St. Francis Academy

Our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Orlando proclaim the Gospel message within an academic environment of excellence that challenges students to be creative and critical thinkers who integrate faith, moral leadership and compassionate service in order to create a more just and humane world.

The Saint Francis Academy at Melbourne Central Catholic High School will comply with this message by providing a specialized educational program designed to meet the necessities of students with special needs. Students in the St Francis Academy will have the opportunity to complete their high school education within the environment of a Catholic High School.

Our Mission

Under the auspices of the Catholic Diocese of Orlando and Melbourne Central Catholic High School (MCC), St Francis Academy's mission is to educate students with special needs in a Christ-centered environment. This mission is consistent with the Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People.

Catholic Pastoral Commitment

The Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities has been passed unanimously by the U.S. Bishops and expresses that Catholics with disabilities must be given the opportunity to participate fully in the celebrations and obligations of their faith, and should be included within the "total fabric of society" including educational development.

This prophetic statement calls for welcoming over fourteen million Catholics who live with disabilities: Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on People with Disabilities

"We call upon people of good will to re-examine their attitudes toward their brothers and sisters with disabilities and promote their well being acting with the sense of justice and compassion that the Lord so clearly desires.

Further, realizing the unique gifts children with developmental disabilities have to offer the Church, we wish to address the need for their integration into the Christian community and fuller participation in its life. There can be no separate Church for people with disabilities. We are one flock that serves a single shepherd".

Objective

Saint Francis Academy endeavors to promote the intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth of individual students through the combined efforts of parents and faculty by establishing the best possible environment for learning.

Building upon our mission, the St. Francis Academy at Melbourne Central Catholic High School will support the belief that students with special needs, like all students, deserve the opportunity to maximize their academic, social, and spiritual potential.

The St. Francis Academy will provide students an opportunity for inclusion in regular classes where everyone is enriched by the experience. Inclusion opportunities will be strictly monitored and controlled to prevent disrupting the normal teaching and learning environment at Melbourne Central Catholic High School.

Our vision is to provide an opportunity for students from a wide range of cognitive abilities to learn and advance within a rewarding Catholic learning environment.