Sacred Heart Academy S T R O NG VA L U E S . STR O NG ACADEMICS . S T RON G LEADERS HIP
EXPLORE. DISCOVER. CREATE. SUCCEED. 1
At Sacred Heart you can be yourself. It’s where you can be smart, where you will try new things, and where you will discover beauty in music and art.
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EXCELSIOR — Ever Higher Sacred Heart Academy emphasizes academic excellence with strong values embedded in day to day life at the Academy. We have a distinguished faculty, a strikingly beautiful campus, and an exceptional college acceptance record. Each year 130 new students eagerly anticipate joining this vibrant community where students accept challenges and respect the goodness and difference in others. They revel in learning new math concepts, studying genetics, and engaging in middle-eastern studies. They’re learning Chinese, studying the writings of Toni Morrison, examining the social context of Shakespearean plays, and playing lacrosse. Many are dancing and acting at the Shubert Theatre in our school musical, while others are working in biology labs doing DNA research, or establishing new records on our state of the art outdoor track. They find that they fit in at Sacred Heart where they belong.
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OUR MISSION Sacred Heart Academy, founded by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Roman Catholic tradition and committed to the expression of strong Christian values and intellectual growth, provides a challenging college preparatory education for young women. The School is a community which promotes the growth of the whole person in a caring environment that encourages personal integrity, compassion, justice, and a sense of responsibility to self, to others, and to the needs of society.
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OUR MOTTO Our motto, Excelsior, “Ever Higher,” inscribed on our academy seal, states the heart of our philosophy: that the best education for life is to learn to strive for excellence in all we do. Our students of today seek strength in academics, comfort in an all-girl environment, and the love of God about them in a Catholic school. They have a sense of belonging to a strong community with a meaningful past. Sacred Heart has a sure sense of place, a place where everyone belongs. As a Catholic school, we honor the uniqueness of each individual, and recognize the varying ways in which students learn. Thus, we have developed varied types of class format and evaluative methods, and a wide range of both required and elective courses in a challenging curriculum that encourages a respect for learning and human achievement. First Friday and holy day liturgies along with classes in theology define our environment that supports the individual student’s search for spiritual growth and identity both in self-discovery and in service to others.
OUR CORE VALUES Both our teachers and students have the Vision and Courage to live our Core Values and Ideals. CATHOLIC COMMUNIT Y COMPA SSION EXCELLENCE INTEGRIT Y SOCIAL JUSTICE
“‘Impelled by Christ’s Love,’ all of us at the Academy are called to embrace lives of goodness and joy.” —Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., President
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Quotes from Parents “Sacred Heart provided a great education for our older daughter, Samantha, and prepared her for college and for life. The teachers and the warm, caring environment of Sacred Heart changed her, and shaped her into a strong, young woman who carries herself with dignity and respect. We want this for our younger daughter, Katie, who sees the difference Sacred Heart made in her sister.” — Kelly and Ralph Gesuero
“SHA fosters a remarkable environment for young women: Cutting edge education in a faith-based curriculum. They are immersed in courses as diverse as Biotechnology and Ethics where students routinely present their original molecular biology research at national conferences, to remarkably sophisticated, but simultaneously down-to-earth Theology courses. Our three daughters, two of whom have now graduated, could not have experienced better high school academics. More importantly, they have done so in a nurturing environment that helped form them into the independent and compassionate adults that they are today.” — Keiren and Brian Smith
The Smith’s have had three daughters attend SHA. Christine is a student at Princeton University where she has received the Shapiro Prize for Academic Excellence and will spend the summer as an intern at the American Bar Association in Washington, DC, under the aegis of a James Madison Fellowship. A student at the University of Notre Dame, Laura has been admitted to the Hesburgh Scholar Program. She received the James F. Andrews Scholarship for summer service, and will spend the summer as a Shepherd Intern at a public defender’s office in Kentucky. Elizabeth is still a student at SHA and a recipient of a Sister Antonine Signorelli, ASCJ, Academic Scholarship and the Yale Book Award.
