As part of Lumen Accreditation, Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis participate in the Catholic School Study to ensure that students faithfully receive a high-quality Catholic education. The Study includes an onsite visit, which gives schools an opportunity to highlight how they are excelling in the Archdiocesan Principles of Excellence.
Our Catholic schools are serving students and families in remarkable ways, and we are proud to share their good work more broadly. Here, we commend Ave Maria Academy for its excellent work in: Academic Achievement and Integration, Spiritual Life, and Intentional Catholic Culture.
Ave Maria Academy
Maple Grove
At the heart of Ave Maria Academy’s mission is an intentional Catholic culture that is both lived and visible. Each day begins with morning convocation, an in-person meeting of all students, faculty and staff that includes prayer, inspirations for the day, music and announcements. Morning convocation sets the tone for the day and helps unite the entire school around its purpose. It reflects the beauty of the entire school, which is designed to give a tangible expression of spiritual realities with sacred images, music, architecture and thoughtfully designed classrooms that reflect the transcendent.
At Ave Maria Academy, Catholic culture is supported by a unified Catholic curriculum that promotes excellence in achievement and integration. Subject area philosophies guide the instruction:
- “By studying science, students discover the beauty and goodness of God reflected in nature, as well as learn to appreciate the earth and recognize the interconnectedness of living things to each other and to the world as a whole.” (Excerpt from Science statement)
- “Students learn what it means to be a human person, made in the image and likeness of God, by reading, analyzing and discussing great works of literature.” (Excerpt from English Language Arts statement)
- “While enjoyable in themselves, sports and games are primarily played in order to train students in the virtues of perseverance, industriousness, respect, humility, sportsmanship and teamwork.” (Excerpt from Physical Education statement)
“Christ is at the center of all we do at Ave Maria Academy,” says Principal Ericka Walz. “He is the heartbeat of our school, and we seek to grow closer to Him through active participation in the Catholic faith. We start each day, as we have since our founding, praying a decade of the Rosary while we ask for the intercession of our patroness, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, to fill our hearts with Christ’s love and to grow in friendship with Him.”