The Classical Academy (TCA) is a kindergarten through twelfth grade public

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of auto ...

located in northern

Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...

, United States. It is chartered through

Academy School District 20 Academy School District 20 is a school district located in El Paso County, Colorado. It is in the northern part of Colorado Springs, Colorado and the area surrounding the Air Force Academy. List of schools Elementary *Academy International Elem ...

. The school is known for having an extensive waiting list, with over 5,400 students on the current waiting list for all grades combined.

Rankings

The Classical Academy High School is ranked #1 in Academy School District, 19th within Colorado and #611 nationally by '' U.S. News & World Report''.

Awards

In 2012, 2013, and 2014 the

Colorado Department of Education The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is the principal department of the Colorado state government that is responsible for education. It is headquartered in Denver.Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...

North Campus

The Classical Academy High School, The Classical Academy Junior High School and The Classical Academy North Elementary are located a
975 Stout Road
The North Campus is considered the main campus and is the location of the school administration offices.

Central Campus

The Classical Academy Central Elementary is located a
1655 Springcrest Road
This facility, formerly known as Mountain View School, was purchased by the TCA Building Corporation in 2004 for $1.9 million. Monthly payments will continue until November 1, 2019, when the note is paid in full.

East Campus

The Classical Academy East Elementary is located a
12201 Cross Peak View
(just west of

Pikes Peak State College Pikes Peak State College is a public community college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is the largest institution of higher education in the Pikes Peak region. PPSC offers more than 150 programs in liberal arts and sciences transfer and car ...

, Rampart Range Campus). East Campus is also the location of the school's homeschool programs: * The Cottage School Program for kindergarten through eighth grade. * TCA College Pathways for seventh through twelfth grades. Students as part of this program also attend the adjacent Pikes Peak State College Rampart Range Campus.

School uniforms

The school has a uniform policy for all grade levels.

Admission and enrollment

The Classical Academy does not have open enrollment for students, nor is it an

Choice option. The Classical Academy is a wait list school. Students are offered seats and admitted to the school based on their wait list position. Parents can apply from any of the surrounding fifteen school districts in and around

Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...

. Priority is given to students of administration, faculty, current enrolled siblings, and residents of

Board of directors

The Classical Academy is governed by a seven-member Board that is elected by the parents of students. The board members volunteer their time and serve without compensation. Board members are elected through ballot for a three-year maximum term.

Athletics and activities

Athletics

High School sports include

Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

, Cross Country,

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

, Men’s Basketball, Men’s Golf, Men’s Soccer,

Softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

, Spirit/Cheer,

Track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

Volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

, Women’s Basketball, Women’s Golf, Women’s Soccer, and

Wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

. Junior High sports include Boys’ Basketball, Cross Country,

, Girls’

Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

, and

. All of the main sports compete in Colorado's 3A athletic conference, except cross country, which competes at the 4A level as of 2012.

Performing arts

The Classical Academy Marching Band has won the CBA (Colorado Bandmasters Association) state championship in the 2A class four times, in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022.

Chess

The Classical Academy chess team has won the CSCA state 4A championship title three times, in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Notable Alumni

Daniel Carlson

Criticisms

Current and previous parents have noted the heavier workload on the students, in addition to the “militaristic” atmosphere, as negative and not fostering a nurturing school environment. Other parents have rebutted this. In 2009, the school was reported to the Colorado Department of Education for possible conflicts of interest with administrators who run a charter-school consulting business on the side and said the school failed to properly respond to allegations of sexual and physical assaults and bullying. Then TCA President Mark Hyatt said he welcomed the scrutiny and new guidelines and additional training was being put in place. In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Classical Academy gave students the option of whether or not to wear a mask, sparking criticism from parents and health officials alike. “I’m so pleased to be one of the first to welcome you back to another school year,” TCA President Russ Sojourner writes in a letter to parents, “Another NORMAL school year – one that will resemble those we remember before the infamous March 2020 shut down.”

References

{{authority control High schools in Colorado Springs, Colorado Public high schools in Colorado Public middle schools in Colorado Public elementary schools in Colorado Charter schools in Colorado 1997 establishments in Colorado Educational institutions established in 1997