1,2,3,4,5...And Counting

Nearly 400,000 lunches have been served.  A time capsule has been buried.  Graduates have been accepted to Ivy League and other top colleges.  And new students are still arriving at Providence Academy, which celebrated five years of operation on September 5th.

"With five years under our belt, you'd think we'd be accustomed to the excitement of the start of another academic year.  The full range of emotions, from delight to panic, are always evident as students reunite and new class schedules are deciphered.  It's a favorite day around here," says Dr. Todd Flanders, Providence Headmaster. 

Director of Admissions, Nancy Shaeffer, remembers the first day of school five years ago.  "With a total enrollment of about 200 students, our first year was relatively quiet and characterized by a strong sense of community.  We even gave these families an engraved brick from the school's exterior to symbolize our appreciation of their founding spirit.  These pioneering families believed in the school's mission and were extremely supportive.  While the sense of community and support remains, our student body has now almost quadrupled since that first year."

Providence Academy has a distinct mission that is spearheaded by the president of the Academy’s Board of Directors, Robert Cummins.  "We continue to envision a school where a high level of academics goes hand-in-hand with faith formation.  I think that our focus on virtues is appealing to many parents."  But since the school offers Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and is college preparatory, success is also measured in where Providence graduates being accepted.  "Two graduating classes have matriculated to a variety of colleges such as the University of Notre Dame, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Boston University, The University of Minnesota’s Carlson School, and many colleges in the MIAC including Carleton," said Margi Wieber, College Counselor.  

"It has been a treat to see Providence thrive over the last five years", says Sally Nathe, Admissions Coordinator and the Academy’s first employee.  “My first job was answering phone calls for the Academy even before the groundbreaking in Plymouth.  People would ask the big questions such as the timetable for accreditation and the quality of instruction. But they also wanted to know the details, including how much passing time would be allowed between classes and what would be served for lunch." 

The counting continues as the sixth academic year at Providence promises to be a memorable one with new spaces and activities.  A 94,000 square foot high school wing was dedicated on September 8^th.  The new space touts a 100-seat seminar room, band and choir rooms, a woodshop and metal shop, a media center, a loft-style art classroom and two new gymnasiums.  Jazz band has been added to extra-curricular activities and boys and girls swimming has been added to the Academy's sports offerings.

Photo Captions
Top Photo:  The Academy’s Upper School students celebrate the Academy’s first “5.”

Bottom Photo: On Friday, September 8, 2006, the Academy held a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for its new addition.  On hand during the ceremony (from left to right) were Jason McMillen, Stahl Construction; Dr. Todd Flanders, the Academy’s Headmaster; Archbishop Harry Flynn; Father James Stromberg; Robert Cummins, Providence Academy’s Board President; Bradley Coulter, Stahl Construction; Patricia O’Donnell; Judy Johnson, Plymouth Mayor and Father Thomas Dufner.

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