Building Southwest Academy

One year from now, Southwest Academy's classrooms will be filled with students learning, exploring, reading, and discovering the world together. While opening day is still ahead of us, the work of building that school is happening every day.

Over the past month, we've welcomed new members to our team, continued developing partnerships, and had the privilege of meeting hundreds of families and community members at Moore's Farmers Market and National Night Out. Each conversation reminds us why this work matters.

What encourages me most is seeing people begin to imagine what Southwest Academy could become—not simply another school, but a community where children are known, parents are valued, and learning is joyful, challenging, and meaningful.

Thank you for following this journey with us. Whether you've shared a social media post, stopped by our booth at a community event, or simply told a friend about SWA, you've become part of building something that we believe will serve families for generations.

I'm excited to share a few of the milestones we've reached this month—and a glimpse of what's still ahead.

— Angie Ritter, Board President

Some people help build schools by serving on boards. Others build them by changing children's lives every day. For Carole Holmes, those two paths have come together at Southwest Academy.

As one of SWA's founders and former Vice President of the Board, Carole helped shape the vision that continues to guide our school today. Now she begins a new chapter by stepping into the role of Reading Specialist, where her expertise will directly impact students and teachers alike.

Carole holds a Master of Arts in Teaching in Multisensory Structured Language Education and is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT). Throughout her career, she has helped children overcome reading challenges, supported students with dyslexia, and coached teachers in evidence-based literacy instruction.

Reading is one of the strongest predictors of future academic success, and Southwest Academy is committed to giving every student a strong foundation from the very beginning. We're grateful to have an experienced literacy specialist helping lead that effort and ensuring that strong reading instruction is built into our school from its earliest days.

Beyond her professional work, family is an important part of Carole's life. She and her husband, Will, have been married for 29 years and have three children. Two have completed college, and their youngest recently began her junior year of college in Ohio. Their family also grew this summer when they welcomed a son-in-law.

Getting to Know Carole

Favorite children's book:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Favorite family vacation spot:
The family cabin in the Colorado mountains

Favorite way to spend a Saturday:
Playing board games with her family

Favorite quote:
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." — Thomas Edison

Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers—Together

One of the most exciting aspects of building Southwest Academy has been forming relationships with organizations that share our commitment to educational excellence and servant leadership.

This month, we're honored to highlight Randall University, located here in Moore, Oklahoma.

Founded in 1959, Randall University has spent more than six decades preparing students to lead and serve in their communities. Today, the university offers undergraduate, graduate, adult, and online degree programs while continuing to expand opportunities for students pursuing careers in education, business, ministry, behavioral sciences, and other professional fields.

In a letter supporting Southwest Academy, Dr. Jay McCurry, Ed.D., recognized several strengths of our school model, including our evidence-based academic approach, intentional character development, sustainable growth strategy, experienced leadership, and commitment to serving families throughout Moore and South Oklahoma City.

But what excites us most isn't simply the endorsement. It's the opportunity to partner together.

As Southwest Academy grows, we hope to provide meaningful clinical teaching experiences where Randall education students can learn alongside experienced educators in a school committed to strong mentoring, evidence-based instruction, and meaningful relationships with students and families.

Dr. McCurry also noted that partnerships like this help strengthen Oklahoma's teacher workforce by creating a pathway for well-prepared graduates to begin their careers serving local communities. Just as importantly, he shared a vision for cultivating a college-going culture, helping young students see higher education as an attainable goal from their earliest years. Those aspirations align closely with Southwest Academy's mission of preparing students not only for academic success, but for lives of purpose, leadership, and service.

We believe great schools and great universities should work together.

By investing in future teachers today, we can strengthen classrooms for generations to come.

We're grateful for Randall University's confidence in Southwest Academy and look forward to the opportunities this partnership will create for students, families, and educators across our community.

Every great school has a welcoming front door.

More importantly, it has someone behind that door who makes every family feel at home.

We're excited to welcome Gemma Bernardino to Southwest Academy.

Gemma will help establish our front office, implement our student information systems, and support many of the behind-the-scenes operations that will keep our school running smoothly.

For many families, she'll be the first friendly face they meet and the first voice they hear. Whether she's welcoming visitors, assisting parents through the enrollment process, answering questions, or helping students feel comfortable on their first day, Gemma will play an important role in creating the warm, family-centered culture we're building at Southwest Academy.

A native Californian, Gemma now calls Oklahoma home. She is bilingual and the proud mother of a four-year-old daughter, giving her a unique appreciation for the trust parents place in their children's school.

We're excited to have Gemma helping build Southwest Academy from the ground up.

Getting to Know Gemma

Favorite place in California: Dodger Stadium!

Favorite family activity: Going to the beach

One thing people might be surprised to learn about me: I can spend HOURS organizing. It's something I genuinely enjoy!

Become a Founding Friend

Every great school is built by more than educators.

It's built by people who believe in its mission.

As Southwest Academy continues preparing for its August 2027 opening, we're grateful for the growing community of individuals who are helping turn this vision into reality. Some are introducing us to local businesses, churches, and neighborhood organizations. Others volunteer at community events, share our story with friends, contribute professional expertise, or simply encourage our team along the way.

Many of our greatest opportunities have begun with a single conversation.

Whether you have a few hours each month or simply want to stay informed and support the work we're doing, we'd love to invite you to become one of our Founding Friends.

As a Founding Friend, you'll receive updates about our progress, invitations to special events, and opportunities to help as Southwest Academy continues to grow. Whether your gifts are in hospitality, communications, photography, event planning, administration, business, construction, mentoring, or simply encouraging others, there's a meaningful place for you in this journey.

If you believe every child deserves an exceptional education, we'd be honored to have you help build Southwest Academy.

Become a Founding Friend

We’d love the opportunity to meet you, answer your questions, and share more about what we’re building at Southwest Academy. Members of our team will be out in the community over the coming weeks, and we invite prospective families, future volunteers, and community supporters to stop by and say hello.

You can find us at the Moore Farmers Market on Saturday, August 15, Saturday, August 29, and Saturday, September 19, from 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Come meet members of our team, learn more about our plans for Southwest Academy, and find out how you can be part of our founding community. We look forward to meeting you!