Who We Are

Pinecrest Academy is a private, Pre-K3 through 12, college preparatory Catholic school. We provide an atmosphere of academic rigor and critical thinking, while offering personalized attention in a Christ-centered environment of faith and reason. We prepare our students to become committed Christian leaders, eager to transform society.

Our Philosophy of Education: Integral Formation

We are very intentional about the education of the whole child. Integral formation is the term that describes our four-pillared, whole-child philosophy of education - the harmonious development of all dimensions of the human person: intellectual, human, spiritual, and apostolic. We believe that educating a child means helping develop their mind, body, spirit and heart.

Intellectual - Mind
Seeking truth and understanding while developing curiosity and an innate thirst for knowledge.

Human Formation - Body
Elevating the dignity of our students by helping them develop virtue, character and collaboration.

Spiritual Formation - Spirit
Fostering a relationship with Christ through prayer and sacraments.

Apostolic Formation - Heart
Cultivating compassion and servant leadership through service and mission.

Putting this philosophy into practice, through the loving guidance of our teachers, we challenge our students to identify, develop, and use their gifts in service to others.

Recognizing the parent as the primary educator of the child, our mission, to form Christian leaders who will transform society, embraces the entire family. We provide a safe, moral, and spiritual environment which leads to positive peer groups and joyful, caring, confident students.

Our Mission

Forming Christian leaders who will transform society means offering each student an education that is meaningful because Christ is at the center, providing the why of all that we do. Education at Pinecrest Academy not only equips our students to recognize the many needs and challenges of an ever-changing world, but it also offers them the opportunity to respond by applying what they have been given and who they have become, to where they are called to work and serve.

Our Core Values

List of 4 items.

Charity
- We treat everyone with respect and kindness as befits a daughter or son of God.
- We build up our peers by acknowledging their successes in a culture of affirmation.
- We challenge ourselves to reach out to all of our peers so that no one feels excluded.
- We avoid gossip and, instead, find constructive solutions to problems and difficulties by speaking directly to those involved in the spirit of subsidiarity.
Humility
- We base our relationships on trust and listening.
- We listen respectfully to those with whom we disagree.
- We accept others’ complaints with a humble attitude.
- We understand authority as a service for the good of others.
- We treat each other as equals, with the deference owed as sons and daughters of God.
Excellence
- We strive to develop our gifts to their maximum potential.
- We do our best so that others may achieve their best.
- We encourage effort, and not just achievement, to help others reach beyond their comfort zone.
- We understand that failure can be a stepping stone to success.
- We believe that true excellence includes ALL of Integral Formation: academic accomplishment, nobility of character, magnanimity of heart, and zeal for service.
Mission
- We desire to love and serve all men and women, without distinction, from a conviction of God’s love for all people.
- We believe that each person has a God-given mission to contribute something unique to a society of solidarity and justice.
- We believe that God sends us to address all forms of material and spiritual poverty with charity and the power of the Gospel.
- We apply and promote the Catholic Church’s social teaching with courage and love.

Our Motto

Semper Altius - Latin for ‘Always Higher’
This phrase embodies our school’s spirit of continually striving for excellence and challenges our staff and students to reach their highest potential in all areas.

We are here to serve the Archdiocese of Atlanta, our local parishes, and other Christian and civic communities.

Our Identity and Charism

Pinecrest Academy is a Regnum Christi school and this shapes our mission to focus on the personal nature of faith in Christ, encouraging our students, families and faculty to have a living relationship with Jesus. Click HERE to learn more about Regnum Christi.

We are also a member of RC Education, and are part of an international network of Regnum Christi schools and universities. More than just an independent school, we can leverage the educational and formative resources of our institutions across the world. Click HERE to learn more.

Our Mascot

The Paladin was “knighted” as the mascot for Pinecrest Academy in a knighting ceremony led by co-founder, Mr. Bill Guilfoil in 2002. In 2018, our mascot was officially named Peter “The Rock” Paladin, named after Saint Peter, to whom Christ said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) Peter “The Rock” is affectionately known simply as “Rocky.”

So, why the Paladin? The Paladins have a distinguished history in the Catholic Church. They were knights who were defenders of the faith under the reign of Charlemagne. Read more HERE.

Our Coat of Arms/Crest

The Pinecrest Academy coat of arms/crest is composed of a shield divided into four sections. The upper left corner is the MOUNTAIN WITH STARS, symbolizing the spirit of constant improvement in all areas of formation. On the lower left corner is the BOOK AND TORCH, symbolizing our faith in the Word of God. In the upper right corner is the ANVIL, symbolizing constancy in work and prayer. Completing the Coat of Arms, in the lower right corner, is the ARMOR, symbolizing courage and a fighting spirit.