The Academy

St. Teresa’s Academy’s tradition and commitment to personal, academic, and spiritual growth has been our legacy for more than 150 years. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, STA emphasizes an all-female student body and college-preparatory curriculum enveloped in the traditions of Catholic faith. Here, students are nurtured and guided to become confident, skilled and caring young women. These leaders of tomorrow will leave our doors with a solid educational and spiritual foundation, knowing they have been a part of a very special tradition.

Located on a beautiful, college-like campus in the heart of the Brookside and South Plaza neighborhoods, STA emphasizes the importance of a global education, where students learn about the world beyond their own borders to succeed in an increasingly competitive environment.

The Academy employs the latest technology to improve and enhance quality and depth of education. Every student receives a customized computer for use throughout her tenure at STA. A wireless campus and distance learning classrooms are just a few examples of the school’s commitment to 21st-century educational instruction.

Academy Facts

See an expanded list of Fast Facts.

Founded – 1866 (oldest school in Kansas City)
Enrollment (2022-2023) – 571
Tuition (2023-2024) – $15,630
Diversity – 14% ethnic minorities
Student/Teacher Ratio – 11:1
Faculty and Staff – 79 full time – 75% with advanced degrees
Accreditation – North Central Association/AdvancED – continuously since 1923
One-to-One Laptop Program – Every student is issued a Dell Laptop
Advisory Program – A “family” of students from every grade level who meets daily with their faculty advisor
Modular Schedules – Created specifically for each student’s academic needs; no two schedules are alike
Travel Abroad – Organized trips designed to broadened perspectives and develop a global perspective
Service Program – A minimum of 90 hours of service is required over a student’s junior and senior years
International/National Service – School-sponsored mission trip(s) to destinations in the U.S. and abroad

Four-Year Summary of Graduates, 2020-2023

97% – attending four-year colleges/universities
3% – attending two-year colleges/universities

18% – attending Catholic institutions
54% – attending college/university outside of Missouri/Kansas
1% – attending schools outside the U.S.

85% – earned one or more merit-based scholarships

Mission Statement

St. Teresa’s Academy educates young women to think critically, encourages them through Catholic values to love the dear neighbor without distinction, and empowers them to change the world.

Vision Statement

St. Teresa’s Academy is the prominent leader in high school education in the Kansas City area. An STA graduate is empowered by her Catholic, college-preparatory education and is known as a woman who makes a profound impact in the world.

We believe in the transformative power of a community guided by the tradition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  • We approach education in the Spirit of Catholic Teaching with an environment of encouragement, mercy, healing and love as we journey on the path to holiness.
  • We cultivate young women strong in faith who follow in the footsteps of our founding Sisters of St. Joseph as stewards of creation and servants of the Dear Neighbor.

We believe that recognizing each person’s authentic self and the multitude of differences that exist in our society creates a meaningful community built on mutual respect and dignity for all.

  • We approach education from a multicultural perspective, teaching our students the value of including diverse voices within our classrooms and community.
  • We cultivate young women to care for the underserved and excluded, to recognize the differences among us, and honor each person’s story so that all are included and held dear.

We believe that the female perspective is to be valued and that the female voice is the catalyst necessary to enact change in our world.

  • We approach education in an open and participatory environment that encourages each young woman to find her unique voice and to view her perspective as valid and important.
  • We cultivate young women with informed views, knowledge, and compassion, who recognize historical inequalities and are prepared to improve the well-being of future generations.

We believe true growth comes through care of the whole person in mind, heart, body, and spirit.

  • We approach education with a focus on holistic well-being, where students are given the opportunity to engage in rigorous education for their mind, physical wellness for their body, and Catholic faith formation for their spirit.
  • We cultivate young women who have a sense of self confidence and self acceptance, recognizing that each and every person, including our own selves, is worthy of love and deserves to be loved, accepted and embraced.

We believe that each student has an innate intellectual curiosity and as such, rigorous education is creative, individualized, challenging, embracing of risk and supportive through failure.  

  • We approach education as a community of scholars valuing collaboration over competition and recognizing that multiple voices bring stronger outcomes.
  • We cultivate young women who not only seek to solve problems but to identify needs for growth as leaders and lifelong learners.

We believe that each student has a responsibility as a global citizen to address injustice.

  • We approach education as an opportunity to recognize and respond to oppression and marginalization.
  • We cultivate young women as ambassadors of action, who can identify injustice and respond with positive change.

St. Teresa’s Academy is the oldest school, women’s organization, and Catholic institution in Kansas City. The school was founded and is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ) who, since their founding in 17th century France, have been at the forefront of education and preparing young women for the future.

In 1866 at 12th and Washington Streets in Kansas City’s Quality Hill district, the Academy rapidly grew in enrollment and prestige. By 1909, the sisters relocated the school to a 20-acre site at 5600 Main – our current location. They dubbed the campus “Windmoor” due to the constant wind blowing across the open prairie. On the cornerstone of the first of what would become four elegant campus buildings, the sisters inscribed the words of St. Teresa of Avila and the motto of the Academy, “Deo Adjuvante Non Timendum,” which means “With the help of God, we need not fear.”

In 1941, the sisters added a second building, Donnelly Hall, which housed the city’s first and only college for women (the college moved to the south part of Kansas City in 1963 and became Avila University). In 1982, construction on Goppert Center was completed, which houses the gymnasium. In addition, an eight-lane track and synthetic turf field were added on the north end of campus. Campus construction continued in 2011 with the addition of Windmoor Center, which houses the beautiful Chapel of St. Joseph and four state-of-the-art, high-tech classrooms.

During the 2018-2019 school year, Goppert Center underwent an $11 million, 25,000-square-foot expansion, demonstrating STA’s longstanding commitment to maintaining its prominent position in secondary education. This included state-of-the-art educational spaces and tools such as the Fahey Learning Center, the Makerspace/Engineering Lab, modern workout facilities and other amenities.

For more than 150 years, STA has been faithful to the overriding vision and values of the CSJ, making it unique among local, private educational institutions.