The School That a Spirit-Led Community Built
Ordinary people built something extraordinary—and it is already bearing fruit.
Mission Statement
Aquinas Classical Academy is an independent high school, obedient to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Under the patronage of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom and St. Thomas Aquinas, the Academy provides an integrated, classical, liberal arts curriculum to form students in faith, reason, and virtue. Its program of study is ordered toward teaching students how to learn and seek truth, so that they become better able to succeed in any path of life, cultivate a well-ordered, joyful society and ultimately, find eternal happiness with God.
About Us
Founded in 2018, Aquinas Classical Academy is a Catholic liberal arts school serving grades 9–12 and dedicated to aiding parents as primary educators. It humbly adopts the classical pedagogy — forming students through the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty.
We humbly adopt the classical pedagogy, a tried and true, time-tested model of education that frees man. This liberal education is an education for man as man, a human education. It caters to man’s nature as a rational animal, serving his various stages of development: the grammatical, the dialectical, and the rhetorical. Classical education exposes students to the true, the good, and the beautiful. These form their imaginations and their consciences, so students can abstract the truth and act upon that knowledge with virtue. All this takes place under the light of faith and is ordered to contemplating the Divine. Ex Sede Sapientiae (From the Seat of Wisdom), we pursue fides (faith), ratio (reason), and virtus (virtue). Graduates of Aquinas Classical Academy are prepared to enter the best colleges in the country and have a foundation for any direction they take in life.
As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental. As far as possible parents have the duty of choosing a school that will best help them in their task as Christian educators.
CCC 2229
”Founding & History
1980
Perpetual Adoration
Perpetual Adoration is established in the Bremerton Catholic community.
2004
Fr. Lappe Arrives
Fr. Derek Lappe arrives at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish.
2017
Dominican Sisters Return
The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (Nashville) return to re-establish a classical Catholic model.
2018
ACA Founded
Aquinas Classical Academy is founded.
2021
High School Opens
The high school opens — the first high school in the Catholic tradition on the Kitsap Peninsula.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Aquinas Classical Academy (ACA)?
Aquinas Classical Academy is an independent, co-educational high school in the Catholic tradition, using an integrated liberal arts curriculum to form students in faith, reason, and virtue.
Are you an archdiocesan school?
We are a private, independent school and, as such, are not classified as an archdiocesan high school.
Is your school accredited?
We are accredited through the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS).
Which grades are being offered?
ACA is open to all four high school grades.
What is classical education?
Classical education can be defined as: the cultivation of wisdom and virtue by nourishing the soul on truth, goodness, and beauty by means of the seven liberal arts along with the Great Books of Western Civilization.
Where is Aquinas Classical Academy located?
ACA is currently located at 4215 Pine Road NE in Bremerton on the campus of Holy Trinity Church, part of Bremerton Catholic Community. Our business mailing address is PO BOX 2422 BREMERTON, WA 98310.
Will colleges accept your transcript?
Yes, colleges will accept our transcripts. The curriculum sets a high standard with an abundance of high school credits that exceed state requirements. Our graduating classes receive acceptances to a wide range of colleges, including Catholic, State, and trade schools.
How do you choose your faculty?
Faculty are chosen according to their ability to contribute to the Catholic culture and lively academics of the school. We look for teachers who love Christ and live out the Catholic faith in their daily lives. Academically, we look for teachers with expertise and love for their subjects as well as their students. We also look for familiarity with classical education because of the specific skill set it requires.
What is the annual tuition?
Tuition has been set at $9,800 for the 2026-2027 school year. This amount represents a fraction of the true cost of education, and is possible to the extent of ACA’s benefactors. Tuition will increase each year to account for the cost of living, inflation, and other factors.
Do you offer financial aid?
Yes, to the extent that funding allows. This great blessing is made possible by the generosity of our donors.
Is there a dress code?
Yes, students have a full uniform. The school colors are burgundy, black, white, and gold. Girls wear white dress shirts, plaid knee-length skirts, black ties, and burgundy sweaters. Boys wear white dress shirts, grey pants, plaid ties, and burgundy cardigans. Black blazers and black dress shoes are required for mass days and full dress uniform days.
What can I do to help?
Please pray for our school. In addition, there are many other ways to help. In order to keep tuition affordable, we subsidize our costs by the generous donations of the community. Please see our Giving page. Another way to help is by spreading the word to the larger community.