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Stratford Academy
Entrance Sign
Address
6010 Peake Rd Macon, Georgia 31220 United States
Coordinates	32°51′41″N 83°45′18″W / 32.861419°N 83.754946°W / 32.861419; -83.754946
Information
Type	Private
CEEB code	111961
Principal	Kathy Larsen – Preschool; Dr. Grace Adams Lower School
Principal	Patrick Snead – Middle School
Principal	Lori Gubernat – Upper School
Head of school	Dr. Rachel Adams
Faculty	148.5
Grades	3K-12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	834
Student to teacher ratio	9.5:1
Campus size	70 acres (28 ha)
Color(s)	Blue and silver
Athletics conference	GHSA
Team name	Eagles
Website	www.stratford.org

Stratford Academy is a private school in Bibb County, Georgia, United States, near Macon. It opened September 1960.

The school has a controversial history as part of the segregation academy movement. As of 2017–18, approximately 21% of students were non-white. As of 2021 the National Center for Education Statistics show Stratford's total student enrollment at 834 and total classroom teachers at 82.6.

History

Stratford was founded in 1960 by a group of white parents who wished to avoid the prospect of sending their children to racially integrated public schools. The founders viewed the desegregation of Bibb County public schools as an "impending crisis." In September 1960, the school opened with 117 students and 17 faculty members in the Cowles-Woodruff House. The graduation march of the first graduating class in 1962 was Dixie, not the traditional Pomp and Circumstance.

In 1970, the school's enrollment increased by 45 percent after the Supreme Court ordered the immediate desegregation of all public schools.

In 1972, Stratford Academy was expelled from Georgia Association of Independent Schools because the school refused to cut ties with segregationists. In 1974, school leaders helped create the Southeastern Association of Independent Schools (SEAIS), which supported schools that refused to have an admissions policy that included African-American students. The school is now affiliated with the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA), which was created by the merger of GAIS and SEAIS in 1986.

In 2017 political scientist Thomas Ellington stated that schools in Macon founded between 1960 and 1972 "are remarkably different than both the public and private schools formed at other times, either before or after" insofar as "those schools are generally 5 percent or fewer African-American, in a community that's roughly 67 percent black, according to the last census". In 2002, the school's headmaster, Edward England, announced financial grants to attract minority students. At the time, the student body was 93 percent white.

The Daws Student Activities Center was dedicated in September, 2017.

Academics

Stratford earned accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (now known as Cognia) in 1982.

Athletics

In 2015, the school , whose teams are nicknamed the Eagles, joined the Georgia High School Association. In 2013 they moved to the newly formed GIAA (Georgia Independent Athletic Association). In 2021, they moved to the GISA, along with other schools in the area.

Memberships

Stratford is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA), the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), and the College Board. In 1982, Stratford was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Southern Association of Independent Schools.

Notable alumni

• Russell Branyan, professional baseball player
• Quintez Cephus, professional football player
• Jonathan Dean, professional soccer player
• Russell Henley, professional golfer
• Grey Henson, Broadway actor
• Robert Reichert, mayor of Macon
• Le Kevin Smith, professional football player
• Robert Dickey, House of Representative legislator
• Dr. Mark Newton, House of Representative legislator
• Robert Trammell, House of Representative legislator
• Gregg Doyel, award-winning sports writer

References

1. "'No limit to what we can do here': Macon's Stratford Academy hires first woman head of school". April 14, 2023.
2. ^ "Private School Universe Survey". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
3. "GHSA". Georgia High School Association. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
4. ^ Jennings, Stephen Taylor and Matthew (2013). Macon. Arcadia Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 9781467111157.
5. ^ Kirklen, Ashley (May 18, 2017). "63 years after Brown v. Board, 'white flight' weighs on local family's school choice". WGXA. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
6. ^ Manis, Andrew Michael (2004). Macon Black and White: An Unutterable Separation in the American Century. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. ISBN 9780865549586.
7. "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for STRATFORD ACADEMY". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
8. Fabian, Liz (May 24, 2012). "Stratford's 1st graduating class returns for reunion". Macon Telegraph. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
9. "Six Schools kicked out for alleged segregation". Aiken Standard. May 1, 1972. p. 9. Six Schools Kicked Out For Alleged Segregation Six schools have been banished from the Georgia Association of Independent Schools (GAIS) after being accused of maintaining segregationist ties... They are Stratford Academy in Macon
10. Hendrick, Bill (June 18, 1974). "Rulings impact small in Dixie recreation spots". Macon News.
11. "Eagles join new private group". Macon Telegraph. August 12, 1970.
12. ^ "List Of Member Schools – Georgia Independent School Association".
13. "About our association". Retrieved October 24, 2022.
14. Manis, Andrew (2004). Macon Black and White: An Unutterable Separation in the American Century. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. p. 315. ISBN 9780865549586.
15. Honaker, Andrea (September 18, 2017). "Stratford wraps up $11 million campus project with new student center". Macon Telegraph. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
16. "AdvancED - Institution Summary". www.advanc-ed.org.
17. "Stratford, Tattnall Move to GHSA". Macon News. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
18. "Macon's private schools join GIAA in 2022". August 18, 2022.
19. "Home". SACSCOC. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
20. "College Board - SAT, AP, and College Planning Tools". The College Board. October 17, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
21. "Home". SACSCOC. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
22. Noga, Joe (June 7, 2020). "Tribe makes a trade to prepare for the inevitable: On this date in Cleveland Indians history". Cleveland.com. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
23. "Headed north: Macon's Quintez Cephus realizes NFL Draft dream". macon. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
24. "Orlando City Selects Forward Daryl Dike in 2020 MLS SuperDraft". Orlando City SC. January 9, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
25. Shirley, Daniel. "Russell Henley returns to Stratford for big day". macon.com.
26. "Macon's Grey Henson shines as one of Broadway's brightest in 'Mean Girls' Tony nomination". macon. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
27. Smith, Amanda. "Reichert Announces Run For Mayor". Georgia Informer. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
28. "Patriots Sign Sixth-Round Pick Le Kevin Smith". New England Patriots. July 21, 2006. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
29. "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
30. "Dr. Mark Newton For State House District 123". Retrieved April 16, 2021.
31. "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
32. "Gregg Doyel". CBSSports.com. Retrieved April 16, 2021.

• Schools in Macon, Georgia
• Private high schools in Georgia (U.S. state)
• Preparatory schools in Georgia (U.S. state)
• Segregation academies in Georgia