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ISABELLA SIEGEL College choice: Haverford College, accepted Early Decision National Merit Commended Scholar Peer Connection National Honor Society, President Mu Alpha Theta (Mathematics National Honor Society) Science National Honor Society French National Honor Society Key Club, President Mission Trip, Camden, NJ Prism (literary and art magazine)
At Yale University Pulmonary Research Department Isabella served as Intern/Associate for 20 hours each week in grades 11 and 12. In the lab she learned about common molecular biology techniques as she worked on her own project. She had the opportunity to participate in research on the frontier of cell biology.
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“Sacred Heart Academy was the best decision I’ve ever made, for my academic as well as my personal growth. I was prepared for work in a professional setting during my early biology classes, and later worked in a Cell and Molecular Biology laboratory at the Yale Medical School where I’ve been studying lung cancer. I had the opportunity this year to go to the American Thoracic Society conference in Denver, Colorado to present our findings—all because of this amazing experience. Through my AP statistics class senior year, I was able to develop a project outside the classroom on adolescent sleep patterns, and presented my independent work at the Yale Sleep Symposium this year as well. Through all of this, I have been surrounded by the most supportive and loving community that is always there for my classmates and me. Whether it is in the guidance office or during after school hours spent with teachers, there is always someone who can offer advice or expertise. So many teachers, advisers, and friends at Sacred Heart care about me and point me in the right direction for my future. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing!”
ACADEMICS Academic innovation is the hallmark of Sacred Heart Academy. Through a curriculum shaped to offer new challenges and opportunities for sharing of ideas, teachers collaborate on interdisciplinary programs as they respond carefully to students’ ideas. Energy fills our classrooms. Our teachers encourage accuracy and attention to detail while addressing the individuality of students and their needs. Student ideas develop and flourish as they learn and grow under teachers who mentor relationships with students beyond the classroom to club settings and playing fields.
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MATHEMATICS
HUMANITIES
Because of the systematic structure of our math courses, integrated and interactive technology, 80-minute class length, and highly qualified faculty, our students develop a sense of inquiry as top scholars in math.
Through courses in English, history, psychology and philosophy, students learn to understand the process of societal change and the world as it is today. They gain an appreciation of the past and a vision for the future as they articulate their ideas through engaging classroom discussion. Students explore a variety of genres, writers, and historical contexts and become strong critical thinkers, engaged readers, and accomplished writers.
With myriad opportunities in math for our young women, each student is able to reach some level of calculus before graduation through an interim course, fondly called the COMBO course. This rigorous math course covers two math courses in one: Honors Algebra II and Pre-calculus. In this way, students may take Advanced Placement AB Calculus as juniors or seniors, and BC Calculus as seniors regardless of their initial math entry proficiency.
Writing is emphasized throughout the curriculum with essay writing a critical component of every test and exam. The challenging curriculum offers English courses that range from introductory courses in literary genres and composition to British literature, World Literature, African American Literature, and Shakespeare among a wide variety of elective choices. AP courses in English Language and Composition and English Literature challenge the students with exposure to rigorous standards of academic writing and comparative studies of famous pieces of literature.
Our students learn to think in a mathematical way that enables them to tackle experiments in science and problem solve throughout the curriculum.
Moody Mega Math Challenge Each year, top math students participate in a national competition sponsored by the Moody Foundation where two teams of 5 students each spend 14 hours on a weekend in the spring working on a mathematical modeling problem. They compete for a number of college scholarship awards. In the past, one team advanced to the top 50 out of over 1100 national teams, and two teams advanced to the top 200.
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Courses in AP Psychology and AP U.S. Government offer indepth knowledge and the acquisition of sophisticated analytical skills needed for college level social science courses. Interactive on-line modules and research and policy papers are incorporated into the curriculum. Stimulating courses in Western Civilization, Middle Eastern Studies, and Asian Studies allow students to explore historical roots, politics, and culture of many lands.
SCIENCE INTEL AWARD — Sacred Heart Academy has been recognized by Intel Corporation as one of the top three High Schools of Distinction in Science in the United States.
new ideas. Through our one-on-one laptop program, students are able to perform virtual experiments online as they learn to understand the complexities of science.
