In the heart of Green Hills, St. Paul Christian Academy has been a cornerstone of Nashville's educational community for more than fifty years. With a mission rooted in academic excellence, a passion for Christ and leadership development, this independent Christian school now serves more than 420 students from junior kindergarten through sixth grade.
At the helm is Head of School Will Norton, who joined the faculty in 2021, but his connection to St. Paul runs much deeper. Norton first experienced St. Paul as a parent in 2012 when he enrolled his eldest child in kindergarten. He quickly saw the difference the school's culture and curriculum made in students' lives. "When I was at Montgomery Bell Academy, it was clear that the St. Paul students were the best prepared—not just academically, but in their confidence and self-understanding," Norton reflects.
The school's three-pillar mission is apparent in every aspect of campus life. The academic program is built around experiential learning that emphasizes both foundational skills and exploration. Beginning in the lower school (kindergarten through second grade), students develop strong academic habits in a nurturing environment that still celebrates the wonder of childhood.
Milestones mark the student journey, including the Crossing the Pillars ceremony in second grade, where students receive their first upper school Bible from sixth-grade mentors. From third through sixth grade, leadership takes center stage. Students participate in intentional programming, culminating in a capstone weeklong trip to Washington, D.C. There, they meet with leaders like Senator Bill Hagerty and engage in projects that mirror their leadership and history curriculum.
Athletics and the arts are equally intentional. Students explore a wide variety of sports through a skills-based approach that focuses on teamwork, sportsmanship and confidence. St. Paul's soccer and running teams have each won championships the past two years, but Norton is quick to emphasize that winning isn't the goal. It's about teaching resilience and leadership. Likewise, performing arts opportunities help students discover their talents and develop confidence on stage.
Faith development is integrated seamlessly into daily life. Sixth graders lead morning devotions broadcast across campus, and weekly chapel services, led by students from every grade, offer a joyful space for worship and reflection. "There's something transformative about a student standing before the entire school to deliver a message or perform a memorized line," Norton says.
Faculty are at the heart of St. Paul's mission, with more than 75 staff and faculty members, including several alums, who build deep connections with students. "They are the backbone of our community," Norton emphasizes, "They connect with the hearts of our students." Their lessons often extend beyond the classroom, whether through guidance at their Treetops campus—a 25-acre site with ropes courses and a treehouse complex on the Natchez Trace—or their robust service program in the broader Nashville community and beyond. Through programs like the Walk of Love in the Napier community and a spring break mission trip to the Dominican Republic, students experience firsthand the value of service and compassion.
From leadership ropes courses on its wooded campus to classrooms filled with academic rigor and spiritual growth, St. Paul Christian Academy stands as a place where students are known, loved and prepared to flourish.