Imago Dei Middle School

A nonprofit organization

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$10,000 Goal

Breaking the cycles of poverty through education. Our mission for nearly two decades and the reason we humbly ask for your support.

One in five Pima County children lives in poverty. 100% of the students at Imago Dei Middle School do as well. Founded in 2006, Imago Dei is a small, independent, tuition-free private school in Tucson, offering grades 4-8 for children exclusively from low-income families. We offer a private school education at NO COST to families or their children. Services include enrichment and extracurriculars, Chromebooks and school supplies, free breakfast and lunch, school uniform shirts and a family food pantry.

Imago Dei offers a quality private-school education exceeding state academic standards. Our rigorous curriculum is designed to expose our scholars to great things, allowing them to acquire the knowledge and skills that will help them succeed in high school and beyond. We encourage our students to discover their gifts, explore their interests, and aim high.

We are mindful and appreciative of cultural differences, both in our students and in the world around us.

Our small classes - 20 maximum with a 10-to-1 student-teacher ratio - and 10-hour days allow our teachers to give students individual attention. Our extended schedule provides ample time for the arts and enrichment activities: Imago Dei scholars are able to experience the best that our city and all of Arizona has to offer.

The school is calm and well-organized. Classes are conducted in an atmosphere of kindness and mutual respect, in which each student's contributions are welcomed. Our scholars benefit from exposure to a variety of instructional styles and ways of learning - from lectures and memory drills to free-wheeling discussions, creative group projects and hands-on learning. Tutoring is provided for students who need extra support.

The school's experienced, dedicated teaching staff works hard to build confidence and nurture genuine love of learning in every Imago Dei scholar.

In addition to a longer school day (which makes it safer for our students, and easier for their parents to work), our students frequently attend Saturday Exploratory events. They attend school eleven months out of the year, helping to prevent summer learning loss and helping us prepare them as they advance to some of Tucson's top private and public schools. We support our graduates through their high school and college years through our Graduate Support Program, and also provide robust support for their entire family through services such as Family Support and our food pantry.

Currently, our student body is 100% minority, with the majority of our students being Latino, followed by refugees from African conflicts, African-American and mixed-race students, Native Americans, and others. Many come to us well below grade level; nearly one-third of our scholars are English Language Learners. We rejoice in the diversity of our students and our community. While we are an independent Episcopal school, none of our current scholars is Episcopalian; we warmly welcome and respect people of all faiths and traditions, as well as those who profess none.

Testimonials

"From the start, it has always felt like family. Imago Dei feels like a second home. They welcome me with open arms as a person from another country and taught me many important lessons. I couldn't be more grateful to have gone to this school." -Star, Class of 2021 graduate and 2024 Imago Dei intern as part of his senior year at Tucson's The Gregory School.

"Imago Dei taught me responsibility, and how to communicate with people. And Imago Dei honestly showed me how to be kind and patient." - Soline, 2018 Imago Dei Middle School graduate. Born in a refugee camp in Zimbabwe, Soline has now gone on to graduate from Tennessee State University, having attended on a full ride scholarship.

"My time at Imago Dei has been a rollercoaster of emotions. When I first came here I didn't know how to read or write, but my teachers always helped me through it, which I am very thankful for. I used to be scared to ask for help, and I would just try to figure it out myself, but having teachers who are so helpful just made me a stronger person in a lot of different ways. I feel better about standing up for myself and for other people, too." -Neydi, Class of 2022 graduate

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Imago Dei Middle School

Tax id (EIN)

86-1155866

Guidestar

Address

55 North 6th Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone

520-882-4008

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