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Still, the faculty and staff realize that children most likely won’t arrive at the full truth if they receive only religious instruction. Holy Angels Academy provides a challenging academic curriculum rooted in the classical approach, with an appreciation for what is true and good permeating studies at all grade levels. Beginning in the elementary school, the basics of reading, writing and mathematics are at the core of the program. Latin is introduced in the third grade, and the high school curriculum provides a strong liberal arts education focused on the contributions of the great thinkers of Western Civilization. In addition to a rigorous curriculum, participation in challenging local and international competitions enriches the program.

The payoff, in worldly terms anyway, has been immense: Holy Angels high-schoolers consistently outperform their public and Catholic school counterparts on the SAT and ACT (2005 saw Holy Angels students achieve the highest SAT/ACT scores of the entire Archdiocese of Louisville, while maintaining the highest ACT scores in the Archdiocese in 2006 and 2007 as well), and the school has been named to the 2004, 2006 and 2007 Catholic High School Honor Roll.

Mr. Norton credits the faculty and staff for the achievement. In a small school like ours, he says, "it is easier to establish a community atmosphere, with a student-teacher ratio of around 10 to 1." In such an atmosphere, the sacrificial attitude, the apostolic zeal and the dedication of the teachers tend to come through much more strongly, and have a much greater positive impact. There is very little teacher turnover at Holy Angels, and most new teachers come from such reliably orthodox schools as Christendom in Front Royal, Virginia, Franciscan University in Stuebenville, Ohio and Magdalen College in Warner, New Hampshire. Moreover, as a NAPC*IS-accredited school, all faculty are required to make a wholehearted Oath of Fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church.

For more information on Holy Angels Academy, contact school Administrator Joseph Norton at (502) 254-9440, or by mail at Holy Angels Academy, 12201 Old Henry Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40223.