Montgomery Academy (Alabama)

The Montgomery Academy is a non-sectarian independent day school in Montgomery, Alabama. It teaches students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. There are almost 900 students.

The school started in 1959. At that time, many schools in the area were changing. The Montgomery Academy began as a place where students could get a good education apart from the larger public schools. Today, it still helps families who want a private school choice in Montgomery.

History

The Montgomery Academy is a private school in Montgomery, Alabama. It opened in 1959 during a time of big changes in schools. The school started with classes for children in grades 1 through 6 and grew over the years.

In the early years, the school did not allow students of all races to attend together. By 1970, the school changed its rules to say that race would not be a reason to refuse a student. The first Black student joined the school in 1973. Today, the school says it welcomes students of all races and backgrounds.

Facilities

The Montgomery Academy began in a historic mansion built in 1906. Later, the mansion was torn down for a highway. In 1963, the school moved to a new place on Vaughn Road. This is where the Middle and Upper Schools are today.

As more students came, the school added classrooms, a library, a gym, and other spaces. In the late 1980s, a new campus opened on Perry Hill Road for younger students.

In 1996, a large library was added to the Vaughn Road campus. After that, a new building for older students and a bridge were built. The school also made fields for baseball, softball, and soccer.

In 2007, the school updated an old building called Mead Hall. They added a theater and spaces for drama and speaking activities. They also built a new track around a soccer field. This track was made by the same company that built the track for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

Academics

The Montgomery Academy has many courses to help students get ready for college. There are more than 85 high school classes in nine subjects. Students must take at least five academic classes, and there are 30 advanced and honors classes in all the main subjects. Students have also worked on projects about racial harmony and learned about Montgomery's ties to the Civil Rights Movement.

The school is approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and belongs to the National Association of Independent Schools and the Alabama Association of Independent Schools.

Athletics

Montgomery Academy's sports teams are called the Eagles. Their school colors are cardinal red and navy blue. They play against other high schools in Alabama through the Alabama High School Athletic Association. The school has two main rivals in Montgomery: Trinity Presbyterian School and St. James School. These schools and others compete in the Capital City Conference.

Many students enjoy playing sports. The Academy has won many state championships over the years in sports such as baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Championships

The school has won state championships in several sports, such as:

• Baseball
• Boys’ Basketball
• Girls' Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Boys' Cross Country
• Girls' Cross Country
• Football
• Boys' Golf
• Boys’ Soccer
• Girls' Soccer
• Boys' Tennis
• Girls' Tennis
• Girls' Track and Field
• Volleyball

Notable students and faculty

Montgomery Academy has been attended or taught by several well-known people. Josh Thomas played football for the Buffalo Bills in the NFL. Artur Davis served four terms in the United States House of Representatives. Jason Sanford is a science fiction author and editor. Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. graduated from the school in 1992 and later became a United States district judge. Dick Brewbaker was a former member of the Alabama State Senate. Mark Barnes, an attorney and public health administrator, attended the Academy from 1966 to 1972. Rusty Hardin, also an attorney, taught history at the school for a year in the 1960s. Actress Sarah Catherine Hook and businessman Mark Smucker, who later became president and CEO of the JM Smucker Company, also have ties to Montgomery Academy.