Conscious of the thrust toward STEM education, especially for young women, Sacred Heart offers a variety of biological and physical sciences with mathematics integrated throughout the science curriculum. Foundation science courses begin with biology and chemistry, followed by a choice of inquiry-based Human Gene Discovery Laboratory, physics or AP physics, AP biology, AP chemistry, and courses in microbiology, genetics, anatomy and physiology, and biotechnology research to complete an innovative science curriculum. Many of our science courses are usually found in college environments. We encourage students to problem solve, design experiments, and collaborate in discovering
The students in Honors Biotechnology Research classes have had the privilege of presenting scientific posters at international and national meetings: United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) Annual Symposium; American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Convention; Genetics Society of America (GSA); and American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMNB), to name a few of the many conferences at which our students have presented through the years. Sarcred Heart Academy has 26 DNA sequences published in GenBank (NIH, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
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LANGUAGES On any given day you will hear students speaking French, debating in Spanish, celebrating the Chinese New Year, and translating Vergil in our world language classes. Sacred Heart offers three modern languages, Chinese, French, and, Spanish along with classical Latin. Through the latest in language-learning technology and small class size, students easily practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing under the personalized attention of our talented language faculty, most of whom are native speakers. All languages are offered from the first level through advanced AP levels. All students take a minimum of two years in world language, with most students electing to continue language through the fourth and AP levels. Language study reinforces English skills and offers students an appreciation of diverse cultures and peoples.
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FINE ARTS A wide variety of opportunities for growth in the Fine and Performing Arts nurtures future artists, actors, and musicians as well as students who simply desire to explore the creative nature of fine arts experiences. Whether in the classroom or on stage, our students engage as singers, actors, dancers, painters, sculptors, photographers, and technicians. Dedicated teachers provide a supportive environment that encourages creativity through handson experiences which enlighten minds to the wonder and power of the arts. Through independent study programs and field trips, students learn to see the world in a different perspective, enjoying the richness music, art, and theatre provide. Because our Academy is committed to providing the best in performance
opportunities, the annual musical is held each year in the legendary Shubert Theatre in New Haven. There, our students work alongside professional musicians and sound and lighting technicians, and gain hands-on technical skills as they produce unforgettable theatre. Several vocal and orchestral concerts throughout the year and the traditional Festival at Christmastime provide ample performance opportunities. Our students compete and win in voice and orchestra at All-State competitions and exhibit award-winning artwork at various art show competitions. Through courses in music, drama, and the visual arts, students learn to appreciate beauty through aesthetic awareness, and to think in an active and artistic manner. 13
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Students explore moral and spiritual facets of their lives through class discussion, guest speaker programs, and forums.
THEOLOGY As a Catholic school we teach the doctrines of the Catholic faith through four years of required core theology courses that develop and enhance each student’s relationship with God through different types of prayer. The theology curriculum allows students the opportunity to participate in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church. The Theology of the Body for Teens, based on the teachings of Pope John Paul II, is integrated into the scope and sequence of the four year theology curriculum.
Each course develops the student’s relationship with God and fellow man with an emphasis on moral formation in courses such as Conscience Formation and Morality, and Peace and Justice. The elective course Comparative World Religions offers a stimulating survey of the modern religious world through examination of Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism, Shinto, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism as well as new religious movements in the 21st century.
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SPIRITUAL LIFE The Sacred Heart Academy Chapel is at the heart of our spiritual life. It is used for liturgical and prayer services, as well as individual prayer. Outdoor stations of the cross and shrines provide additional opportunities for spiritual reflection. All teachers support and encourage the fostering of the faith of the students and of the school community. Through the Office of Campus Ministry, our Campus Minister and student team develop creative and meaningful worship through First Friday liturgies each month, advent and Lenten liturgies, parent/student liturgies, and other services. In the fall of each year, the school community is consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus during the Enthronement Liturgy, our single most important religious event, since the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the center of all we are and do at the Academy. An annual retreat is required of all students to enable them to reflect upon their lives, and, in so doing, to deepen their understanding of both God and themselves. Through prayer, the sacraments, and faithbuilding activities, students grow in their faith life by developing and nurturing a relationship with God, with each other, and with the greater faith community. Seniors are offered the opportunity to make a Kairos retreat. This is a three and one-half day Ignation Retreat that provides an experience of Christian community with a series of talks given by peers and adults. Kairos changes hearts as it offers a true experience of God for our seniors that they will draw from throughout their lives.
