Mission
At Cortez Hill Academy, we facilitate the development of critical thinkers, compassionate leaders and creative, life-long learners.

Person Centered Education
“Individuals have within themselves vast resources for self-understanding and for altering their self-concepts, basic attitudes, and self-directed behavior...” Dr. Carl Rogers

Students are people. Teachers are people. When we recognize these simple facts then every person is free to be herself and truly learn. Students learn best from teachers that take an interest in who they are. If a teacher understands what a student thinks then they can help each student learn. Students understand their coursework best when they know that it has affected the life of the person teaching it.
Cortez Hill Academy is founded on the idea of a person-centered liberal arts education. The liberal arts teach what a person needs to be successful in the information age while the person-centered approach helps us all become the best people that we can be. Developed by Dr. Carl Rogers the person- centered approach is how Cortez Hill Academy creates an environment where students and staff can learn and grow.
The person-centered approach defines three things that are needed in any environment for a person to grow: that the people in the situation are genuine and true to themselves; that there is a climate of acceptance and caring; and that the personal world and meanings of each person are prized and understood. At CHA we make sure that all three are present in each classroom, each interaction between students and staff, and in the school as a whole.

Core Values
All students can learn.
Learning is best achieved in a safe and student-centered environment.
Diversity makes us stronger, respect for all persons ensures a productive multi-cultural society.
Authentic open communication builds community with all of our shareholders.
We strive for continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
We foster personal responsibility and accountability for world-class results.
Truth, goodness and beauty are worth pursing for their own sake.

Vision
Cortez Hill Academy is a world-class learning community preparing high school students for college and post-secondary success. We actively engage students in their own intellectual and emotional maturation through powerful real-world learning experiences and extraordinary relationships—with learning facilitators, mentors, community members, parents and each other. OUR GRADUATES are persons who respect themselves and others; persons able to achieve academic mastery, artistic expression and responsible lifestyles; persons willing and able to be contributing citizens of our rapidly changing global society.