St. Ephrem Catholic Academy
A School Culture Carried through Generations

For more than a century, St. Ephrem Catholic Academy has served a diverse community of families in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights who believe in its mission. Yet when Michael Phillips became principal three years ago, he found little cohesion, with some families attending school events while others did not. Changing that culture became a central priority as he worked to build a stronger sense of family among students, teachers, and parents.

The culture began to take shape during a Night of Hope fundraiser organized to support three families in the community facing cancer. The school initially expected to raise $5,000 to $6,000, but the community ultimately raised $12,000, with a portion going to each family to help with medical bills. For Phillips, the response affirmed what St. Ephrem Catholic Academy could be when families came together to support one another. The same sense of belonging extends into the classroom, where Catholic faith shapes a whole-person education through academic growth, kindness, compassion, and respect.

“We want our students to know that they are more than just a test score or report card, so they have different opportunities to explore their interests,” says Phillips.

That philosophy shapes how teachers support each student, bringing academic growth together with faith, compassion, and confidence. Phillips credits his faculty and staff with putting it into practice through hands-on learning that extends beyond textbooks and test preparation.

At the school, more than 65 students receive additional services, including support from an Orton-Gillingham-trained special education coordinator, occupational and physical therapists, and Title I educators. Instead of lowering academic expectations, these services work hand in hand with classroom learning without interrupting class time. Teachers also use Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, with targeted group and one-on-one support when needed. Small class sizes further allow them to work closely with each child, maintaining academic rigor.

Students work in the hydroponics lab and participate in STEM and robotics projects, while chess, digital art, and a Spanish program offer additional avenues to pursue their interests. The Spanish program also introduces them to cultures beyond their immediate surroundings, encouraging awareness of different perspectives. The after-school STEM club extends this approach, bringing more than 60 children together to work with their hands and minds, exchange ideas, and create alongside classmates.

Technology is introduced progressively as a practical skill. Beginning in third grade, students use iPads and Chromebooks for keyboarding, writing, and digital learning as they continue to develop foundational skills, including handwriting. In middle school, the social media club helps students understand how platforms like TikTok and Instagram can be used responsibly and positively. By seventh grade, high school preparation becomes more prominent, with PSAT and test preparation underway, while eighth graders can pursue Regents opportunities in algebra and living environment.

The Regal Eagle Honors Program further adds practical experiences like budgeting and stock-market activities, helping students understand how academic concepts apply to everyday life. By the time they leave St. Ephrem Catholic Academy, teachers aim to equip them with a broad set of tools they can draw on in high school and beyond. Recognized as a Top Catholic Academy 2026, the school continues refining its approach through data and analysis while strengthening academic rigor and expanding STEM and after-school opportunities.

Over the past three years, enrollment has steadily increased, with 75 new families now part of the St. Ephrem Catholic Academy community, while reenrollment has remained above 90 percent. Yet for Phillips, those numbers matter less than the culture he believes will last. That continuity is visible in alumni who still recognize the school’s spirit in its hallways. The footprints left by former students remain part of its story, reflecting a tradition that has endured for generations. While the faces and grades change from year to year, what it means to be a St. Ephrem Eagle continues to endure and flourish.