History of FRA

In 1966, a group of individuals from the Woodbury area came together due to their common concern about the declining quality of public education. They envisioned creating a learning environment that would encourage higher expectations yielding greater opportunity for area students. These individuals felt that developing not only the mind but also the body and spirit would increase the probability of success and therefore create hope for a brighter future. Execution of this vision was challenging, and the road was long, but these individuals persevered to overcome these challenges and the result was the creation of Flint River Academy.

In March of 1967, site work on the school began and construction was completed prior to the opening of school that same fall. The Governor of the State of Georgia, Lester Maddox, officially dedicated the school with the purpose of providing its students a “Quality Education”.

School began that fall with 120 students, 12 faculty members, and Mr. John Moore serving as Headmaster. Mr. Moore served in many other capacities during those early years including teaching history and coaching basketball, tennis, and baseball. During that first year(,) the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams brought home the first place trophies from the South Carolina Independent School Association Tournament. Hard working parents filled other roles in the school during those early years including acting as the custodian, music teacher, P.E. teacher and cheerleading coach. This tradition of volunteerism is still a vital part of Flint River Academy’s culture today.

Striving for a higher level of “Quality Education” was always in the forefront of the founders’ minds. This was achieved by hiring quality teachers, maintaining a low pupil-teacher ratio, and by providing programs that promoted higher expectations while offering a caring learning environment.

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The success in execution of this vision is independently validated by the fact that Flint River Academy was one of the very first schools founded during this time period to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, an accreditation which is maintained today.