The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to celebrate 40 years of continuous partnership with Durham Academy. Durham Academy was founded in 1933 as Calvert Method School. In 1959, the school changed its name to Durham Academy and began an expansion, which led to the first high school graduating class in 1975. The school is organized into four divisions: Preschool, Lower School, Middle School and Upper School. Durham Academy serves 1,253 students in grades pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 in Durham, N.C.
From its founding, Durham Academy has strived to prepare its students to live moral, happy and productive lives by fostering their personal, physical and intellectual growth in an environment rooted in educational excellence. Using a hands-on approach, the school cultivates among its students a lasting love for learning and an enduring appreciation for the visual and performing arts; creativity and imagination; habits that develop empathy, critical judgement and increased understanding; and an awareness of present and future obligations to fellow students, community, country and world.
Notably, Durham Academy reaffirms its mission through the school’s Strategic Vision — preparing students for life by redefining rigor and meaningful learning; innovating more boldly with an agile institutional mindset; meeting the needs of its learners through challenge, choice and cohesive student support; partnering with students to build a more sustainable future; and a foundational commitment to broadening and deepening the school’s work with diversity, equity and engagement.
Durham Academy believes that an independent school education should be accessible to students of all backgrounds — regardless of their families’ financial means — and commits more than $4.5M annually to support enrolling the most dynamic student body possible. Currently, 49% of students at the school identify as BIPOC.
In addition to supporting academic success, Durham Academy partners with families to help support students’ social-emotional development and to navigate complex parenting issues. The school hosts an annual speaker series for parents and caregivers with co-educational programming, covering topics such as self-esteem, social media and screen time.
