It is our belief that effective schools delineate their mission statements with Core Values that reflect the defining elements and culture of the school.  

1. Academics:  Even though high test scores and college acceptance rates are a source of pride for Cape Fear Academy, these accomplishments are believed to be a by-product of a good education.  The real objective of a Cape Fear Academy education is to teach students to be good thinkers and lifelong learners.  The Foundations Program and academic instructional units are driven by the fact that content can be memorized and often forgotten, but what remains well after the last test is the mental structure to process future knowledge.  Thinking critically, solving problems, and continuing to apply principles of learning to new knowledge are what we believe to be the real crux of education and at the heart of why we exist. 
2. Community:  Every human seems to have an inherent desire to belong to a larger group.  People derive support, identification, and emotional security from belonging to a close-knit group.  If they have no such group available, they may either identify with a more unwholesome group or remain alone and disaffected.   Parent and student surveys historically have indicated that the feeling of community at Cape Fear Academy is our most positive attribute.  We believe that the basis of this feeling is the emphasis placed on trust between all constituents.  Students demonstrate increased maturity and acceptance of responsibility as they move through the divisions and the parameters of student expectations are defined accordingly.  The core values are reinforced regularly with the adult members of the community in formal settings as well as in the manner in which we all conduct business.
3. Opportunity:   Research shows that, next to having adults care about them, the key factor for positive student motivation and school success is having a passion for something he or she enjoys.  Although this passion can develop early in an academic course, it is much more likely that a student’s first passion will develop in a co-curricular activity such as fine arts or athletics.  It is important educationally for each student to find a passion at school that makes the school day something to be anticipated and which creates a momentum to spread to other facets of his or her life.
   
4. Respect, Accountability, and Perspective:  These values indicate how we live at Cape Fear Academy and promote important attributes for the future:  responsible choices, respectful interactions, and a safe environment.  Within this environment, students can feel safe to try new things, challenge themselves, and develop self-confidence based on real achievements.