Copiah Academy is an independent, coeducational, school for students in grades K3-12. The Copiah Educational Foundation established the school in 1967 as a
segregation academy
Segregation academies are private schools in the Southern United States that were founded in the mid-20th century by white parents to avoid having their children attend desegregated public schools. They were founded between 1954, when the U ...
.
The
school
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compu ...
is located in
Copiah County
Copiah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,368. The county seat is Hazlehurst.
With an eastern border formed by the Pearl River, Copiah County is part of the Jackson, MS Me ...
, near the unincorporated community of
Gallman, Mississippi
Gallman is an unincorporated community in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. Gallman is located along Interstate 55 and U.S. Route 51 south-southwest of Crystal Springs. Gallman has a post office with ZIP code 39077, which opened on N ...
.
Demographics
The demographic breakdown of the 695 K–12 students enrolled in 2013–2014:
*Native American/Alaskan – 0.3%
*Black – 1.2%
*Hispanic – 0.1%
*White – 98.4%
History
Copiah Academy's first classes were held in 1967 in
Hazlehurst, Mississippi
Hazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,009 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan S ...
, just a few miles south of its current location. In 1970 the school moved to its current location on a 30-acre site.
Copiah Academy began taking steps to achieve
accreditation
Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
by the
Mississippi Private School Association The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) is a consortium of schools in Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Arkansas. It is responsible for accreditation of its member private schools as well as governing athletic competition for its ...
, an accreditation agency for segregation academics.
Although founded as a school for white students,
Copiah Academy now claims that it is open to college-bound students of any race, color, creed, religion, gender, or ethnic origin, but as of the 2013–2014 school year, the student body was 98.4% non-Hispanic white in a county where the overall percentage of non-Hispanic white people was 44.9%. New students in grades 6–12 must be drug tested at their parents' expense before being admitted, and all students in grades 6–12 will be subjected to at least one random drug test per school year.
Notable alumni
*Hunter Renfroe
Dustin Hunter Renfroe (born January 28, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, ...
, baseball player[ ]
See also
*List of private schools in Mississippi
This is a list of private schools in the U.S. state of Mississippi:
*Adams County Christian School
*Amite School Center
*Annunciation Catholic School
*Bass Memorial Academy (Boarding)
* Bayou Academy
*Benedict Day School
* Benton Academy
* Brook ...
References
External links
Website
{{authority control
Educational institutions established in 1967
Private elementary schools in Mississippi
Private high schools in Mississippi
Private middle schools in Mississippi
Schools in Copiah County, Mississippi
Segregation academies in Mississippi