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TECHNOLOGY In recent years the Lenovo Yoga laptop/ tablet convertible has been the model issued to freshmen for their use while students at Sacred Heart. The school has transitioned to Office 365 for students, faculty, and staff. Office 365 provides file storage and e-mail in the cloud so all may access their documents wherever they are on any device they choose. In addition, all users are able to work collaboratively on the same document simultaneously regardless of their location. Through a generous grant award, Sacred Heart purchased a Discover Video digital media/video distribution system. This system
allows the distribution of live video from any location and the live streaming of broadcasts including sporting events, professional development workshops, classroom lessons, messages from special speakers, and graduation. Among the many features of the system is the ability to create a video library available to faculty and students. Through the OnCampus learning management system, parents, students, and teachers are able to more easily share information on assignments and activities. All aspects of campus life, including academics, athletics, and clubs appear in one place on the Sacred Heart Academy website and can be viewed in a live activity stream.
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ATHLETICS Athletics are an integral part of the total educational experience at SHA. On any day, you can walk around the campus and notice students running on our track, playing competitive soccer, or enjoying the rewards of being a team player on the basketball court. There are opportunities to improve, to learn new skills, and to have fun. Our coaches stress the importance of commitment, leadership, and excellence in competition. All students benefit from regular physical exercise through physical education classes, team sports, and strength and conditioning training in the fitness center. Through athletics, our students gain the confidence and skills to maintain lifetime wellness. Our athletic program offers a choice of 26 teams competing in 14 varsity and junior varsity sports, with freshman teams in volleyball, basketball, and softball. SHA teams have qualified for
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All-Conference, All-State and All-American selections. Over 60% of our students compete in the following interscholastic sports: Fall
ross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer, C Swimming and Diving, Volleyball, Cheerleading
Winter Basketball, Ice Hockey, Indoor Track, Cheerleading Spring Softball, Lacrosse, Golf, Tennis, Track and Field In the past three years SHA qualified for the CIAC State Tournament in Cross Country, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Volleyball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Indoor Track and Field, Lacrosse, Softball, Outdoor Track and Field, and Tennis as members of the Southern Connecticut Conference.
Go
Pacers!
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Sacred Heart Academy is a vibrant community where students accept challenges and respect the goodness and difference in others.
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DANIELLE BEAM College choice: Stanford University Medical Researchers Club, Founder and President National Honor Society Mu Alpha Theta (Mathematics National Honor Society) French National Honor Society Moody’s Mega Math challenge member of top 200 team Drama Club Rocket Club Softball
At Yale University Pharmacology Department Laboratory Dani performed research that looked at MKP-1 in the area of the brain that controls diet to see if there was a correlation.
At Yale Child Neuroscience Laboratory Dani helped classify fMRI image components over several summers, and continues to work in that area as she starts her own project.
“It is hard to put into words how much Sacred Heart Academy has helped me during the last four years. I found my voice at SHA. This school has given me not only the confidence to strive for my goals, but also the confidence to be completely myself. It wasn’t until I was sitting in my ninth grade biology class that I realized I could excel in school, and it wasn’t until some of the upperclassmen in my math class took me under their wings that I realized I didn’t have to be shy anymore. Sacred Heart gave me the tools to find and express who I truly am, and, for that, I am eternally grateful. I was fortunate to be admitted to the University of Chicago, Yale, and Stanford. There are a few reasons I chose to go to Stanford. One is that it is arguably the best university for neuroscience, the field I am most passionate about. One of the biggest reasons I picked Stanford is that it felt like home, like Sacred Heart does. The students are extremely welcoming, and the school has the feeling and atmosphere of Sacred Heart. It is charged, energetic, fun, and inspiring, pushing its students to be the best they can be, just as SHA does. I am so blessed that I will continue in the environment that I first found at Sacred Heart.”
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Prepare to lead! CLUBS & ACTIVITIES Belonging to clubs allows students to explore academic interests, to run meetings, to try new things, and to discover unrecognized talents. Students can even work with teachers in creating new clubs! The co-curricular program of clubs and other activities is an extension of the academic curriculum and an important aspect of our students’ education. Students can participate in over 40 clubs and societies that allows them the chance to pursue their passions and interests outside the classroom. Through planning events, students form new friendships, develop leadership abilities, and have fun in the joy of involvement.
