The Brady Education Center auditorium overflowed with family and friends of Twin Cities Academy High School (TCAHS) seniors as they marked a major milestone on June 2, when 44 students received diplomas during the school's graduation ceremony. This was the third year the University of St. Thomas hosted the high school’s commencement ceremony and the first time one of its graduates will be attending the university in the fall.
“The University of St. Thomas authorizes TCAHS and is particularly proud of the fact that the school received its fifth recognition this year as a Reward School – the highest possible designation by the Minnesota Department of Education,” said Molly McGraw Healy, director of the University of St. Thomas Charter School Authorizing program. “TCAHS has a 100 percent graduation rate and sends more than 90 percent of its graduating seniors on to college. Opening our campus to graduates’ family and siblings, who attend its sister school Twin Cities Academy, shows that we care about their school and its students and provides an opportunity to get a large number of bright, young pre-college students on the St. Thomas campus.”
TCAHS’s commitment to its students’ educational and personal development has not gone unnoticed. In 2014, Newsweek ranked TCAHS as the top-performing high school in Minnesota and 42nd overall on the list of the nation’s top 500 schools. The academy also received a “bronze” distinction in 2012 by the U.S. News and World Report “Best High Schools” rankings.
Located in St. Paul’s Eastside community, Twin Cities Academy High School is a well-regarded school that serves a truly diverse population with about one-third of students from economically challenged families, and nearly half are students of color. TCAHS was founded in 2006 and serves grades 9-12 with a mission to develop productive citizens through academic rigor and build character through partnerships with families and the community.
Housed within the College of Education, Leadership and Counseling, the Authorizing Program brings together experts from across the university to oversee a group of seven charter schools. Learn more about the university’s Charter School Authorizing program.
