LETTER FROM OUR PRINCIPAL Dear AACA Family, AACA seeks to provide a strong foundation for intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development and growth, while fostering a culture of student ownership. Within <strong>our</strong> three pillars – academic excellence, arts integration, and a caring Catholic community – we thoughtfully engage students along a continuum. In the early grades, the focus is on laying the foundation – the roots – for the education of the whole child, while offering opportunities as appropriate for independence - the wings. As students progress through middle school, we continue to build the foundation while devoting increasing time and res<strong>our</strong>ces to creating more opportunities for independence. Roots provide support and n<strong>our</strong>ishment. Wings enc<strong>our</strong>age ownership and independence. We work constantly to develop and refine <strong>our</strong> pillars - and their foundational support, <strong>our</strong> program of professional development for teachers – while maintaining this essential balance of roots and wings. This is how we grow as a school community. For example, last year we introduced a Technology Leadership Team, and this year we are launching an Arts Council. These two groups will provide leadership as well as fresh ideas and an infusion of energy. With students, we continue to establish <strong>our</strong> Executive Functions Program while developing <strong>our</strong> structure for Digital Portfolios. Both these programs are essential to the success of <strong>our</strong> academic and artsintegration programs, as well as moving students toward ownership and independence. We continue to expand <strong>our</strong> arts options - adding band, workshops, and after-school programs - as well as <strong>our</strong> bank of arts-integration units. This balance of roots and wings creates results. AACA has seen tremendous growth in all metrics: ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE ENROLLMENT FUNDRAISING AND DEVELOPMENT GRADUATES TO COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOLS Indeed we are proud of these outcomes. Simultaneously, we are careful to maintain perspective on how we arrived at this success. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE ENROLLMENT FUNDRAISING & DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATION We have an incredible team of adults working together on behalf of <strong>our</strong> students. In last year’s <strong>annual</strong> <strong>report</strong>, we described <strong>our</strong> various partnerships – DePaul, CAPE, Artists-in-Residence, parish, parents, and community organizations. These partners work closely with AACA leadership, faculty, and staff to ensure <strong>our</strong> effectiveness in <strong>our</strong> mission. PROGRESSION AND BALANCE We thoughtfully and intentionally move students along continuums within <strong>our</strong> programs. It is important to carefully plan curriculum and all aspects of an AACA education in stair step fashion, requiring mastery of one step before moving on to the next step. It is also imperative that along these continuums, we strike a careful balance of providing n<strong>our</strong>ishment and support with fostering independence and ownership. If we focus too much on students developing strong tools but neglect to give them opportunities to make choices in their use, <strong>our</strong> students will never learn to take risks and make wise choices. If we focus too much on independence at the cost of neglecting the students’ knowledge base, students will be willing to function independently but will lack a developed base to inform their choices. PRIORITIES While <strong>our</strong> metrics inform <strong>our</strong> work, <strong>our</strong> focus remains on <strong>our</strong> pillars. If we p<strong>our</strong> <strong>our</strong> energy into test preparation and filling <strong>our</strong> seats, we will see short-lived results. Our commitment to educating the whole child is a commitment to sustained learning for the child and sustained growth for the AACA community. Our job is to constantly develop <strong>our</strong> three pillars – the growth in educational and financial outcomes will follow as a result of this work. Once again, we celebrate <strong>our</strong> accomplishments, and acknowledge the work ahead. Thank you for supporting <strong>our</strong> work of giving all <strong>our</strong> students both roots and wings. Dr. Megan Stanton-Anderson Principal, <strong>Alphonsus</strong> Academy & Center for the Arts GRADUATES TO COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOLS 6 | ALPHONSUS ACADEMY & CENTER FOR THE ARTS ALPHONSUS ACADEMY & CENTER FOR THE ARTS | 7