Arendell Parrott Academy

Arendell Parrott Academy is a non-sectarian private school located in Kinston, North Carolina, USA, for grades K-12.^[1]

History

The idea for this non-sectarian school was first envisioned by Marion A. Parrott, a former member of the North Carolina General Assembly and attorney. In 1964, Parrott and his wife came together with several other citizens, who wanted to create a school that would have "the highest standard of education." They formed Arendell Parrott Academy, named after their deceased son, Marion Arendell Parrott Jr. 55 acres (220,000 m²) of land was donated for the school in 1965, and by 1971 the school consisted of kindergarten through twelfth grade.^[2]

Mewborne Hall and Whitaker Hall were the school's first elementary classroom buildings and they were completed in 1966. Since then, the school has grown to include eight instructional buildings, seven athletic facilities and one activity center. With these facilities the school is able to support over 700 students, approximately 65 full-time teachers and over 30 sports teams.^[2]

Athletics

Parrott Academy has campus facilities for most school teams. The school has separate American football, soccer, softball, lacrosse, field hockey and baseball fields. The school's athletic facilities also include six tennis courts and a recently constructed weight room.^[2]

Parrott Academy is a member of the NCISAA, which enables it to compete with other private schools in its division from across the state. Being a part of this organization also enables sports teams to compete for a state championship. In 2003, competing against all other Independent 2-A schools associated with the NCISA, Parrott Academy won the Wachovia Cup by obtaining the most points according to its performance in the state championships for all sports in that year.^[3] In 2015, the APA Varsity Football team captured the state championship for the first time in many years, signaling a new revival in sports at the Academy. The varsity baseball and softball teams also won state championships in 2015.

Upper school

The Academy sets high expectations for academic achievement. The core curriculum focuses on English, math, science, social studies, and foreign languages. Both honors level and Advanced Placement (AP) level courses are offered. The faculty focuses on ensuring every student is well prepared for college and beyond. Extensive extracurricular activities are offered in academics, arts, athletics, leadership, and service.

Middle school

The majority of middle school students are enrolled in five academic classes with a sixth activity period. In each grade students are taught both English and reading/communications. Math courses for middle school include pre-algebra, algebra and geometry. In the area of science, students are instructed in investigative science and physical science. History classes include both North Carolina and World history. Along with an elective class that is chosen each semester, students are also enrolled in a computer application class. ^[2]

Lower school

This level of school focuses on important language, math, science and social studies skills. Through the Open Court Reading program, students develop their skills in reading, handwriting, spelling and composition. Students are introduced to mathematical concepts such as fractions, decimals and percentages. Science programs are divided into life science, earth science and physical science.

Social studies encompass the study of things such as community, history and geography of North Carolina and the United States. ^[2]

External links

• School website
• Parental reviews about the Academy

References

Coordinates: 35°18′46″N 77°36′11″W / 35.3128°N 77.6031°W / 35.3128; -77.6031