Confluence and Grand Center Arts Academy - A Brief History
Confluence Charter Schools and Grand Center Arts Academy –
A Brief History
When the idea for establishing a charter school focused on the arts began, it was the board of directors of Confluence Academy who wanted to create a new educational opportunity for students in St. Louis.
In 2008, the Confluence board decided to open an arts-focused school for students in middle school and high school in the heart of the city’s arts district, Grand Center. A third-party management company, American Quality Schools, was chosen to partner with Confluence Academy. The board worked with local leaders to develop support, and they worked with Saint Louis University to become the charter school sponsor.
In 2009 as the planning was underway for Grand Center Arts Academy, AQS was responsible for management needs such as payroll, human resources, accounting, billing, payments, recruitment and marketing.
Grand Center Arts Academy opened in August 2010 with sixth and seventh graders. The school was housed in the Third Baptist Church in the Grand Center district until its present location, the Beaux Arts Building, opened. Each year, a grade level would be added, and in 2015-2016, GCAA reached its goal of becoming a grade 6-12 school.
AQS managed GCAA in its first two years, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. Because of concerns about AQS and their operational and educational effectiveness, the partnership ended. Confluence transitioned the management of GCAA to an internal Resource Office group. Also in 2012, Confluence became a self-managed network guided by staff at the Resource Office.
Confluence is a non-profit public charter school network that strives to provide the highest quality pre-collegiate education to students in pre-kindergarten through high school. Our schools welcome families who live in the city of St. Louis.
Confluence opened its first school in 2003 as Confluence Academy-Old North, starting with children in kindergarten through fourth grade. Our reach has grown from one campus and 245 students to five locations – Confluence Academy-Old North, Confluence Academy-South City, Aspire Academy, Confluence Preparatory Academy and GCAA. We educate more than 3,500 students annually. In 2014-2015, Confluence opened its first pre-kindergarten class with 20 children at Aspire Academy.
Our schools are governed by one board of directors with two sponsors - University of Missouri-Columbia and SLU. As a result, there are two local education agencies. University of Missouri-Columbia sponsors four campuses: Old North, South City, Aspire and CPA. Old North and South City serve students in grades K-8. Aspire Academy serves students in grades PreK-6; CPA serves students in grades 9-12, and Elite Academy at CPA serves students in grades 7-8.
Currently, Grand Center Arts Academy serves nearly 750 students. The 2015-2016 school year is the first in history to welcome a senior class. The majority of students who attend GCAA live in the city of St. Louis; yet, about 10 percent of students participate in the Voluntary InterDistrict Choice Corporation, or VICC desegregation program. Some students who live in St. Louis County and who live within public school districts that participate in the VICC program can attend Grand Center Arts Academy.