St. Martin of Tours Academy

What St. Martin of Tours Academy does

St. Martin of Tours Academy is a parish-based Catholic school in La Mesa, California, owned and operated by St. Martin of Tours Parish under the San Diego Diocese. Founded on September 19, 1951, the school serves approximately 174 students in Kindergarten through 8th grade and 30 preschool students ages 3-5, with an average class size of 18. The school's pedagogical backbone is the Pilon Workshop Way System of Education, a holistic, faith-based methodology licensed in 1991 that emphasizes human growth goals, life skills, dignity, and self-management alongside Common Core, NGSS, and Diocesan academic standards. The school holds dual WASC/WCEA accreditation through June 30, 2030, and is a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School and the first Catholic Fair Trade School in the USA.

The school generates revenue primarily through annual tuition and required fees (a $45 application fee and $400 non-refundable registration fee per student), with additional recurring revenue from a dedicated preschool program ($150-$975/month), SpartanCare drop-in extended care ($9/hour), fee-based enrichment programs (chess, yoga, fencing, cooking, SeaPerch robotics), a hot lunch program, and annual fundraising (Great Cash Giveaway Gala and Walkathon). Tuition assistance of up to 50% is administered through FACTS Grant & Aid. The go-to-market is community-led: admissions are driven by parish referrals, parent word-of-mouth, school tours, and participation in the Diocesan Parochial Athletic Program, supported by light digital presence (Instagram, Facebook, Smore newsletters, Wix website).

The institution is a nonprofit, governed by Pastor Rev. Ignatius Kipchirchir, an Interim Principal, and a new Advisory Board, with no private equity, venture, or external institutional ownership. Ancillary programs include a parochial athletics program (Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Flag Football, Track, Cross Country), scouting partners (Cub Scouts Pack 51, Girl Scouts Troop 5199), and Catholic Schools Academic Decathlon. The school has produced over 650 graduates under the Pilon method and 72+ graduating classes since 1951.

Name

St. Martin of Tours Academy

Legal name

St. Martin of Tours Academy

Website

https://stmartinoftoursacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Martin of Tours Academy is a parish-based Catholic school in La Mesa, California, serving approximately 204 students in preschool through 8th grade with a faith-based, holistic curriculum. It operates as a nonprofit under the San Diego Diocese, funded by tuition, fees, and annual fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Catholic Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Catholic K-8 education
• Faith-based schooling
• Preschool program
• Extended day care
• Parochial athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

La Mesa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Annual tuition payments from families for K-8 education and preschool programs. Tuition rates for 2026-2027 school year are publicly disclosed.
2. SpartanCare Extended Care: Before and after school care program. Drop-in program billed at $9/hour in half-hour increments with $25/family annual registration.
3. Annual Fundraising (Gala and Walkathon): Major annual fundraiser (Great Cash Giveaway Gala) and Walkathon event to support operational expenses and educational programs.
4. After School Enrichment Programs: Fee-based enrichment programs including Excelsior Chess Club, Yoga, Fencing, and Sticky Fingers Cooking classes.
5. Hot Lunch Program: Hot lunch program ordered through San Diego Catering Co. via FACTS system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

St. Martin of Tours Academy is a parish-based Catholic school in La Mesa, California offering Preschool (ages 3-5) and Kindergarten through 8th grade academic programs built on the Pilon Workshop Way System of Education. The school delivers daily religious instruction, Common Core- and NGSS-aligned academics, Individual Learning Plans, and complementary programs including SpartanCare before/after-school care, parochial athletics, and after-school enrichment (chess, yoga, fencing, cooking, scouting, robotics).

Product overview

St. Martin of Tours Academy offers a unified Catholic education program spanning Preschool (ages 3-5) through eighth grade. The core academic program is built around the Pilon Workshop Way System of Education, a holistic approach aligned with Diocesan, NGSS, and Common Core Standards. Beyond the classroom, the school provides complementary programs including SpartanCare extended care, a Parochial Athletics Program with multiple sports, and various after-school enrichment activities such as chess, yoga, fencing, cooking, scouting, choir, Academic Decathlon, and SeaPerch robotics. The institution holds dual accreditation from WASC and WCEA, and has earned Green Ribbon School and Fair Trade School designations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Academic Program Co-educational Kindergarten through 8th grade Catholic school program providing academic education rooted in Catholic faith and aligned with Diocesan, NGSS, and Common Core Standards. Includes daily religious instruction (30-40 minutes), weekly Mass, sacramental preparation, Spanish instruction for junior high, technology instruction grades 2-8, and differentiated small-group instruction through the Pilon Workshop Way System.
• Preschool Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Average class size of 18 students ensures individualized attention
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Diocesan Parochial Athletic ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool participates in the Diocesan Parochial Athletic Program for extracurricular sports including Soccer (K-8), Basketball (Gr. 3-8), Volleyball (Gr. 5-8), Flag Football (Gr. 5-8), Track (K-8), and Cross Country (K-8).
• Catholic Schools Academic DecathlonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic competition program for grades 5-8 focusing on academic excellence and competitive learning.
• SeaPerchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnderwater robotics program for grades 6-8 providing STEM education through hands-on robotics building.
• Excelsior Chess ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter-school chess program for grades 1-8, meeting Mondays 2:30-3:30 PM.
• Girl Scouts USA - Troop 5199minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTroop established at SMTA in 2018, part of Girl Scout San Diego La Mesa Service Unit. Meets 1st and 3rd Thursday of month.
• Cub Scouts Pack 51minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCub Scout pack hosted at SMTA for boys and girls Kindergarten through 5th grade. Oldest Pack and Troop in La Mesa, started over 40 years ago.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sacred Heart Parish School: Catholic K-8 parish school in Coronado, CA within the San Diego Diocese. Comparable in faith-based curriculum, parish affiliation, and small-class structure.
• St. Mary's School: Escondido, CA Catholic K-8 school within the San Diego Diocese. Comparable faith-based K-8 institution serving North San Diego County families.
• Our Lady of Grace School: Catholic K-8 parish school in El Cajon, CA. Comparable in size, faith-based programming, and parish operating model within the San Diego Diocese.
• St. John School: San Diego, CA Catholic K-8 school under the San Diego Diocese. Comparable in faith-based pedagogy, parish affiliation, and small-class model targeting San Diego families.
• Blessed Sacrament School: San Diego Catholic K-8 school in the same diocese. Operates a comparable parish-based faith-based K-8 program with enrichment athletics and enrichment offerings.
• Nativity School: El Cajon, CA Catholic K-8 school in the San Diego Diocese. Directly comparable parish-based faith-based school serving the same East County geography.
• All Hallows Academy: La Mesa, CA Catholic K-8 school under the San Diego Diocese. Directly comparable faith-based K-8 institution serving the same East San Diego County catchment as SMTA.

Regional players

• St. Columba School: San Diego, CA Catholic K-8 school in the San Diego Diocese. Comparable faith-based parish model, serving a different neighborhood within the same diocese.
• St. Francis of Assisi School: Vista, CA Catholic K-8 school within the San Diego Diocese. Comparable faith-based parish school operating in a different sub-region of the diocese.
• Franciscan School of San Diego (St. Didacus): San Diego, CA Catholic K-8 school. Comparable parish-based Catholic K-8 institution within the San Diego Diocese operating a similar faith-based curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stmartinoftoursacademylamesa
• Instagraminstagram.com/stmartinacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-martin-of-tours-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 St. Martin of Tours Academy