St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy

$25 raised by 1 donor

0% complete

$70,000 Goal

About

Why SPSA

Located in the heart of Southeast Dallas, St. Philip & St. Augustine (SPSA) has been proudly serving the community since 2015! Over the past decade, the Dallas community has come together to help us build an academy that serves as a safe haven for children and families facing tremendous challenges while transforming the trajectory of their lives. Our families are striving to build a better life for their children and we believe that a transformative education is the key to improving the futures of our students and creating long-term stability. Your support isn't just an investment in education; it's an investment in our community's future leaders.

SPSA is a Catholic elementary and middle school serving over 400 students Pre-K through 8th grade. As we begin a new decade in SPSA’s history, we are reflecting on who we are BECOMING. Becoming is more than a word. It’s the story of our school community. Rooted in our mission, we are committed to helping students become critical thinkers, self-advocates, moral citizens, and spiritual leaders. It is the story of children becoming confident in who they are, becoming leaders who are rooted in faith, and becoming young people who believe their future is filled with purpose and possibility. This is also the story of a community becoming stronger together through the shared responsibility of shaping the next generation.

SPSA is thriving because of a community that believes in our students and we’re proud to share a few of our many successes that you have helped make possible:

Academic Excellence: 95% of our students read at or above grade level compared to 47% in DISD.
Soft Skills Training: Students in fifth through eighth grade participate in intentional development of leadership, time management, conflict resolution, and interview skills, preparing them for high school and beyond.
Extra-Curricular Activities: Students enjoy a well-rounded experience that includes art and music classes, a wide variety of extracurricular activities, and eleven athletic programs such as basketball, volleyball, track, and soccer.
Leadership Opportunities: From Student Council to National Junior Honor Society, students are empowered to lead, serve, and grow.
Community Involvement: 100% of our students complete service hours every year and our families are actively engaged in giving back to the community as well.
High School and Beyond: 100% of our students graduate from SPSA and attend their best-fit high school and going on to earn full scholarships to prestigious universities across the country, including Boston University and TCU.
Family Engagement: Our families are deeply committed to lifelong learning. In response to parent interest, SPSA launched the monthly Parent Engagement & Education Program (PEEP) where we partner with community organizations and share important topics with our parents such as financial literacy, healthy living, mental health awareness, cyberbullying, and more.

Mission

St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy promotes Gospel values, inspires a love of learning, and upholds academic excellence in a nurturing community.

Needs

At SPSA, we believe that economic circumstances should never limit a child's access to a transformative Catholic education. In Southeast Dallas, where 1 in 5 children face food insecurity, 59% of our families live below the federal poverty line, and the remaining families are considered low income, the need has never been greater. Although SPSA offers one of the lowest tuition rates in the Diocese of Dallas, well below the actual cost to educate a child, 75% of our students still rely on scholarships or financial aid to attend.

Unlike most Catholic schools, SPSA is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit and receives no annual financial support from a Catholic parish or the Catholic Diocese of Dallas. We rely entirely on the generosity of donors, foundations, and community partners to fulfill our mission.

This year, SPSA is experiencing remarkable enrollment growth, increasing from 324 students last year to over 400 students this school year. As more families seek a high quality, faith based education, our greatest need is ensuring the long term sustainability of our school. Your support helps us welcome new students while continuing to provide the exceptional education, faith formation, and individualized support that every child deserves.

Our top funding priorities are:

• Educational enhancement and long term sustainability for SPSA

• Removing tuition barriers through scholarships and financial aid

• Supporting competitive teacher salaries and retention

• Strengthening our Parent Engagement and Education Program (PEEP)

While our funding priorities are significant, every gift makes a meaningful difference. Donations of any size help provide nutritious meals, classroom supplies, enriching educational opportunities, dedicated teachers, and the resources families need to help their children thrive. Together, we can ensure that the children of Southeast Dallas continue to have access to a life changing Catholic education for generations to come.