Where we learn and have fun! Alethea (newspaper) Art Club Athletic Hospitality Club Campus MInistry Classics Club Clelian (yearbook) Concert Choir Dance Club Drama Club Earth Club French Honor Society French Club Guitar Club Freshman Chorus The Inklings (Theology Book Club) Key Club
Knitting Club Latin Honor Society Math League Medical Research Club Musical Mock Trial Mu Alpha Theta National Honor Society Orchestra Paint Crew for Musical Peer Connection Photography Club Prism (literary and art magazine) Pro-Life Club Prom Committee RAOK (Random Acts of Kindness) Club
Rocketry Club Science National Honor Society SHAdes of SHA Shakespeare Club Sister to Sister Club Spanish Club Spanish National Honor Society Student Council Students Again Destructive Decisions (SADD) Technical Crew for Musical Technology Club Young Alumnae Association Young Historians Club Young Writers Club
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ADVISEMENT & COLLEGE PLACEMENT At the beginning of grade 9, each student is assigned to a guidance counselor who works with the student throughout the four years with assistance in academic, personal, and college counseling. Along with a pastoral counselor, guidance counselors help students achieve academic and personal success. A freshman transition program designed to help students adjust through aid in study skills, goal setting, learning styles, and teen issues is offered to all freshmen during their first semester. In the fall of the freshman year, counselors host a Freshman Guidance evening to introduce students and parents to the available guidance
resources. PSAT 8-9 is given to all freshmen to prepare them for future standardized testing. During the sophomore and junior years students take the PSAT in October. A College Planning evening is held for all sophomores and their parents in March of each year, with a College Planning evening for juniors and their parents held in January of each year. Individual conferences are scheduled with all sophomores and juniors to discuss course selection, career aspirations, and colleges that are a good fit for students’ personal and academic strengths. Counselors discuss planning for SAT, ACT, and Subject Tests.
COLLEGE COUNSELING All seniors and their parents are invited to a Senior College Application Night in September of the senior year. Individual senior conferences are scheduled with students in the fall when counselors review every aspect of each student’s college application, including review of the Common Application or any individual college application. Rising seniors often take advantage of college essay workshops during the summer months. Counselors are available to speak with parents through individual appointments.
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A College Fair is held each October with Notre Dame High School along with two evenings to discuss financial aid, and a College Athletics evening to help families plan for college. During the fall of each year over 100 college representatives visit Sacred Heart Academy to provide information about their schools and to answer students’ questions. Sacred Heart Academy is proud of its strong record of placing students in colleges and universities throughout the United States and abroad.
A Strong Future The following is a partial listing of the colleges and universities to which our students have been accepted in recent years: Albertus Magnus College American University Amherst College Assumption College Bard College Barnard College Bennington College Bentley University Boston College Boston Conservatory Boston University Brandeis University Brown University Bryant University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University California Institute of Technology (CIT) Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America Central CT State University Clark University Clemson University Colby College Colgate University College of Charleston College of the Holy Cross College of Saint Rose Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University Creighton University Davidson College DePaul University Dickinson College Drew University Drexel University Drake University Duke University Duquesne University Eastman School of Music Emerson College Emory University Fairfield University Fashion Institute of Technology Fordham University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology
Gettysburg College Gonzaga University Hamilton College Hampshire College Hampton University Hartwick College Haverford College Harvard University Hofstra University Howard University Iona College James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Kenyon College Lafayette University LaSalle University Lehigh University Loyola University Maryland Loyola University Chicago Manhattan College Marist College Marquette University Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) McGill University Miami University of Ohio Michigan State University Middlebury College Minnesota State University Montana State University Mount Holyoke College New England Conservatory New York University North Carolina State University Northeastern University Oberlin College Ohio State University Parsons School of Design Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine University Princeton University Providence College Purdue University Quinnipiac University Reed College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rochester Institute of Technology
Rutgers University Sacred Heart University St. Anselm College St. John’s University St. Joseph University St. Louis University St. Michael’s College Salve Regina University San Francisco Conservatory of Music Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art and Design Seton Hall University Siena College Simmons College Smith College Southern CT State University Springfield College Stanford University State University of New York (SUNY) Stonehill College Swarthmore College Syracuse University Temple University Texas A&M University The American University of Paris (France) Trinity College Tufts University Tulane University Union College United States Air Force Academy United States Military Academy at West Point United States Naval Academy at Annapolis University of Alabama University of Arizona University of British Columbia University of California, Berkeley University of Chicago University of Colorado at Boulder University of Connecticut University of Glasgow (Scotland) University of Edinburgh (Scotland) University of Hartford
