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Sacred Heart Profile

1867

First Sacred Heart school in NOLA, Mater Admirabilis

10:1

Student to faculty ratio

16

Average class size for PreK–Grades 12

150

National & International Sacred Heart Schools

94

Home of 94 State & Runners-up athletic titles

100%

College acceptance rate to four-year colleges*

15+

AP & online classes offered in 2019-20

24

Sacred Heart schools in the U.S. & Canada 

Where ASH girls come from

New Orleans, Mandeville, Destrehan, Chalmette, LaPlace – we never know where our future Sacred Heart girls will come from. 

ASH At A Glance

Other frequently asked Sacred Heart questions.

Where Do Sacred Heart Girls Go To College?

Generally, 100% of the school’s graduates attend a four-year college or university. Over the past five years, Sacred Heart graduates have continued their studies at many diverse institutions – from Notre Dame, Virginia, Vanderbilt and Howard to Colorado, Michigan, SCAD and Johns Hopkins.

View list of college acceptances in last 5 years >

Brief History

  •  In 1867, the RSCJs open the first Sacred Heart school, Mater Admirabilis, in the French Quarter.
  • Rev. Mother DuTreil, RSCJ purchased the John Calhoun/Rivers estate at 4521 St. Charles Avenue––the second Sacred Heart school in New Orleans which opened with three students.
  • Through the years, the Rosary building underwent three major expansions in 1906, 1913, and 1996.
  • In 1998, the expansion included the new academic wing on the corner of Jena and Carondelet Streets.
  • In 2002, the Board of Trustees authorized the purchase of the First Baptist Church property on St. Charles and Napoleon avenues.
  • The Mater Campus opened in the fall of 2005 and is home to the Preschool and Primary School.
  • In 2011, the school opened a new Arts and Athletics Complex on the back square of the Rosary Campus that enhances the arts, athletics, wellness, and co-curricular programs.
  • In 2012, the Rosary campus celebrated its 125th year anniversary on the historic St. Charles Avenue
  • In 2017, extensive renovations were made to the STEAM wing of the Rosary Campus, launching the Richard C. Colton Jr. Performing and Fine Arts Center along with the Katherine and Robert Boh Innovation Lab & Makerspace. The library wing also underwent design and learning space renovations.

Our Curriculum

The Upper School operates on a semester basis and utilizes flexible scheduling providing for small group instruction, independent study, and the possibility of taking college courses on nearby campuses or online. To meet graduation requirements, the student is expected to earn a minimum of 28 units of credit. In addition, each student must participate in at least one service project per year, complete at least 50 hours of volunteer work during her junior year, attend yearly retreats and give a senior speech during her final year of high school in order to meet graduation requirements. Students must take a minimum of six credits per year, six courses per semester, five of which must be courses in English, math, science, foreign language or social studies. Any exceptions are only granted by special written permission from the Head of the Upper School.
 

Required courses include:

• 4 units English
• 4 units Science (including Biology, Physics and Chemistry)
• 4 units Religious Studies
• 4 units Mathematics (including Algebra I, II and Geometry)
• ½ unit Computer Applications
• 4 units Social Studies (including World Geography, World History, U.S. History and Government)
• 1 unit Fine Arts
• 3 units (through the third level) of the same Foreign Language
• ½-4½ units electives
• 2 units Physical Education (4 semesters)

Honors & Advanced Placement Courses

Advanced Placement courses are offered in English Language, English Literature, French Language, Spanish Language, World History, United States History, Government, Biology, Environmental Science, Calculus, Statistics, Computer Science and Studio Art. Students in these courses are prepared for and required to take Advanced Placement tests to earn honors credit. Advanced Placement courses are considered honors courses.

Honors courses are marked H on the transcript and are weighted +1 in the GPA. Advanced Placement courses are marked H AP on the transcript and are weighted +1 in the GPA.

Honors courses are offered in:

• English II
• French II, III, IV
• Spanish II, III, IV
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Algebra II
• Geometry
• Precalculus
• Calculus

Grading Scale

Students receive formal grades at the end of each semester and progress reports in mid-October and mid-March. A cumulative grade-point average is computed for every student at the end of each academic year. The GPA is based on all courses except PE and some electives.
 

Grading Scale:

  Regular Courses Honors Courses
A+ (97-100) 4.3 5.3
A (93-96) 4.0 5.0
A- (90-92) 3.7 4.7
B+ (87-89) 3.3 4.3
B (83-86) 3.0 4.0
B- (80-82) 2.7 3.7
C+ (77-79) 2.3 3.3
C (73-76) 2.0 2.0
C- (70-72) 1.7 1.7
D (65-69) 1.0 1.0
F (64…) 0 0
 

Honor Roll & Testing

Honor Roll

A minimum 3.40 GPA for the year with no grade below B- (except honors courses where no grade may be below C+) is required.

Based on grades from June 2019, the class of 2019 had the following record:

  • 4.00 Highest Honors 15/51
  • 3.70 High Honors 9/51
  • 3.40 Honors 6/51

Testing

Students take the PSAT9, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT and AP tests.  AP scores are always sent separately and typically only to the college they will attend.

Tech in the Class

The Academy of the Sacred Heart students can receive Microsoft Office Specialist Certification in Word, Excel and Power Point. Students, through these specific computer classes, can earn up to three college credits.

Accreditations, Memberships & Affiliations

  • Network of Sacred Heart Schools
  • Archdiocese of New Orleans
  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
  • Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS)
  • National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS)
  • National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls (NAPSG)
  • Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
  • Online School for Girls

View the full list here >

What uniforms do Sacred Heart girls wear?

Uniforms inspire girls to express themselves in other ways.

Upper School Students wear a traditional plaid skirt with a Sacred Heart Oxford blouse or Polo Shirt with top siders or bucks and socks with Sacred Heart logo.

Middle School students wear a traditional plaid skirt with a Sacred Heart polo shirt.

Lower School students wear plaid jumpers with white Peter Pan collared shirts.

Preschool students wear blue puffy-sleeved smocked dresses with monogrammed Peter Pan collar and bloomers.

Little Hearts wear green puffy-sleeved smocked dresses with monogrammed Peter Pan collar and bloomers with our youngest group, the one year olds, wearing a green smocked bubble.