Dominican Academy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dominican Academy is a Catholic preparatory school for girls in the tradition of Saint Dominic. It is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. School enrolment is approximately 250 students from the tri-state area, including Westchester, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Long Island. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.
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[edit] Mission Statement
Dominican Academy educates and challenges young women to realize their full spiritual, intellectual, moral and social potential in a multicultural society.
[edit] Awards and recognition
During the 1994-96 and 2001-02 school years, Dominican Academy was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education[1], the highest award an American school can receive.[2][3]
[edit] History
Established in 1897, Dominican Academy is named for its founders, the Dominican Sisters of Saint Mary of the Springs. The Dominican Sisters continue to sponsor the school.
The Townhouse at 44 East 68th Street was the home of Colonel Michael Friedsam, former president of B. Altman and Company, who was an avid art collector and benefactor of education.
A treasury of art, including stained glass windows, oil paintings, marble tables, fireplaces, wood carvings, glass doors, and antique furniture, remains in the building.
The Library, which previously held part of Colonel Friedsam’s extensive art collection, has over 7,000 books with special art, literature, and classics collections. The library subscribes to more than 60 magazines and newspapers.
[edit] Admissions
Admission to Dominican Academy is based on the student’s Test for Admissions to Catholic High Schools (TACHS) score [www.tachsinfo.com], grade school academic records, and her teachers’ recommendations. Dominican Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, or ethnic origin.
[edit] Academics
As a private Catholic college preparatory, Dominican Academy’s classes are all honors, advanced, or Advanced Placement level. One hundred percent of each graduating class attends accredited four-year colleges and universities.
There is a total enrollment of 248 young women and 28 faculty members--a Student:Teacher ratio of 9:1.
Students complete a curriculum in subjects such as religious studies, English, history, mathematics, science, foreign language, technology, fine arts, and dance.
Every student at Dominican Academy takes at least two years of Latin. Students must also study at least two years of either French or Spanish.
Electives available include anatomy, art history, astronomy, forensics, logic, music theory, Shakespeare's plays and psychology.
[edit] Extracurricular Activities
In addition to the extracurriculars hosted at Dominican Academy, students can participate in activities and events with neighboring boys’ schools, including the Annual Walkathon with Regis High School.
Some of the activities offered at Dominican Academy include: Art Club, Billiards Club, Chess Team, Computer Club, Couture Club, Culture Club, Dance Club, The Dominican (Yearbook), Drama Club, Environmental Club, French Club, Glee Club, Latin Club, Math Team, Mock Trial Team, The Muse (Literary Magazine), Plato Society, Photography Club, Science Club, The Student Prints (Newspaper), Spanish Club.
The athletic teams at Dominican Academy compete in: Basketball, Cross-Country, Softball, Soccer, Tennis, Track, and Volleyball.
[edit] Cultural Activities
Every student attends at least two yearly cultural trips through the Culture Series. This past year's offerings included a vocal workshop with opera singers and Broadway actors at Lincoln Center and a rehearsal of the New York Philharmonic.
Students are invited to a yearly trip abroad (past destinations have included Europe, Asia, and Australia), as well as to a winter weekend ski trip.
[edit] Service Activities
Dominican Academy is committed to the Dominican pillars of service, community, and prayer. We celebrate mass monthly, and each class has a yearly retreat. Additionally, juniors and seniors have a special retreat program.
The largest school club, with almost half of the student body as members, is the Junior Ladies of Charity (JLC), a charitable organization dedicated to serving the poor and needy. In addition to at least one weekly hour of individual volunteer service, each member also plans and volunteers with group events.
Service activities at Dominican Academy include: a week-long service to the Oscar Romeo Center in Camden, NJ, a Summer service trip to Ecuador, NY Cares Day, opportunities to volunteer at local soup kitchens, homeless shelters, nursing homes, and daycare facilities.
Service organizations at Dominican Academy include: Amnesty International, Campus Ministry, Liturgical Choir, Junior Ladies of Charity, Pro-Life Club, National Honor Society, SADD, Student Ambassadors, and Student Council.
[edit] References
- ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.
- ^ CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
- ^ Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
