Holy Innocents' Episcopal School

What Holy Innocents' Episcopal School does

Holy Innocents' Episcopal School (HIES) is a private, independent Episcopal parish day school in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 1959 by Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church. It is the largest Episcopal parish day school in the United States and the only Episcopal PK3-12 school in Georgia, enrolling approximately 1,400 students across four divisions: Primary School (140 students, PK3-Kindergarten), Lower School (360, Grades 1-5), Middle School (350, Grades 6-8), and Upper School (550, Grades 9-12). The school operates from a 43-acre single campus at 805 Mount Vernon Highway NW in the Sandy Springs corridor of Atlanta, with an 8:1 student-faculty ratio and more than 300 faculty and staff. It is a 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit governed by a Board of Trustees under the leadership of Head of School Paul A. Barton (10th head, appointed 2014).

HIES generates revenue primarily through recurring tuition across all four divisions, with 2026-2027 published pricing ranging from $22,310 (Pre-K3) to $39,440 (Grades 6-12), plus a $595 annual technology fee for Grades 4-12, grade-specific trip fees, and recurring summer/auxiliary streams including Bear Camps, BASE (after-school care), ACE enrichment, and Bear Den study hall. Payments are processed through Blackbaud Tuition Management, financial assistance through the Clarity platform, and admissions inquiries through the Ravenna platform. The core product portfolio consists of the four division-based academic programs, supplemented by College Counseling, Global Education (anchored by Round Square membership across 43 countries), Learning Resources, PEAK Leadership Institute, technology and STEM instruction in a dedicated building, and HIES Libraries.

The school's competitive positioning rests on its 65-year brand, sector accreditations (Cognia, SAIS/SACS, NAIS, NAES, GISA, AAAIS, CSEE), and a talent base with average faculty tenure of 14 years. Go-to-market is a traditional private school admissions funnel operating from October inquiry through spring decision notifications, supported by an in-house enrollment management team (Tyler Sant, Director, since 2024), on-campus tours, shadow visit days, virtual campus tours, and the Ravenna platform. Distribution is exclusively domestic and regionally concentrated in Metro Atlanta, with no boarding or international student hosting. Notable outcomes include 17 team state championships, over 125 collegiate athletes, and an NBA first-round draft pick (Caleb Wilson '25).

Name

Holy Innocents' Episcopal School

Legal name

Holy Innocents' Episcopal School

Website

https://hies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Holy Innocents' Episcopal School (HIES) is a private, nonprofit Episcopal college-preparatory day school in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 1959, serving approximately 1,400 students across PK3-12 on a 43-acre single campus with an 8:1 student-faculty ratio and tuition-based recurring revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Private school education
• College preparatory programs
• K-12 education
• Episcopal education
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments across grade levels, with tiered pricing from Pre-K3 through Upper School. Payment options include annual, semiannual, and monthly payment plans.
2. Technology Fees: Annual technology fees for Grades 4-12 covering device and IT infrastructure costs
3. Trip Fees: Grade-specific trip fees for experiential learning including 5th grade ($295), 6th grade ($125), 7th grade ($300), and 8th grade ($2,400)
4. Summer Programs: Revenue from Bear Camps summer program offering athletic, academic, STEAM and fine arts camps for Pre-K4 through 12th grade
5. Financial Assistance: Need-based financial assistance provided through Clarity application process, determining family contribution based on assets, income, expenses and debts

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Holy Innocents' Episcopal School is a private, parish-owned college-preparatory day school that delivers a continuous PK3 through 12th grade educational program for approximately 1,400 students on a 43-acre Atlanta campus. The school offers four division-based academic programs (Primary School, Lower School, Middle School, Upper School) supplemented by college counseling, global education, a PEAK Leadership Institute, learning resources, athletics, fine arts, spiritual life, after-school care, and summer camp programs (Bear Camps).

Product overview

Holy Innocents' Episcopal School (HIES) is a private college-preparatory school offering a unified educational program from Pre-K3 through 12th grade. The school provides a comprehensive portfolio of products and services including four division-based academic programs (Primary School, Lower School, Middle School, Upper School) that form the core educational offering, supplemented by specialized programs such as College Counseling, Global Education, Learning Resources, PEAK Leadership Institute, Technology, and HIES Libraries. Beyond academics, HIES offers Fine Arts (Theatre, Music, Visual Arts, Media Literacy) and Athletics as integral parts of the educational experience. Additional services include Bear Camps (summer program), Bears After-School Experience (BASE), After-Class Enrichment (ACE), Bear Den (middle school study hall), Horizons Atlanta (enrichment program), Multicultural Affairs Program, and Spiritual Life/Chapel services. The school integrates with platforms including Ravenna for admissions, Clarity for financial assistance, Blackbaud for tuition management, and CampBrain for summer camp registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Golden Bears: The mascot and nickname for Holy Innocents' Episcopal School students and athletic teams.
• Bear Camps
• BASE
• PEAK Leadership Institute

