diocesan schools will be combined into a new academy-model school serving lower and middle school students in Pleasant Grove.  The new St. Philip and St. Augustine Catholic Academy will open for the 2015-16 school year in newly renovated and expanded facilities on the present day St. Philip campus at 8151 Military Parkway. The campus will accommodate and better serve all students presently attending the two schools.

Announced simultaneously, the St. Augustine facility will become the new Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep, a private high school exclusively serving families living near or below the poverty line and opening to an inaugural class of ninth graders in August 2015.

“Two opportunities came together at the perfect time,” said Bishop Farrell. “Not only will the St. Augustine and St. Philip communities be better served at the lower and middle school levels, but also now, for the first time, families who cannot afford a Catholic education for their children will have an affordable option for high school.”

The St. Philip and St. Augustine consolidation comes in direct response to a multi-year study commissioned by the bishop to ensure diocesan schools are providing the best possible student outcomes. Reach for the Future: A Blueprint for Excellence in Catholic Elementary Schools in the Diocese of Dallas laid the foundation for this transition.

The St. Philip and St. Augustine Catholic Academy will provide a more collaborative environment with more options for students through enriched programming and enhanced curriculum.  Marian Davis, president of the future Academy and current principal of St. Augustine, said, “We are extremely pleased to announce the new academy. We do so with an intentional goal; the new structure will give the faculty and staff the tools to help each student develop his or her unique talents and gifts, and we are confident students from both schools will benefit.”

Enrollment in the Academy will begin December 1, 2014 with priority given to currently enrolled students until February 15 after which open enrollment will begin. Informational sessions will be scheduled throughout the remainder of this school year to answer questions and ensure a smooth transition for all students and families.

Families of students remain members of their current parishes, and parish associations are not impacted by the new Academy.