Mater Middle/High and Performing Arts Academy was founded in 2002 through a charter contract with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Our school is located in Hialeah Gardens, the county's 11th largest city and a fast growing municipality with a population of 200,000 residents.
Mater opened its doors in August of 2002 with a population of 381 students in grades 6 - 9. Each year thereafter, another grade has been added thus making Mater, today, the largest charter school in Florida with an enrollment of approximately 2,800 learners in grades 6 - 12. The school received Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) provisional accreditation in 2002, and achieved full accreditation in the 2005-2006 school year. Our school also received the distinction of being honored in both Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report as one of the top high schools in the nation.
The school serves 491 Exceptional Education Students (of which 402 are gifted). There are 150 ELL (English Language Learners) students, and 2,201 Standard Curriculum students. The school utilizes the Sunshine State Standards to guide curriculum and instruction. All students, with emphasis given to students with special needs and/or Limited English Proficient students, have access to after school and Saturday tutoring to accelerate their progress. Students who are at or above grade level are provided with the additional options of Honors, Gifted and/or Advanced Placement courses. All students at the school are encouraged to maximize upon their academic potential by enrolling in the most rigorous program in which they can excel. Fortunate by sharing a campus amongst the Middle, High, and Performing Arts Academies, a seamless transition from the middle to high school environment is fostered.
Mater Academy offers the highest level of athletics to our student body. We compete at the 3A level and our district is considered one of the toughest in the state of Florida. Our growth has been steady and we now have 30 teams competing in interscholastic competitions. In our short history, we have set out to compete with the states' top teams in football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track and field.
Mater represents a young, innovative and aggressive institution promoting educational reform through structured discipline combined with a vertical curriculum that starts in the 6th grade and continues until graduation in the 12th grade. We strive for excellence not only in academics, but in all aspects of student life, thereby creating a culture that encourages all students to complete their high school studies and make education a life-long pursuit.