Products and services

• Primary School (PK3-Kindergarten)
• Lower School (Grades 1-5)
• Middle School (Grades 6-8)
• Upper School (Grades 9-12)
• College Counseling
• Global Education
• PEAK Leadership Institute
• Fine Arts Program
• Athletics Program
• Bear Camps
• Bears After-School Experience (BASE)
• After-Class Enrichment (ACE)
• Learning Resources
• Bear Den
• Multicultural Affairs Program
• Spiritual Life / Chapel

Quantifiable outcome

• Caleb Wilson became first HIES player drafted to NBA (4th overall pick by Chicago Bulls)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Center for Civil and Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate partner providing students and families free admission for school-sponsored field trips, $5 off regular admission, 20% off memberships, and select internship opportunities for Upper School students. Partnership supports multicultural affairs programming and civil rights education.
• Round SquarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of schools focused on IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, Service). Provides global exchange opportunities, conferences, and collaborative programs across 43 countries.
• Horizons AtlantaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer enrichment program partnership serving economically disadvantaged children in Sandy Springs. HIES hosts the program and provides student volunteers as teaching assistants.
• A Better Chance (ABC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership supporting the ABC organization's mission to increase academic opportunities for students of color. HIES accepts referred students through SAO and Ravenna platforms.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party financial assistance application platform used by HIES to determine family need. Processes applications for tuition assistance with $60 submission fee.
• RavennacoreTechnology or IntegrationApplication management platform used for inquiries, applications, and event registration. School code for SSAT: 3970.
• Joint Admissions Testing Program (JATP)coreTechnology or IntegrationStandardized testing program for Kindergarten through 5th grade applicants. Score reports due February 15 annually.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Greenhill School: Independent PK-12 day school in Dallas, TX, with similar college-prep focus, signature programs, and student outcomes. Operates a comparable tuition and program model but in a different regional market.
• Charlotte Country Day School: Independent PK-12 day school in Charlotte, NC, with comparable tuition levels, signature programs in leadership/global education, and similar student demographics. Comparable in scale and value proposition but serves a different regional market.

Direct peers

• The Lovett School: Atlanta independent K-12 day school serving a comparable affluent Atlanta family demographic with similar college-preparatory curriculum, athletics, arts, and Episcopal/Christian heritage. Direct competitor for the same families and feeder talent.
• Woodward Academy: Large Atlanta-area independent day school (PK-12) with comparable scale, athletics, and college-preparatory curriculum. Competes for the same suburban Atlanta family demographic and is one of the larger non-religious private school alternatives.
• Pace Academy: Atlanta independent K-12 day school with similar academic profile, small class sizes, and college-prep outcomes. Competes head-to-head with HIES for admissions and faculty talent in Metro Atlanta.
• Trinity School: Atlanta Episcopal day school (K-6 with extensions) that shares Episcopal identity, parish-school heritage, and the same Atlanta family demographic. Closest faith-based peer and shares Episcopal values and chapel-based programming.
• Westminster Schools: Atlanta private K-12 day school with comparable tuition levels, college-prep outcomes, and signature programs (athletics, arts, global education). Operates as one of HIES's most direct competitors for Atlanta families seeking elite independent education.
• The Westminster Schools (Atlanta) — duplicate: See entry above; included for completeness as a top-tier Atlanta private school competitor with deep endowment and strong athletics pipeline comparable to HIES.

Regional players

• All Saints' Episcopal School: Episcopal PK3-12 day school in Fort Worth, Texas. Comparable faith-based Episcopal identity, similar college-preparatory programming, and similar scale — a strong reference point for HIES outside of the Atlanta market.

Others

• National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) network peers: Industry association representing the broader Episcopal K-12 school ecosystem. Provides accreditation, peer benchmarking, and Episcopal-identity resources that HIES relies on for credibility and best-practice sharing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/HIESbears
• YouTubevimeo.com/hies
• Facebookfacebook.com/HolyInnocentsEpiscopalSchool/?fref=ts
• Instagraminstagram.com/holyinnocentsbears

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holy Innocents' Episcopal School