Welcome!
Welcome to Crisp Academy! We are so happy you are here!
Students at Crisp Academy receive more than an education. They receive insight and experiences that are unique to our school. It is a different environment, one that develops spiritual growth and a closer walk with God. It is a different culture where faculty, staff, and students know and care about each other. It is a different school where learning happens inside and outside of the classroom. An education is important, but our faculty and staff want more than that for your children. We want them to succeed spiritually, academically, socially, and athletically. We want to prepare them for college, but more importantly, we want to prepare them for life.
At Crisp Academy, we are FAMILY!
At Crisp Academy, our faculty and staff know your child’s name. They know their personality, their needs, and their long-term goals. Our teachers know your family. They know older brothers and sisters because they have taught many of them through the years. Our high-school students know the children in elementary and primary school. They high-five them in the hall and read with them during the week. They protect them and care for them like little brothers or sisters —because many of them are. Together we celebrate our accomplishments and rally around those going through difficult times. We gather together in prayer for an injured or sick classmate, student, teacher, or community member. It is this caring, nurturing environment that makes us a family, and one of the many things that bind us together as a group.
At Crisp Academy, we are HOME!
Our campus is a comfortable, safe environment where your child can blossom and explore. When a student arrives at Crisp Academy, they feel like they are coming home. Because we serve K3 through 12th grade on one campus, parents drop children off at only one location. Our teachers meet students at their car door and welcome them inside. Young children are comforted to know that older siblings are only a few feet away if needed. After-school care and activities like athletics give children a place to learn and play even after school is over. Students often stay after class to talk with teachers about assignments or to get advice from faculty and friends. Crisp Academy is a home away from home, and students don’t want to leave at the end of the day.
At Crisp Academy, we are a COMMUNITY!
We are a close-knit group of people with unique gifts and talents. We teach our students to serve the Lord by serving others and to treat each other with courtesy and respect. It starts in our primary classrooms with our young students learning to share, taking turns on the playground, or raising their hand when they have questions. As our students grow older, they become role models for younger students and teammates. They learn to recognize opportunities to help fellow classmates and pray for each other when someone is going through difficult times. They learn to make their family, their school, and their community a better place.
We want to thank WSST-TV55 (South Georgia TV) for allowing us to use this video footage of this interview with Mr. Tim Hathcock, Headmaster, and Mr. Rick Smarr.
History
Crisp Academy was founded in 1967 under the charter of Cordele-Crisp Parents, Inc. Its first year of operation consisted of grades 1 through 7, with sixty-three (63) students enrolled. In 1969, Crisp Academy became a charter member of the Southeastern Association of Independent Schools (SEAIS). Crisp Academy was accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission, Inc. in 1971. The first commencement was held in the spring of 1972.
In the fall of 1975, the school suffered a devastating loss when the main educational building was destroyed by fire. However, because of the dedication of students and parents, the school year was completed without a single day missed. In the fall of 1977, students entered a new classroom and administrative building. In 1986, the SEAIS merged with the GAIS (Georgia Association of Independent Schools) to form the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA).
Since its founding, Crisp Academy has expanded its educational program to include a 3, 4, and 5-year-old kindergarten program. Currently, Crisp Academy educates students in grades 3K-12. Crisp Academy provides the children of Crisp County and the surrounding communities with a superior college preparatory educational opportunity - challenging young people to reach their greatest potential and preparing them for the future.
The school community is composed of parents, teachers, and others who actively contribute to the maintenance of the school.
2021 Renovation
Due to growing enrollment numbers, Crisp Academy expanded its main building in 2021 by adding a new high school wing. Renovations took place between February and August 2021. The new addition was officially opened on August 19, 2021, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
School Seal
The Crisp Academy seal was designed and created in 1969. The words inscribed on the seal, “NESCIT CEDERE CRISP ACADEMY” are Latin, meaning “Crisp Academy - She Shall Not Fail.” Also inscribed on the seal are the Roman numerals MCMLXVII. This represents the year Crisp Academy was founded - 1967. In the center of the seal is the Latin word “DOMINE” which means “God.”
The symbols on the seal have a specific meaning also. The chain links represent the sixty-three students who were enrolled the first year. The seven small acorns in the links signify the seven grade levels the school offered the first year. The horn-of-plenty and the two oak leaves indicate the never-ending supply of knowledge.
This seal serves as a symbolic reminder of the good faith and dedication in which Crisp Academy was founded.
