Annapolis Area Christian School

What Annapolis Area Christian School does

Annapolis Area Christian School (AACS) is a 501(c)(3) nondenominational Christian K-12 school founded in 1971 and headquartered in Severn, Maryland, operating four campuses across the Annapolis and Severn corridor and serving 890+ students with a faculty and staff of approximately 130. The school delivers an integrated college-preparatory curriculum anchored in a biblical worldview, structured across Lower School (K-5 at Annapolis and Severn campuses), Middle School (Grades 6-8, consolidated onto the Severn campus for 2026/27), and Upper School (Grades 9-12), supported by a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio, ACSI accreditation, and a college placement record in which roughly 95% of graduates proceed to higher education. Surrounding infrastructure includes an 85-acre Upper School site anchored by the 91,755 sq ft Kilby Athletic Center, the 650+-seat Kerr Center for the Arts, and the Sulin Academic Building, alongside comprehensive programs in fine arts, athletics (28 high school and 13 middle school teams), college counseling, educational support, Senior Practicum, missions trips, and seasonal Eagles Explorations summer camps.

The revenue model is tuition-driven and subscription-like, with monthly billing processed through FACTS tuition management, supplemented by $100 application fees, a $400 enrollment fee plus $600 tuition deposit, transportation, extended care, and charitable donations through a Development Office running the RISE capital campaign, Athletic Golf Classic, and Business Partnership sponsorships. The school additionally monetizes excess facility capacity through third-party rentals of its athletic, performing-arts, and academic buildings and pursues tuition-assistance funding to broaden access. Go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven: prospective families enter through inquiry forms, campus tours, Parent Preview Days, K-12 Information Nights, and Shadow Days, complete an admissions workflow that includes a Core Distinctives interview with the Head of School and a pastoral recommendation, and enroll under a January 15 priority deadline. AACS uses Veracross for the parent/student portal and admissions workflow, Finalsite as its website CMS, Magnus Health for student health records, and Parchment for transcript ordering, integrating standard nonprofit and K-12 SaaS rather than proprietary technology. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors operating under a Policy Governance Model, with Chad Dirkse serving as Head of School following a leadership transition that also brought in Mariamna Van Culin as CFO/COO.

Name

Annapolis Area Christian School

Legal name

Annapolis Area Christian School

Website

https://aacsonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Annapolis Area Christian School is a 501(c)(3) nondenominational Christian K-12 school founded in 1971, operating four campuses in Annapolis and Severn, Maryland, and serving 890+ students through a college-preparatory curriculum anchored in a biblical worldview.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Severn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for K-12 education. Billing processed through FACTS tuition management system with various payment plan options.
2. Application and Enrollment Fees: Non-refundable application fee of $100 and enrollment fee of $400 plus $600 tuition deposit required to secure student placement.
3. Facility Rentals: The school rents its facilities year-round including the Kilby Athletic Center (91,755 sq ft), Kerr Center for the Arts (31,525 sq ft), and Sulin Academic Building (22,290 sq ft). Available Monday through Saturday with churches having exclusive use on Sundays.
4. Donations and Development: Tax-deductible donations through the Development Office supporting Christian education. Includes Athletic Business Partnership Program, Fine Arts Friends, and Community Business Partnerships. AACS is a 501(c)(3) organization with Tax ID 520936379.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Annapolis Area Christian School is a private, nondenominational K-12 Christian school that delivers college-preparatory academics integrated with a biblical worldview across Lower School (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12) divisions. The school supplements its academic core with 28+ athletic teams, comprehensive fine arts programs, college guidance counseling, educational support services, and a Senior Practicum capstone experience. AACS also operates seasonal summer camps and rents campus facilities (athletic center, performing arts center, academic building) to community organizations.

