History
Foundation
Franklin Road Academy was founded in 1971 by Bill Bradshaw under charter with the First Christian Church. The property at that time consisted of a stone residence and a brick building which housed a church sanctuary and offices. By 1973, the Tennessee Department of Education had approved the school, and a year later FRA became a member of the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools.
Growth
In 1975 the school purchased a house and land adjacent to the church property to be used by the kindergarten. The land that houses the current upper school was purchased in 1975. Classes for ninth and tenth grades started in the fall of 1976 and the first senior class graduated in 1979 with forty students.
FRA was rechartered in 1982 as an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory school with a Christian emphasis under the leadership of William L. Campbell. It was also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The school continued to grow. Classes were added, buildings renovated and funds raised for a new Lower School facilty, Danner Hall, which was dedicated in 1988. Athletic facilities were added including ball fields, gymnasiums, tennis courts and a new track. In 1994, the facility was named the George A. Volkert Athletic Complex.
A $7 million state-of-the-art Middle School facility opened in 1999 including an outstanding arts center. In 2006, the school broke ground for a new Library & Technology Building, Upper School Math & Science Building, and Student Quadrangle. Track improvements were made in spring, 2011. Planning is under way for a new administration building as well as a new cafeteria.
Affiliations
School affiliations include
Bill Bradshaw, Founder