November '24 School Spotlight - St. Thomas Aquinas Academy in Tampa, FL

St. Thomas Aquinas Academy (STA) in Tampa, Florida, is off to a remarkable start, blending the timeless traditions of Catholic education with a resilient spirit that has already been tested by the challenges of Hurricane season. St. Thomas Aquinas Academy began its inaugural year on the Solemnity of the Assumption with Holy Mass before their “Meet the Teacher." This was the perfect way to begin, as living the liturgical calendar in community is a key part of the school culture STA is looking to build. The founding board of St. Thomas Aquinas Academy was inspired in part by the 2021 Crisis Magazine article featuring Sacred Heart Academy. “Reading that article was like finding that there was a model out there that provided the type of education and formation I was looking for my children”, says Emily Fisher, Board President. She reached out to then Headmaster Sean Maltbie, who graciously shared about Sacred Heart’s journey since their “refounding”. This helped the newly formed Aquinas Board put together the idea of the school they wanted to build, and a roadmap for how to get there. St. Thomas Aquinas Academy is the first Catholic school in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida, that embraces a classical liberal arts approach to teaching and learning. The Aquinas Board of Directors approached the Diocese about their idea early on, before sharing anything publicly, which built trust and has led to a warm partnership. St. Thomas Aquinas Academy was blessed to received canonical recognition as an independent Catholic school, with Bishop Gregory Parkes celebrating Mass and participating in a ribbon cutting within the first weeks of opening. With the efforts of their dedicated Director of Mission Advancement, Sarah Cimino, and Head of School, Erin Miller, the school welcomed 53 students to begin their inaugural year. They received over 120 applications. “Our primary limiting factor right now is space”, says Mrs. Miller. The school is located on the campus of St. Patrick Catholic Church in a

 building that was once part of St. Patrick’s parish school (closed in 2006). “We have received so many inquiries about next school year already.” Building community and forming families is also a key part of St. Thomas Aquinas Academy’s mission. “Church teaching affirms that parents are the primary educators of their children—so if we want to form our students, we also need to provide opportunities for the spiritual and intellectual formation of our parents. So far, we have held one session of a parent formation speaker series called Scholé and launched a parent book study – Tolle Lege. Our first book for Tolle Lege is From Christendom to Apostolic Mission.” Highly influential on St. Thomas Aquinas Academy’s founders, the book engages our families in a conversation about how we can be effective evangelists of our children and others in a post-Christian world.” One particular area of challenge is in classical curriculum and pedagogy. “Classical education is new to the Catholic community here, meaning few if any Catholic teachers with experience in teaching classically. With help from our partnership with JHNI and others, we are working to build that knowledge and expertise in our teachers through professional development.” Resilience in the Face of Hurricanes: A Testimony to the Community's Strength The start of the school year was marked by joy and anticipation, but as with so many in the Tampa Bay area, St. Thomas Aquinas Academy faced an unexpected challenge when hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted the area. The kids were out of school from October 8-17, a significant disruption to the beginning of the school year. Yet, in true STA fashion, the staff, students, and families showed remarkable patience, flexibility, and resilience. On October 18, the school arranged a field trip to a local farm to keep the children engaged, using the opportunity for an educational day away from the classroom. Despite the challenges, the STA community prayed together through the weekend, and by October 20, the school received word that one more room was ready, allowing them to resume classes on October 21. "We are so grateful for the amazing staff, students, and families here at STA who were patient, kind, flexible, and hardworking. Even with the hurricane disruption, we were able to wrap up the first quarter and get our first report cards out today. God is working through all of us," said Mrs. Miller. The school's facilities are still recovering, but progress is being made. The main classrooms are mostly back in order, though they still need a fresh coat of paint and baseboards. The floors are finished, and the multipurpose room has now been returned to use. STA has been able to resume its morning assembly, where students gather to pray, recite the prayer and mission statement, and learn about the saint of the day. The parish has been instrumental in supporting the school, allowing them to use one of their rooms as an office space while STA's facilities undergo repairs. "One week, we were working outside in the courtyard as our 'outdoor office.' Thankfully, the fall weather was kind to us!" said Mrs. Miller with a smile. While some classrooms are still under construction, with new roofs and windows planned for the summer, STA continues to grow in virtue, grateful for the community's support and the tangible fruits of their hard work. A Bright Future for St. Thomas Aquinas Academy

Despite the setbacks, St. Thomas Aquinas Academy continues to move forward in faith and mission. The school is a beacon of hope for Catholic families in Tampa Bay, offering a unique blend of classical education and strong spiritual formation. "We are excited to bring families opportunities for their children that they may not have had before—like a Catholic Primary Montessori (PK3-K) with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd incorporated. Our elementary and middle students spend their time at school attending daily Mass, reading and narrating from classic literature, praying lectio divina, doing nature study, and studying Latin. Just halfway through our first Assumption Term, we are already seeing beautiful fruits of this approach," said Mrs. Miller. One mother, who is also the school's Physical Education teacher, shared the transformation she’s seen in her son: "Thomas used to come home from school playing Spider-Man and Batman. Now he comes home and plays priest and altar server. Thank you so much for everything you're doing." Since 2022, St. Thomas Aquinas Academy has been supported by the St. John Henry Newman Institute in numerous ways, including scholarships to attend Acton University’s St. John Henry Newman track, a yearlong apprenticeship formation program in Catholic liberal education for staff, visits for Board and faculty members to experience Sacred Heart Academy, and funding to assist with recruiting and mentoring for the Head of School position. “We are so grateful for the incredible support and formation we continue to receive in partnership with the St. John Henry Newman Institute. Seeing and experiencing Sacred Heart Academy, in particular, made an incredible impact—in our teaching, classroom decor, and the many ways in which we are setting our Catholic and classical school culture," said Mrs. Miller. The resilience and faith of the STA community have shown that no storm—whether literal or figurative—can dampen the light of this new school. As the academy continues to grow, so too does the community of parents, students, and staff who are living out the mission of Catholic classical education in Tampa Bay.