Sci Academy

Sci Academy is a high school in the New Orleans East area of New Orleans, United States.HistoryThe school opened in the 2008-2009 school year at grade nine. As of March 2008 the school's location had not yet been decided, but possible locations were East New Orleans and Gentilly. The school was originally named New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics Academy which was similar to another New Orleans high school, New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School (SciHigh). Sci Academy was modeled after SciHigh. Most New Orleans area charter schools which were opening at the time started with students younger than high school age, and then added grades as the students advanced and grew older. Ben Marcovitz, then 28 years old, founded the school. Marcovitz, a graduate of Yale University, had previously taught at Sci High. He also previously taught at Saint Mary's Academy.In September 2010 Oprah Winfrey presented a $1 million check from the Oprah's Angel Network to the school principal, Ben Marcovitz. Sci Academy was one of six schools to receive $1 million checks from Oprah on that occasion. In October 2010, parents of children with disabilities filed a lawsuit against the school, saying that the school discriminated against students with disabilities, with the Southern Poverty Law Center representing the families.