University of Illinois University of Maine University of Massachusetts University of Maryland University of Miami University of New England University of New Hampshire University of New Haven University of North Carolina University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Diego University of South Carolina University of Southern California University of St. Andrew’s (Scotland) University of St. Joseph University of Scranton University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Wisconsin, Madison Valparaiso University Vanderbilt University Vassar College Villanova University Virginia Polytechnic Institute Wake Forest University Washington University Washington and Lee University Wellesley College Wesleyan University Wheaton College Williams College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University
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MALKIA OKECH College choice: University of Pennsylvania as a University Scholar to study Egyptology, archaeology, and art history Volunteer and docent at Yale Peabody Museum SCC Art Show 1st place Peer Connection Campus Ministry COR Team SHAdes of SHA, co-founder and co-president Photography Club, president National Honor Society French National Honor Society Prism (literary and art magazine), editor
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“Sacred Heart Academy has provided me the opportunity to challenge myself. This includes finding your strengths, recognizing your weaknesses, and channeling your ambitions. At SHA, challenge is encouraged and respected, and everyone receives the ultimate in support from teachers and peers. Assembling my college art portfolio, balancing my undergraduate classes at Yale, and holding a job posed challenges. But, my greatest and most fulfilling challenge has been establishing the Diversity Club at SHA, “SHAdes of SHA,” that was inspired by current controversial national and international events and by a need for a forum in which to discuss these events. What an amazing response we received from the whole SHA community with our culminating Diversity Week in the Spring of the year and cultural fashion show! We are encouraged to excel at Sacred Heart, but no one insists that we juggle all the extras and cocurricular activities that we do. Permeated in the SHA community is joy in learning and experiencing. Whether the experiences are sports, theater, labs, or museums, challenge is at the center. The love and care everyone has for each other keeps us motivated and inspired to keep going.”
APPLYING TO SHA There is a sense of excitement, vitality, and warmth on our campus where you will make lifelong friendships with students who share your interests and values. You will also have fun while contributing to our athletic teams, music and theatre productions, and many clubs! We encourage you to visit Sacred Heart and to spend a day with us. When you meet our caring and inspiring teachers and creative students, you will feel you belong here. This is the best way to know that Sacred Heart Academy is right for you. Read more at www.sacredhearthamden.org Our admissions process includes a completed online application with academic transcript, two recommendations from teachers, our HSPT entrance test, and an optional interview. • Submit an application, school records, and teacher recommendations available online at www.sacredhearthamden.org, under Admissions. • Attend our Open House in October. • Take the entrance exam. All applicants to grades 9 and 10 must take the High School Placement Test given in November prior to enrollment. • Visit SHA for a day visit, interview, or tour by phoning the admissions office at 203.288.2309, ext. 307. During the interview we will answer all your questions and help you learn more about us.
Need-based aid
Merit-based aid
To assess financial need, we require families to submit a financial aid form online following enrollment in January. Approximately 30% of students received need-based financial aid.
In addition to need-based aid, Sacred Heart offers merit-based Sr. Antonine Signorelli, ASCJ Scholarships to students entering grade nine who demonstrate unusual academic promise and score highest on our entrance exam.
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LIVING “EXCELSIOR” As our seniors leave us each year, they do so ready for the future. Beyond our strong academic preparation for college, they are dedicated to lifelong learning and to sharing the values learned here in communities throughout the world. Our graduates are articulate communicators, critical thinkers, and committed to service. They readily accept challenges offered to them and respect the goodness and difference in others. They have left an impact on our academy, and will live lives of meaning and purpose. Our students meet the challenge of learning at Sacred Heart because of our teachers who inspire them to achieve more than they ever imagined and because of their fellow students who encourage each other. At Sacred Heart, you will stretch not only your mind, but also your heart, as you find joy in helping others. As you plan and prepare for your future, we invite you to visit Sacred Heart, and to spend a day with us. You will find students who reflect more than just strong test scores and grades. They are kind and welcoming, excited to be Sacred Heart students, and curious to learn and discover the fun of learning across the curriculum. We look forward to meeting you during your visit.
