Ursuline Academy of Dedham

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Ursuline Academy is an independent college preparatory day school for young women in grades 7-12. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, it is owned and operated by the Ursuline Sisters, a world-wide teaching order, Ursuline Academy is a private Catholic school located on a twenty-eight acre campus in Dedham, Massachusetts. Ursuline offers education in all areas and offers over 20 clubs and 10 varsity sports, all award winning. The Boston Globe has also praised Ursulines Athletes, the Bears, as winning the Singelais Award for maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher and exceling in their chosen activity. Their athletic director, Patricia Gonzalez has also been elected Athletic Director of the Year in Category H.

Ursuline Academy

Motto	Serviam
Established	1819
Type	Independent, college preparatory school
President	Rosann Whiting
Principal	Sr. Mercedes Videira, O.S.U.
Students	approx. 450
Grades	7th-12th
Location	85 Lowder Street Dedham, MA 02026, Dedham, Massachusetts, United States
Accreditation	New England Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges.
Colors	Green and white
Mascot	Bears
Website	http://www.ursulineacademy.net

Contents 1 The Founding of the Order of St. Ursula 2 Academy History 3 Notable Alumnae 4 School Mission 5 Clubs and Organizations 6 Athletics 7 Course Offerings 8 References 9 External links

[edit] The Founding of the Order of St. Ursula

At the turn of the sixteenth century, education for women was reserved for the wealthy classes or nuns. Though nuns were the most educated, they were cloistered and thus could not teach. As unmarried women, they were not permitted to go out into the world alone. St. Angela Merici witnessed the lack of education for poor girls in Brescia, Italy. Motivated to fill this need, she founded the Ursuline Sisters, the first female teaching order and the first to work outside a cloister. Their mission was clear: to serve the educational needs of young women and girls of all classes. Out of modesty, she named the Order for St. Ursula, the model of consecrated virginity.

At this point in history, the Renaissance was in full swing, particularly in St. Angela Merici's homeland in Italy. During the Renaissance, all levels of art and learning were revered. The Renaissance inspired the mission of the Ursuline Order that honors education in all things. Thus, holistic education for young women of all backgrounds became the mission of the Ursuline Sisters.

St. Angela's early innovation inspired in the Order a lasting respect for change, progress, and modernity. Her devotion to the mission was sustained by her faith in God and in the importance of the service that she and her sisters provided. That, in turn, inspired the necessary courage to overcome complacence and submission to outmoded traditions.

The Order was originally non-traditional. Started as a group of women who lived in their own homes, the Sisters came together for prayer and teaching, bound by their devotion to their communal mission of educational outreach for girls. This dichotomy of enduring devotion combined with a flexible approach became another hallmark of the Order.

St. Angela's counter-cultural innovation led to great success. The groundbreaking work of the Sisters brought St. Angela invitations to extend the outreach of the Order to other cities. Pope Clement VII lauded her work and offered her the great honor of taking charge of a religious order of nursing nuns. True to her mission, she refused him in order to carry out her God-given vocation to educate women.

Throughout the course of the intervening five centuries, the Ursuline Order has remained faithful to the vision of St. Angela by consistently providing education to girls from all backgrounds. True to St. Angela's spirit, the order retains devotion to the mission and principles of educational excellence while honoring innovation and exercising the flexibility to meet the needs and the cultures of changing times, places, and students. As the willow bending in the wind can outlast the rigid oak, so strong traditions, readjusted to meet changing times, survive and thrive ^[1].

[edit] Academy History

Ursuline Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day school for young women. The Academy is owned and operated by the Ursuline Sisters and inspired by the gospel challenges in the spirit of Saint Angela Merici, the founder of the Ursuline Order.

While the Ursuline Order dates back to its original foundation in 1535, its contribution to the greater Boston community began during the tumultuous times of the early nineteenth century when anti-Catholic feeling was at a high point. In late 1819, an Ursuline School opened its doors in Charlestown to 280 pupils. In 1834, the school had blossomed into one of the area's leading education-centers, serving Catholics and Protestants alike. That year, bigotry led a mob to reduce to ashes years of planning, building, and hope. The Ursuline Sisters were forced to leave the Boston area.

In 1946, at the invitation of then-Archbishop Richard Cushing, a group of the same Order returned to Boston to open an academy on Arlington Street to 45 students. Within ten years, the Academy had expanded its student body and a search began to locate larger quarters.

In 1957, The Ursuline Order acquired a 28-acre estate in Dedham, a site which has since been continually upgraded and further developed. Since the official opening of the school over 35 years ago, each decade has been marked by progress and challenge. With fewer Ursuline Sisters involved today in the educational ministry, the Academy's nearly 400 students presently are served with the same dedication and commitment by a faculty of mostly lay members, several of whom are alumnae or parents of alumnae of the Academy.

Since 1947 when the first class graduated from the school on Arlington Street in Boston, Ursuline Academy has embodied the mission and vision of the Ursuline Order and the inspiration of St. Angela Merici.

