Mission/Vision
 Spruce Hill Christian School and City Center Academy provide a Kindergarten through 12th grade Christian education on two campuses in Philadelphia. We partner with parents to provide a safe, nurturing environment where:
- Academic excellence is pursued with creativity and integrity for each child,
- Biblical principles direct all aspects of our school’s relationships and practices, and
- The rich cultural, ethnic and racial diversity of our city is treasured and enjoyed.
Academic Excellence
CCA bears the legacy of its founders, Dr. James and Mrs. Linda Boice, whose academic vision grew out of their own Ivy League educational background. Since 1983, the school has provided a rigorous college preparatory program of learning that is enhanced with extracurricular activities. Basic academic skills, appreciation for the arts, and an aim to graduate servant leaders has led to consistent success in preparing students for college acceptance.
One of the school’s greatest assets is its dedicated and gifted teachers. These capable professionals are characterized by maturity, discernment, unity of purpose, a sprit of service, and love for God and His children. Working with small class sizes, our faculty is able to provide the kind of individual support each student needs to thrive in school.
The merger of City Center Academy with Spruce Hill Christian School in 2007 is yet another way the school is continuing to build a stronger academic program. The SHCS elementary and middle school campus is located in the University City section of Philadelphia. Spruce Hill middle school students enjoy the opportunity to connect with the high school, making the transition to the CCA campus an easy one.
CCA is also pleased to offer a part-time school program for students enrolled in the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, which is located just a few blocks from CAA. These students, focused primarily on their training as world-class musicians, can take their core courses on our campus.
A Christian Perspective
As a Christian school, we view a student’s spiritual and emotional life as linked to his/her academic life. A student needs nurturing in all areas of life, including the quest for life’s meaning and one’s role in the world. At CCA, academic learning includes the opportunity to explore if and how a life of faith matters. We see the grace of God at work in all learning and understanding. Our goal as a Christian school is to see young men and women learn to think and act biblically in all of life.
Growth in character and life-skills goes hand-in-hand with academic progress. Learning self-respect, respect for others and respect for education allows students to think beyond themselves. Students are challenged to consider how they can use their gifts and talents to impact their world. CCA provides for the overall well-being and safety of our students and have established a community environment in which every student can freely and fully participate, and work to the best of their ability.
A Love for the City
CCA’s motto “Lux Urbi” or “Light to the City” refers to our commitment to glorify God through working as a source of His hope and light in our city. Our commitment to city families recognizes the challenges and limited educational options many of our students have faced. Our calling to serve urban families requires a determination to keep the school financially accessible through an unwavering commitment to affordable tuition rates and a generous tuition assistance program.
CCA students come from a variety of school backgrounds and live throughout the Philadelphia region. Located in the facilities of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Center City Philadelphia, the school is ideally situated in the thriving business and cultural district and is accessible to students from all regions of the city and its nearby suburbs. We see the city as an expansive classroom that offers our students exposure to renowned institutions of science, history, and the arts.
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