Confluence Academy currently serves 1,800 Edison students in grades K-7 at campuses in the Old North St. Louis, Walnut Park and South City neighborhoods of St. Louis.

“These bond proceeds will help us meet our goal of providing superb educational opportunities and help prepare our students for the complex world of the future,” said Susan Uchitelle, Chairman of the Board of Confluence Academy.

The bonds were issued by the Industrial Development Authority of the City of St. Louis and underwritten by Stifel Nicolaus. According to Paul N. Tice, President of Tice Asset Management LLC and Treasurer of Confluence Academy, the bond sale was the largest charter school issuance to date in Missouri. “This $23 million bond investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to improving educational outcomes for children in the City of St. Louis,” said Tice.

Confluence Academy, a non-profit organization, is now in its fourth year of educating students in partnership with Edison Schools. Edison was selected by the Board of Directors to manage daily school operations and to provide a research-based educational design along with state-of-the-art assessment tools.

Confluence’s expansion plans call for improvements at all three campuses, including: additional classrooms, a new gymnasium and cafeteria at the Old North St. Louis campus; a new multi-purpose room as well as classrooms at the Walnut Park campus (former Cardinal Ritter High School); and renovations at the South City campus (former location of St. Anthony’s of Padua Catholic School) that will make the classrooms, cafeteria and gymnasium ready for additional grades this fall. Each school will include an interactive library and technology-rich computer center. Construction began in January and is scheduled for completion summer 2007.

Contact: Roberto Gutierrez, Senior Vice President Public Affairs and Communication, 212-419-1737