Who We Are At A Glance
About City Academy


  • Private, independent, non-parochial elementary school
  • Grades Junior Kindergarten (age 4)-Sixth Grade
  • Located in North St. Louis to serve urban youth in a neighborhood setting
  • Founded in 1999 based on the ideals and success of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls Club; moved into new facility in 2004
  • Graduates attend a variety of independent and parochial schools in the metro area, including Chaminade, Crossroads, John Burroughs, MICDS and Whitfield.

Exceptional Academic Program
City Academy’s program is designed to serve families seeking a challenging curriculum, low student-teacher ratio and high expectations of students and faculty.

  • A superior faculty of dedicated teachers who have the resources and support required of a rigorous academic program.  Over 50% of our faculty have advanced degrees.
  • A nurturing environment that promotes citizenship and instills a love of learning in students.
  • Small class size that enables teachers to meet the needs of every child.  We offer an 8:1 student/teacher ratio.
  • An intensive curriculum that emphasizes language and visual arts, literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, foreign language, music, art & physical and character education.

Enrollment
City Academy is dedicated to creating a student body that reflects the diverse community in which we live.

  • Typical class size: 15-17 students
  • 100% of families qualify to receive financial assistance
  • Students come from over 25 zip codes
  • 72% live in underperforming or unaccredited school districts
  • 60% of students live in a household with an annual income of $35,000 or less
  • 56% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch

Parents as Partners
City Academy partners with parents in educating their children. We expect and encourage families to participate fully in their child’s academic experience. Each family is required to volunteer 20 hours with the school every year. Additionally, City Academy provides parents access to resources and programming to reinforce good parenting skills and to provide educational enrichment experiences beyond the classroom. That partnership continues as we offer our resources to assist families as they transition from elementary to secondary school. 

Tuition and Financial Aid
At City Academy, financial aid makes it possible for families to afford a high quality, independent elementary school education, but it doesn’t make it easy. Attending the school comes with a financial and personal commitment on the part of families to invest in their child’s future.

All families are responsible for tuition based on household income. City Academy's full annual tuition is $14,500.  The average tuition paid by families is approximately $3,600.

City Academy's ability to provide scholarships to deserving students reflects the generosity of numerous corporations, foundations and individuals throughout our community who believe in our mission. 

Graduates
Area secondary schools have awarded over $450,000 in financial aid to City Academy graduates who have been accepted to the following schools:

Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory School
Cathedral Academy
Chaminade College Preparatory School
Crossroads College Preparatory School
Incarnate Word Academy
John Burroughs School
Lift for Life Academy
Marian Middle School
Mary Institute & Saint Louis Country Day School
St. Louis Priory
St. Mary's High School
Villa Duchesne
Westminster Christian Academy
Whitfield School 

Growth Out of Mathews-Dickey Program
Don Danforth III and Duncan Marshall co-founded City Academy as a result of their volunteer experience at Mathews-Dickey Boys' and Girls' Club. Don served as the Club’s Director of Educational Programming for many years, heading up both after-school and summer school programs. City Academy grew out of the ideals behind the success of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club whose mission is to provide children in the city with the same opportunities as those in more affluent neighborhoods. 

Founders
Don Danforth III President of City Academy

Duncan Marshall Director of Institutional Advancement Riverdale Country School (New York) 

Employment Opportunities
Employment inquiries should be directed to the school principal; City Academy is an equal opportunity employer.