About Community Academy

30Years of dedication

Founded in 1980 by Mr. Joseph Proietta, we are proud to be in our 30th year of dedication to our city's future and our seventh full year in our state-of-the-art, 120,000 sq. ft. facility on a 6.5-acre campus, located at 1100 E. Erie Ave (between “J” and “K” streets). With an enrollment of 1200+ students in grades K-12, CAPCS provides students with the educational tools and experience that will allow them to achieve success long after graduation. Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School is accredited nursery school through 12th grade by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) Commission on Institution Wide Accreditation (CIWA).

Community Academy is divided into three divisions, the lower school (day care/pre-K {limited to children of students and staff} and K to 4), the Alberta Dilonardo Proietta Middle School (5-8), and the upper school (9-12). CAP has a total teaching faculty of 81 representing a student-teacher ratio of 15:1. The Upper School (US) offers numerous honors courses and four AP courses: English Literature, Calculus, Biology, and U.S. History. A remedial, compensatory education program: Intensive Learning (IL) spans all four years of high school. This program based on the “little red school house model” provides a concentrated learning experience for students with special needs with or without an IEP.

Community Academy is a member of the PIAA with a full athletic program, as well as, clubs and extracurricular programs, especially music, including high school choir, drum line, and lower school band. The high school presents an annual musical and the lower school an annual drama program based on a children’s book. The Middle School chess team has been in the city finals the past four years, and the elementary school chess team is the city champion for three years in a row (2006 and 2008). The Eighth grade won the Charter School spelling bee in 2009 coming in first, second and third, and our first place finisher was runner-up in the Tribune Philadelphia Spelling Bee.

Support services are provided by our nine member Emotional Support Team (EST) that includes a psychiatrist (MD), licensed therapists, and social workers; Lisa’s Place Health Services, including our certified pediatric nurse practitioner (MSN) and certified medical assistant; the Teresa Gonzalez Mena Memorial Early Childhood Center (including day care); a comprehensive Special Education Department of seven coordinators and teachers and our in-house two school psychologists (one bilingual Spanish/English); English Language Learner (ELL) support services; and a team of six reading specialists.

Providing a safe and secure environment for students to learn and grow is a primary goal. To this end, CAP employs its own security personnel trained and certified by Temple University, Criminal Justice Training Programs, who monitor all aspects of on-campus behavior and access to the building. Comprehensive CCTV coverage of the campus and access control technology further assists their efforts to always be on the lookout for the safety and well being of our students.