Product overview

Annapolis Area Christian School (AACS) is a private, nondenominational Christian K-12 school operating four campuses across Annapolis and Severn, Maryland, with an enrollment of approximately 890+ students. The school offers a single unified educational program structured across three divisions: Lower School (K-5, with campuses in Annapolis and Severn), Middle School (Grades 6-8, now located on the Upper School Severn campus), and Upper School (Grades 9-12, at the 109 Burns Crossing Rd. Severn campus). The core academic program is augmented by a comprehensive fine arts division (Choral Music, Instrumental Music, Theatre Arts, Dramatis, Visual Arts, General Music, and Marching Band), an athletics program (28 high school teams and 13 middle school teams across multiple sports), student life activities (missions trips, retreats, Spring Fling, and clubs), college counseling, educational support services, and a Senior Practicum capstone program. Summer programming operates as a distinct seasonal offering through the Eagles Explorations program, encompassing Athletic Camps, Academic Camps (Tech Explorers, Inspirit AI, Creative Adventures, SAT Prep, Young Entrepreneur), Arts Camps (Musical Theatre, Eagles Art, Naptown Jazz), and Day Camps across eight themed weeks. Facility rentals of the Kilby Athletic Center, Kerr Center for the Arts, and Sulin Academic Building provide additional community engagement and revenue. The school is accredited through ACSI and governed by a Board of Directors using a Carver Policy Governance Model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower School (K-5) Kindergarten through Grade 5 college-preparatory program offered at two campuses (Annapolis Lower School at 710 Ridgely Ave. and Severn Lower School at 61 Gambrills Rd.) integrating Christian values with foundational academics, general music, and visual arts from kindergarten.
• Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of graduating seniors go on to higher education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• MIAA (Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association)coreOthersConference affiliation for boys athletics. AACS participates in MIAA B and C Conference championships. Transfer students in grades 10-12 must complete MIAA Eligibility Verification Form to participate in varsity sports.
• IAAM (Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland)coreOthersConference affiliation for girls athletics. AACS competes in IAAM for girls sports programs including volleyball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and softball.
• Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the center for developing diversity and unity programming. Partnership informed the Four Pathways approach to accessibility, diversity, and unity initiatives.
• ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) - UnifiEd: A Center for Hope and UnitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional development resources through ACSI's UnifiEd program. Faculty trained on understanding differences through C.A.R.E.S. program (culture, age/ability, racial, ethnic, social differences).
• RightNow MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristian media resource provider. AACS recommends 'One Cure for Racism' by D.H. Horton through RightNow Media for community education on race and biblical unity.
• FACTS Tuition ManagementcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party tuition management system for billing processing. All tuition, transportation, and extended care billing handled through FACTS. Families required to register for FACTS account.
• Magnus HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent health records management system. Emergency contact forms and health information submitted through Magnus Health. Required for all enrolled students.
• Cardus Education SurveysupportingOthersResearch partnership referenced for data on protestant Christian school graduates showing outcomes including increased optimism, relational skills, generosity, and commitment.
• The Golf Club at South RiverminorOthersVenue partner for annual AACS Athletic Golf Classic fundraiser on September 28, 2026 at 3451 Solomons Island Rd, Edgewater, MD 21037.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Calvert School: Independent private K-12 school in Baltimore serving families seeking rigorous college-preparatory education. Comparable to AACS in scale, independent school governance structure, and Mid-Atlantic private school positioning, though non-faith-based.
• McLean School of Maryland: Private K-12 school in Potomac, Maryland serving families in the greater DC/Maryland region with college-preparatory academics. Comparable to AACS in scale, regional catchment, and tuition-tier positioning, though secular rather than faith-based.
• Highland School: Independent private K-12 school in Warrenton, Virginia offering college-preparatory education with athletics and arts. Comparable to AACS in independent school model, regional Mid-Atlantic footprint, and comprehensive programming approach.
• Greater Grace Christian Academy: Private Christian K-12 school in Baltimore, Maryland offering biblically-integrated college-prep education with athletics and arts. Directly comparable to AACS as a faith-based private school operating multiple grade divisions in the Mid-Atlantic.

Regional players

• Grace Academy: Private Christian school in Maryland serving K-12 students with biblically-integrated curriculum. Comparable to AACS in faith-based mission and Maryland geographic focus, though smaller in scale and program breadth.

Others

• Chick-fil-A (Operator Reference - Board Connection): Board President Michael Edmonds has operated Chick-fil-A franchises since 1992. While not an education peer, this signals the school's board governance ties to Maryland business community leaders, relevant for capital campaigns and business partnership programs.

Emerging players

• The Covenant School: Christian classical K-12 school in Charlottesville, Virginia with biblical worldview integration. Comparable to AACS as a faith-based college-prep school, though smaller in enrollment and serving a different regional catchment.

Broad incumbents

• Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (Private Alternatives): Public secondary schools in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area serve as the secular alternative for college-bound families in the same regional market AACS targets. Comparable as the primary alternative education pathway for high-achieving Maryland families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AnnapolisAreaCS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AnnapolisAreaCS
• Facebookfacebook.com/AnnapolisAreaChristianSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/annapolis_area_christian
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/annapolis-area-christian-school

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Annapolis Area Christian School