“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

Who We Are

Vision

STRIVE Collegiate Academy will cultivate college-ready high school graduates who will achieve post-secondary success and become leaders in their communities, Nashville, and beyond.

Mission

At STRIVE Collegiate Academy, our mission is to prepare middle school students for success in high school, college, and career. We will achieve this by empowering each student with a literacy-based curriculum aligned across all content areas, in a culture that encourages leadership, virtue, and excellence as the foundation for success in all of their endeavors.

Weekly
Experience

Personal Leadership Development
(i.e. Organization, Study Skills, Leadership Development)

Physical Education and Electives
(i.e. Technology, Art, Financial Literacy)

Personalized Instruction
(Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies)

Yearly
Experience

Extended school day and year

Extended academic opportunities beyond the classroom
(i.e. college and academic field lessons)

Extended cultural opportunities throughout the year
(i.e. clubs and extracurricular activities)

Our Pillars

A Focus on Literacy.

Literacy is the foundation for all learning, so it is embedded and aligned across all content areas at STRIVE. Students will receive two hours of dedicated literacy instruction per day, in addition to content-driven literacy in other subject areas. These practices will allow students to develop the critical literacy skills they need to succeed.

Leadership Development.

Organizational skills, character instruction, and leadership must be paired with academic achievement to ensure continued success. We will conduct a weekly Leadership Seminar (I STRIVE), where students will explore the concept and application of leadership through our core values of Self-Advocacy, Teamwork, Resilience, Integrity, Virtue, and Excellence.

Parent and Community Collaboration.

We serve our families and community, not just our students. In an effort to encourage regional leaders, STRIVE will engage and support families by providing meaningful, hands-on ways to be involved in their student’s learning. Additionally, we will partner with key organizations to provide enrichment opportunities for our students and service learning opportunities to give back to our community.

Rigorous Academics and Personalized Learning.

All students will participate in a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Through regular and systematic assessments of each student and his/her work, every student will have a personalized and evolving learning profile which will drive our instructional practices and goals.

Effective Use of Additional Time.

An extended school day will provide students and teachers the opportunity to maximize learning in order for the students to become college-ready graduates and successful in their post-secondary options.  Our school day will run from 7:45 to 4:00 four days per week, with a 2:45 dismissal on Wednesday, and our school year will run approximately two weeks longer than MNPS.

FAQs

Why does our neighborhood have a charter school?

Charter schools are opened after reaching an agreement with the local school district.

Are charter schools public schools?

Yes. Tennessee’s charter school law states that public charter schools are part of the state public education system and receive public funding through the Basic Education Program.

Why a middle school charter?

Several studies by the ACT confirm the important role of middle school in preparing students for success in high school and college. The ACT asserts that if students are not on track for college and career readiness by eighth grade, it is exceedingly difficult for them to become prepared in high school.

How would a charter school improve our neighborhood?

Charter Schools are not restricted to public school curriculum regulations. We believe the ability to take a more tailored, literacy-based approach will enhance, not hurt, academic performance. Charter school student scores and results count toward the results of the school district they are a part of.

Who can attend a charter school?

Charter Schools are open to any and all students. Tennessee charter schools are not allowed to recruit students based on ability or performance, nor are they allowed to turn away students for any reason.

Where is STRIVE?

STRIVE is located at 3055 Lebanon Pike, Suite 300 (3rd Floor) Nashville, TN 37214 in the Donelson Corporate Centre.

Do STRIVE students wear uniforms?

Yes. Students will wear a STRIVE issued polo shirt and khaki pants.

How many students will be in STRIVE’s inaugural class?

There will be 120 students in STRIVE’s inaugural class.

When is the deadline for applications to STRIVE?

The deadline for applications has passed, but we are still accepting applications at this time.