The dawning of this new century finds the Ursuline Sisters and Ursuline Academy working as effectively as ever toward the same mission envisioned by St. Angela five hundred years ago - educational opportunity for young women. As always, Ursuline Academy faces the ongoing challenge of keeping up with modern educational expectations by providing a wider range of academic, athletic, and extracurricular programs. Its ability to adapt to changing times, combined with the many blessings of a devoted faculty, talented students and concerned supporters, accounts for the remarkable staying power and consistent effectiveness of Ursuline Academy ^[2].

[edit] Notable Alumnae

• Marian Walsh, Massachusetts State Senator

[edit] School Mission

Ursuline Academy is a Catholic school for young women that provides a college preparatory education rooted in the traditions and values of St. Angela Merici:

Excellence in education Respect for the uniqueness of the individual Development of the whole person Community and family spirit Cultivation of leadership qualities Willingness to serve others, as embodied in its motto Serviam

To promote, in an integrated manner, each young woman's personal, intellectual, spiritual, moral, physical and social growth, Ursuline Academy seeks to provide:

A caring community that nurtures the student's personal gifts and contributes to a sense of self-worth and a strengthening of character A liberal arts curriculum that first, incorporates the best of tradition and the feasible aspects of progress; and second equips the Ursuline student intellectually and practically to pursue higher education and to respond confidently to the challenges that lie ahead for the 21st century A formal theology program and varied experiences of prayer upon which the student may build a developing relationship with God; Guidance and resources necessary to lead the student to adopt high ethical standards, make correct moral judgments, and live with integrity, inner harmony, and authenticity A physical education program that teaches the importance of maintaining physical health, contributes toward self-discipline, and establishes a pattern for a healthy lifestyle Opportunities for nurturing a young woman's aspirations for leadership, for recognizing her social responsibility in today's world, and for serving the needs of others [3]

[edit] Clubs and Organizations

Art Club - A club where students with an interest in art meet to do various projects throughout the year. The Blazer - The school newspaper. Choral Club - A select group of students who sing at liturgies and school sponsored activities. Classic Films - A club that studies classic films, as well as those on social justice. Current Events - A club that discusses recent events in the government. Drama Club - This club produces 2 performances a year: a play in the fall and a musical in the spring. Recent performances have included Me and My Girl, Annie, Cinderella, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. French Club - Students meet once a month to expand in French culture. Glee Club - A club that joins for the focus of singing and its enjoyment. Humanities Club - Meeting once a month, this club brings speakers to the students, as well as sponsors many trips to musical productions, such as Riverdance, Wicked, and The Lion King. Library Council - A group of students who assist the librarians. Math League - Students join to compete with other schools in 6 meetings a year . National Honor Society - A tutoring program run by Guidance and upperclassmen. SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) - This club focuses on encouraging good life choices and promotes many theme days a year such as "Reality Day" and "Switch-It-Up! Day" S.O.S. (Students Offer Service) - A club solely focused on the school's motto: Serviam. Spanish Club Speech Team - A club based on Spanish and Latin American culture. Student Ambassadors - A club that sponsors programs such as Potluck Suppers for incoming students, the Big Sister Program, and the Open House. Student Council - A elected group of students (2 from each grade) that promote the school and meet weekly acting as the school's government. Each year, the elected President and Vice-President of the school attend the Ursuline Conference. Yearbook - Students gather to capture each year's treasured moments.

[edit] Athletics

Interscholastic Athletic Teams

Basketball	V, JV, JH	Winter
Ice Hockey	V, JV	Winter
Cross-Country	V, JV, JH	Fall
Golf	V	Spring
Soccer	V, JV, JH	Fall
Softball	V, JV, JH	Spring
Swimming and Diving	V, JV	Fall
Tennis	V	Spring
Track (indoor)	V	Winter
Track (outdoor)	V, JV, JH	Spring
Volleyball	V, JV, JH	Fall

• V = Varsity, JV = Junior Varsity, JH = Junior High

[edit] Course Offerings

The High School course listings are listed as follows:

• English I-IV
• AP English
• Algebra I
• Geometry
• Math XI (Algebra II & Trigonometry)
• Analysis
• Pre-Calculus
• Calculus
• AP Calculus
• Biology
• AP Biology
• Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Physics
• Anatomy & Physiology
• World History to 1500
• World History 1500 to Present
• U.S. History
• AP U.S. History
• Government
• Psychology
• French I-V
• Latin I-IV
• Spanish I-V
• Religious Studies
• Studio Arts
• Survey of the Arts
• Communication Arts
• Computer Studies
• Public Speaking
• Study Skills
• Greek
• SAT Review

Junior High Courses are as follows:

• Literature
• Grammar
• Mathematics
• Science (Life and Physical)
• Social Studies (Geography and American History)
• Art and Music
• Computer Studies
• Physical Education
• French or Spanish (optional)

Requirements for Graduation (in credits) are as follows:

• 4 - Theology
• 4 - English
• 3 - Mathematics
• 3 - Science
• 3 - Foreign Language (French, Latin or Spanish)
• 3 - Social Studies
• 1 - Fine Arts
• 1 - Physical Education
• 1/2 - Computer Studies
• 2&1/2 - Electives

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ursuline Academy
• Massachusetts Department of Education directory profile