Imago Dei Middle School

Imago Dei Middle School believes in the power of education to transform minds and hearts. The students of Imago Dei have often struggled to reach their full potential in public schools, due to multiple life challenges that public school classrooms are not designed to address (such as inadequate housing of the student's family, incarceration of family members, trouble finding and keeping jobs, among others). Imago Dei address all of these challenges by providing an exceptional priavte school education completely tuition-free to our families and offering needed social services to our students' entire families. We have classes ten hours a day, with a half-day of classes on Saturdays, and our school year is eleven months long. Our intensive educational model, innovative academic program and social services that we offer both inside and outside the classroom to address non-academic issues give children opportunities to succeed.

Ricardo is a good example of our program in action. When Ricardo came to us as a sixth grader, he was performing below grade level in almost every subject, but through Imago Dei’s intensive program and Ricardo’s own hard work and determination, he improved dramatically over the course of his time with us. Last year, as an eight-grader, he was performing at grade level in most subjects and excelling in math and science, a tremendous improvement in three short years—especially considering the extracurricular challenges he had to overcome.

During the Christmas holidays last year, Ricardo’s aunt lost her job and was evicted from her home, meaning that she and her three children had to move in with Ricardo’s family, straining their already meager household budget and creating everyday stress and uncertainty at home. Our long school days allowed Ricardo to stay at Imago Dei late into the afternoon on most days, giving him the chance to finish homework with the help of our teachers and discuss his situation at home with concerned counselors and mentors. The free breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks we provide to all of our children became especially important to Ricardo, and we sent leftovers home with Ricardo for his whole family. We also put his aunt and her family in touch with partner organizations for mental health counseling and English as a Second Language classes.

Even though Ricardo’s home environment unexpectedly became more difficult, he excelled in his eighth grade year at Imago Dei: he was part of the school’s academic team that won a national architectural design competition, and he travelled with Imago Dei's team to Washington, D.C., to present their design to the competition’s sponsor, the Council of Educational Facility Planners International. While the team was there, they met with Representative Raul Grijalva and former Representative Jim Kolbe. Ricardo earned a scholarship to Salpointe Catholic High School, where he is now studying as a freshman. He returns to Imago Dei at least twice a week to visit with teachers, do homework in our Graduate Support Center and volunteer at our front desk.

Every graduate from Imago Dei Middle School is always welcome to return for academic help and other guidance, and we are committed to seeing every one of our students graduate high school. We also help them take standardized tests for college entrance and fill out applications to post-secondary schools.

At Imago Dei, we never give up on a child.