What Padua Academy does

Padua Academy is a private all-girls Catholic college preparatory school founded in 1954 and located at 905 North Broom Street in Wilmington, Delaware. Operating under the Diocese of Wilmington and administered in partnership with its founding parish, St. Anthony of Padua, the school serves approximately 400-500 students across four grade levels — graduating its 69th class (106 students) in May 2026 and maintaining a network of over 8,000 alumnae. The school's identity is built around four pillars: spirituality, scholarship, service, and sisterhood, encapsulated in the motto "Suaviter sed Fortiter" (Softly, but Strongly).

The school's core product is college preparatory education, delivered through AP courses, Academic Pathways, College Advisement, Global Education, and a Technology program. Co-curricular offerings include a Division I Athletics program, Arts & Media programs (Communication Arts, Visual Arts, Graphic Arts, Performing Arts including Padua Theatre), Campus Ministry, service learning, and an active club ecosystem. The underlying technology stack is third-party and operational: Veracross for the student/parent portal, bnck-12.com for the virtual bookstore, and pandassports.com for athletics scheduling. The school has no proprietary technology, no mobile application, and no AI/ML capabilities.

Padua Academy operates as a nonprofit under the governance of a Board of Trustees and the Diocese of Wilmington. Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring tuition from enrolled families, the Annual Fund, endowed fund gifts (minimum $10,000), annual giving days (Padua Gives Day, which exceeded its $50,000 goal in 2026), fundraising events such as the Spring Soiree, and ancillary programs including summer camps for grades 3-8 ($130-$265 per camp). The school expanded its executive leadership in 2026 by appointing Dr. Patricia Scott as its inaugural President and adopting a President-Principal governance model — a structural change designed to separate external executive functions from day-to-day academic leadership.

Name

Padua Academy

Legal name

Padua Academy

Website

https://paduaacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Padua Academy is a private all-girls Catholic college preparatory school in Wilmington, Delaware, founded in 1954 under the Diocese of Wilmington. It serves approximately 400-500 students with AP coursework, Division I athletics, arts programs, and faith-based formation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Private school tuition payments from enrolled families
2. Annual Fund Donations: Annual Fund donations supporting academic programs, co-curricular opportunities, campus life, and faith formation
3. Endowment Gifts: Endowed funds with initial gift of $10,000 or more, establishing named funds for perpetual awards
4. Padua Gives Day: Annual day of giving that exceeded $50,000 fundraising goal in 2026
5. Event Revenue: Spring Soiree event tickets and fundraising activities
6. Summer Camps: Revenue from Soccer Camp ($265), Flag Football Camp ($250), and Cheer Camp ($130) for girls in grades 3-8

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Padua Academy is a private all-girls Catholic college preparatory high school delivering grades 9-12 education grounded in the four pillars of spirituality, scholarship, service, and sisterhood. Its core offerings include a college preparatory curriculum with AP courses, Division I athletics, Arts & Media programs, academic pathways, global education, and technology integration. Supplemental paid offerings include summer athletic camps for girls in grades 3-8 (Soccer, Flag Football, Cheer).

Product overview

Padua Academy is a private all-girls Catholic college preparatory school offering a unified educational experience centered on four pillars: Spirituality, Scholarship, Service, and Sisterhood. The institution provides college preparatory education with AP courses, alongside diverse programs including Athletics (Division I), Arts & Media (Communication Arts, Fine Arts, Graphic Arts, Performing Arts including Padua Theatre), Academic Pathways, Global Education, and Technology. The school motto 'Suaviter sed Fortiter' (Softly, but Strongly) reflects its approach to educating young women for leadership and service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Preparatory Education
• AP Program
• Athletics Program
• Arts & Media Programs
• Padua Theatre
• Academic Pathways
• Global Education
• Padua Summer Camps

Quantifiable outcome

• Class of 2026 earned $30 million in scholarships
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• St. Anthony of Padua ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding parish of Padua Academy. Parish leadership involved in appointment of first President Dr. Patricia Scott. Deep historical connection dating to school founding in 1954.
• Oblates of St. Francis de SalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding religious order that administered and staffed the school in early years. Continue to provide spiritual support for students. School patrons include St. Francis de Sales.
• Sisters of St. Francis of PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding religious community that administered and staffed Padua Academy in early years. Sister Mary Bonagratia wrote the original school song. Continued connection through alumnae.
• DuPont Country ClubminorOthersDuPont Country Club Main Ballroom hosts Senior Prom events
• Deerfield Golf ClubminorOthersDeerfield Golf Club hosts Annual Spring Soiree fundraising event
• Fusco Fields at SalesianumminorOthersAthletic fields used for Soccer Summer Camp and Flag Football Camp
• Diocese of WilmingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiocesan school under Catholic Schools Board. Programs include IDEA Award, St. Francis de Sales Medal, and CYM Recognition for youth ministry.
• DelDOTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelaware Department of Transportation hosts annual Bridge Design Competition where Padua students compete
• Creative VisionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization running #CreateConnectCare campaign for youth mental health awareness. Ava Tindall '27 selected for National Mental Health Youth Council.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tatnall School: Independent college preparatory school in Wilmington serving PK-12. Competes with Padua for college-bound families seeking a private, non-parochial alternative in northern Delaware.
• Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School: All-girls Catholic college preparatory school in Washington, D.C., founded by the Visitation Sisters. Closely comparable to Padua in mission, single-gender Catholic identity, and college-prep programming.
• Ursuline Academy (Delaware): The other all-girls Catholic college preparatory school in Delaware, located in Bear, DE. Ursuline is the closest direct competitor to Padua in mission, audience, and offerings, competing for the same Delaware Catholic families.
• Tower Hill School: Independent (non-Catholic) pre-K-12 college preparatory school in Wilmington. A leading private independent competitor to Padua for academically oriented Delaware families, regardless of religious affiliation.
• Saint Mark's High School: Coed Catholic college preparatory school in Wilmington under the Diocese of Wilmington. Directly competes with Padua for Catholic college-prep families willing to consider coed options.
• Wilmington Friends School: Independent Quaker PK-12 school in Wilmington. Competes with Padua for values-oriented, college-prep-focused families in the Wilmington market.
• Notre Dame Preparatory School (Maryland): All-girls Catholic college preparatory school in Towson, MD, sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Direct comparable in size, mission, and all-girls Catholic identity to Padua for benchmarking.
• Archmere Academy: Coed Catholic college preparatory school in Claymont, DE, also Oblates of St. Francis de Sales tradition. Overlaps with Padua on Catholic identity, college-prep curriculum, and Delaware family base.
• Sanford School: Independent PK-12 college preparatory school in Hockessin, DE, a northern Delaware suburb. Competes with Padua for private-school tuition-paying families in the greater Wilmington area.
• Salesianum School: All-boys Catholic college preparatory school in Wilmington under the same Diocese of Wilmington and Oblates of St. Francis de Sales tradition. Functions as Padua's brother school and competes for the same diocesan families across genders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/padua-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Padua Academy