It is my pleasure to welcome you to the virtual world of Beaufort Academy. The school is delighted to
have interested parents, students and friends visit, learn more about us, and consider us a possibility
for serving the educational needs of a child, grandchild, or friend. I hope the website information will
build curiosity and make you eager to learn more about our school.

The Beaufort Academy leadership has been immersed this past year in preserving the best traditions
on the campus while moving the school toward a more contemporary approach to learning. We resolve
to create the best possible environment for student to achieve. To that end we have adopted the
core values of Intellect, Respect, Integrity, Leadership, and Pride to frame the content of the new
Strategic Plan and to drive the policy decisions for the school. The primary mission of Beaufort
Academy is to instill in students the intellectual curiosity and strength of character for success in
college and beyond. The curriculum is designed to accomplish that mission and the admissions
process screens for students who are prepared to accept the challenges consistent with such
an expectation.

In addition to its academic focus, the school has addressed the important issue of school spirit and
pride. The student body continues to promote this renewal. They explained the importance of school
spirit on campus and the need for students to be proud of their school, and serve as school
ambassadors. They taught us all a lesson on the connection of pride, loyalty, and spirit to values such
as intellect, integrity, respect, and leadership. Their push to add “Pride” to the Core Values served as
a catalyst for the students to create a series of activities, events, competitions, slogans, trips, and
athletic rallies to inspire the student body toward a stronger feeling of entrepreneurship. We expect
the Class of 2011 to help the student body continue this effort so the campus is filled with
academic endeavor, but framed in a spirit of excitement, fun, and pride.

As we look forward to the 2010-2011 school year with great anticipation, we want to look back one
last time at the accomplishments of 2009-2010. The BA Class of 2010 exemplified the school’s
renewed emphasis on academics as nineteen graduates amassed a collective scholarship fund over
$2.2 million. Nathaniel Rollings, a National Merit Finalist, received acceptances to both the US
Military Academy and Air Force Academy as well as a Four-Year Army ROTC Scholarship to MIT;
Julie Eckstrom received over $150,000 in scholarships from both Carnegie Mellon and Virginia
Tech; Ashton Byrne will attend The Citadel on a Four-Year Army ROTC Scholarship; Luke
Hetherington will use his National Merit Finalist Scholarship to attend Furman, while Grace Salzer
will follow him on a Four-Year Music Scholarship. Other members of the Class of 2010
received acceptances and scholarships from the Honors College at the College of Charleston,
Davidson, Colgate, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Roanoke, Clemson, South Carolina, Tulane, Winthrop,
Wofford, Mercer, Hawaii, Pace, LSU, and others. They combined with students from the Class of 2011
to take 68 Advanced Placement Exams last spring and score a passing rate of 75% with 21% scoring
3; 32% scoring 4; and 21% scoring 5.

Change is plentiful at Beaufort Academy for 2010-2011. Our new trimester system gives the school
more flexibility to use the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas for many unique
learning opportunities. The three week “Interim” will allow students in the upper school to participate in
a variety of internships, extended field trips, the annual college trip, and several nontraditional
learning activities both on and off campus. Middle School students will have similar engaging options
on campus and off. Lower School students will have regular school activities in the morning
during “Interim,” but will spend the afternoon with visiting professionals, artists in residence, and engage
in other performance related holiday preparations. Even with three weeks devoted to these
“Interim” learning experiences, the school adds fifteen percent to the total annual time spent on
core content classes. This is the result of extending each period, removing most study hall options
during the day and replacing them with optional study halls after regular school hours end at 3:05 P.M.

There are also a few new faces among the faculty. Betsy Rhatigan will return to BA and teach
Middle School English; Tom Savage will teach Middle School History and Upper School English;
Kim Handy will teach Middle and Upper School French and Spanish; Kelly Newbauer will teach
Geometry, Algebra I and Algebra II; Tony Gonzalez will teach Lower School Spanish and Upper
School Art; Bradi Dinkins will work with Nancy Compton to teach third grade; Laura Brummer will
teach grade four; Stephanie Sullivan will teach music; Connie Ambrose will teach health; and Jackie
Bauer will teach the Pre-K three-year-old class. We are truly lucky to be able to add these
talented professionals to the BA classrooms.

The students, faculty, parents, administration, and Board of Trustees at Beaufort Academy are
committed equally to providing the best academic setting for its students, to having the school serve
the community both educationally and socially, to find a way to welcome everyone who wants to
prepare seriously for college success to our campus, and to facilitate rigorous learning opportunities
for students in ways which excite and build spirit and pride and which link to real careers. We are proud
to acknowledge this commitment and eager to accept the challenges commensurate with such a
mission. I hope you will join us.
 

rwall@beaufortacademy.org.