Sister Sheila M. O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D.
President
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Sister Maureen Flynn, ASCJ
Principal
Elaine M. Lamboley
Director of Admissions
At Sacred Heart Academy, you will stretch not only your mind, but also your heart, as you find joy in helping others.
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SACRED HEART ACADEMY SCHOOL PROFILE
1946 FOUNDED in
Enrolls approximately 500 young women in grades 9 through 12
500
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hillside acres on Mount Sacred Heart in Hamden, CT
from more than 80 feeder schools and 60 towns in Connecticut ACCREDITATION New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
30% % 25 minority
of students receive need-based financial aid
students
Student-to-faculty ratio: 9:1
19 21 to
Average class size of students
115
academic courses including honors courses
HIGHLY EXPERIENCED FACULTY 56 educators 80% with advanced degrees in their fields
SHA students enrolled in courses at Yale University each year
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5
Five Governor’s Scholars in last seven years
126 students took 256 exams in 15 separate AP subjects
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14 Advanced Placement courses with an additional 6 Advanced Placement courses offered through Online School for Girls
7 Early College Experience (ECE) courses offering credit at UCONN and other colleges
INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY
Nationally recognized genetics and biotechnology research program
Classes offered on a block schedule of four 80 minute classes per day; classes meet every other day
95%
70%
with laptop computers for all teachers and students
Teacher websites accessible as virtual classrooms for students at home
students involved in co-curricular activities
involved in sports
INTEL SCHOOL OF DISTINCTION IN SCIENCE
Student Internship Program (SHASIP) for rising seniors
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one of three high schools in U.S.
DNA sequences published in GenBank (U.S. Government database)
Sacred Heart Academy admits students of any race, color, creed, national, or ethnic origin and handicapped status to all the rights, privileges, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate in these areas in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship, and loan programs, athletic, or other school-administered programs.
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Quotes from Parents “Reverence for education and passion for their chosen disciplines and vocations distinguishes the administration, faculty, and staff at Sacred Heart Academy. Through excellence in teaching and a student body where everyone wants to learn, our three daughters learned that education is a privilege as well as a quest for knowledge. They realize that investing time and energy in their studies brings joy, fulfillment, and success. Amanda’s education at SHA prepared her for the rigor of an Ivy League education at Brown University where she graduated cum laude in English, anticipating studies in medicine. Olivia is a current pre-med student at Brown U. and a Classics major. Our youngest daughter, Amanda, is a joy-filled student at Sacred Heart. She was appointed Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper and earned a bronze medal for her project at an international science fair. Even more than the strength of academics at Sacred Heart, we believe that the most valuable gift our daughters received is their solid spiritual foundation that inspires them to live their Catholic faith to the fullest.” — Tina and Shawn Kelly
“We sent our three daughters to Sacred Heart Academy because of its commitment to educating the whole person, its strong Catholic identity, and its sense of community; we wanted out daughters to be well-rounded in their education, grounded in their faith, and committed to serving others. The superb academic foundation prepared them well for their college experience, as did the opportunities offered them in art, music, drama, athletics, and community service. The relationships our girls formed with their teachers at Sacred Heart enabled them to trust and to try new things, which led to confidence and much success.” — Maura and Brendan Donohue
All three Donohue daughters will be together at University of Notre Dame. Clare, the oldest daughter, is a political science major and recently completed a semester abroad in Dublin. She received a summer internship to research terrorism and counter-terrorism in Washington, DC. Madeleine is an architecture major and will spend her junior year in Rome. Katherine, the youngest, will join her sisters next year at Notre Dame as a freshman.
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Founded 1946
Sacred Heart Academy
www.howarddesign.com
www.sacredhearthamden.org
Design: Howard Design Group, Princeton NJ
Impelled by Christ’s Love
Admissions Office 265 Benham Street Hamden, CT 06514-2833 203. 288 . 2309