Cedar River Academy has moved from the former J.J. Smith Elementary School building on Fell Street just down the street to the former Seventh-Day Adventist School building at 3333 Griffin Ave.

Doors opened Jan. 3.

The new campus includes more than 26,000 square feet of floor space and nearly five acres of sports and playgrounds. CRA management invested more than three months to renovate the Griffin Avenue facility and get it ready for the January opening.

“Our lease of part of the J.J. Smith Elementary building began in 2006, where we shared the buildings with other tenants,” said Roger Franklin, Cedar River Academy’s chief executive officer. “CRA will be the soul occupant of our new Griffin Avenue campus, allowing us to completely secure the facilities for our students and provide other significant benefits not available in a shared facility. Our new long-term lease gives CRA a level of stability we have not enjoyed for the past few years.”

“We are proud of the achievements of our students,” said Anne Gerken, CRA admissions director. “We welcome visitors to our school anytime so they may tour our facilities and learn more about our education model.”

Cedar River Academy is a private, nonsectarian, college preparatory day school.

The results of CRA’s work are impressive. One hundred percent of CRA students are expected to graduate from high school and be college ready. For the past three years, CRA fifth-grade students ranked in the 99th, 99th and 98th percentile on a nationally-normed standardized test battery.

The CRA student body is intentionally heterogeneous. CRA students include English Language Learners, children who have moderate to acute learning challenges and students who receive financial aid. CRA accepts students as they are and build on their strengths.

All CRA certified teachers develop integrated, multi-subject curricula that addresses Washington state learning standards. This curricula assures student engagement and self-directed learning.

Cedar River Academy supports a mastery of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, reading, writing, communications, social studies, foreign language, fine arts, music and physical education standards.

Multi-age group CRA classrooms encourage student-driven learning. Student progress is tracked along subject-specific knowledge continuums, rather than traditional grade levels.

Cedar River Academy’s website may be found at www.cedarriveracademy.com.