Sacred Heart is the oldest independent all-girls school in New York City. Our community has lived the mission of our foundress St. Madeleine Sophie Barat since 1881 by inspiring generations of students to lead meaningful lives. Today, our vibrant, mission-driven Catholic school empowers each young woman to share her passion and purpose. We celebrate our Sacred Heart heritage and traditions as we strive for higher excellence and pursue a bold vision for our future.
As part of a 200-year tradition of Sacred Heart education and a global network of 41 countries and over 150 schools, 91st Street is committed to a set of principles shared by all Sacred Heart schools. Known as the “Goals and Criteria,” these principles articulate the core components of a Sacred Heart education, and charge our community with a unified educational mission. At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that each child possesses unique gifts. Our job is to unearth those gifts, nurture them, and empower each child of the Sacred Heart to share those gifts with the global community.
GOAL I
A personal and active faith in God
GOAL II A deep respect for intellectual values
GOAL III A social awareness which impels to action
GOAL IV
The building of community as a Christian value
GOAL V Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom
Founded in 1881 Approximately 725 students 7:1 student: teacher ratio
89% of faculty have advanced degrees #1 all-girls Speech team in New York
17+ AAIS Tournament Championships in the last 5 years
60+ student-led clubs and organizations
159 Sacred Heart schools around the world
Sacred Heart’s Middle and Upper Schools provide students with the critical discourse, experiences, and self-discovery to help them impact their community and empower them with resilience, ethical discernment, and confidence.
Vibrant offerings of student-led clubs, visual and performing arts, sports, and community service complement individually customized curriculum across a range of disciplines, encouraging students to explore their interests and grow as leaders. The low student to teacher ratio fosters meaningful connections between students and faculty in the form of support and mentorship.
• English
• Mathematics
• MS: Religion
US: Theology
• MS: Social Studies
US: History and Social Sciences
• Science
• Technology/ Computer Science
• World Languages (French, Latin, Mandarin, Spanish)
• Physical Education
• Performing and Visual Arts
Students benefit from a range of support services to facilitate their independence, executive functioning, and confidence. The Middle School Learning Specialist works with students both individually and in small groups to strengthen organization and cognitive skills by scaffolding classroom assignments. Period 8 is offered at the end of each school day and allows each student an opportunity to meet with faculty members for review and extra support in each subject.
HONORS/ADVANCED COURSES
Middle School
• Mathematics
• World Languages
Upper School
• English
• Mathematics
• History
• Science
• Technology/ Computer Science
• World Languages
• Performing and Visual Arts
In the Upper School, each student receives ongoing support from faculty advisors and deans. The Student Success Center consists of learning, literacy, and math specialists who collaborate with teachers to support students’ academic growth.
At Sacred Heart, students join a vibrant learning community that inspires curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning. Encouraged to become independent learners and creative collaborators, students take intellectual risks, learning from their mistakes. At each level, Goal II inspires them to build their skills of critical analysis, creative thinking, leadership, and ethical discernment.
I consider it a privilege to teach mathematics in an all-girls school.
Senior year culminates in an opportunity to pursue a mission-based capstone project in which students complete in-depth, collegiate level research on a subject of their choosing. Each student presents the findings of her research in the spring of senior year to the broader school community.
From Sofia: “I have been interested in energy for a long time because I have seen how critical it is for development. I witnessed firsthand how energy poverty tends to be a root cause for other issues, like how girls in Kenya dropped out of school because they did not have enough light to do their homework. In my capstone, I explored different energy technologies and solutions, both in their technical properties but also the critical financing piece of bringing any technology to life.”
From Maria: “I chose this topic because I want to bring awareness to our Sacred Heart community about one of many ways that racism permeates the American healthcare system. By educating ourselves on the racial inequality that pregnant African American women face, we are equipped with knowledge needed to change these injustices and fight for equality for all American healthcare.”
Each Sacred Heart student is valued and respected for who she is. As students grow in self-knowledge and confidence, they learn to value similarities and differences in others—both in school and beyond. Their engagement with Goal IV and the global community inspires them to stand up for what they believe and effect meaningful change.
Through our science and technology curricula, students grow in courage and confidence as they cultivate strengths and learn from their mistakes. Science and technology are brought to life by identifying real world problems, generating creative solutions, and building and testing prototypes. Sacred Heart’s recently completed FutureLab space includes a Life Sciences lab, two Chemistry labs with state-of-the-art fume hoods, a Physics/Engineering Lab, a research lab housing the newly acquired virtual cadaver table, a Middle School science lab, an indoor atrium, and a digital media lab. The Makerspace features 3D printers, a university grade laser cutter, a soldering station, an embroidery and sewing station, and sensors and electronics.
FutureLab prepares our students to impact an increasingly complex world. Guided by our tremendously talented faculty and staff, our students build the skills and confidence they need to navigate a constantly changing technological landscape.
Goal I calls us to bring the love of God into the world. Our school community nurtures the spiritual lives of all its members as they explore the values of faith, hope, and charity. Our religion curriculum focuses on an understanding of Catholicism as well as an awareness and acceptance of all religions. Every student learns that she is unique and loved by God.
The theology curriculum is rooted in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. During their time in Middle and Upper School, students explore the Catholic sacraments, ethics and philosophy, as well as the main tenets of other world religions.
The academic study of theology is at the heart of the curriculum for all Upper School students. Grade 11 students learn to do exegetical work and to use the historical-critical method in their interpretation of religious texts. Each student proposes a research project on a specific theme, and shares her findings with the class at the end of the year. Recent theology projects have included:
An Analysis of the Death Penalty and its Relationship to Catholicism: Justice or First Degree Murder?
From Sarah: “By researching the death penalty this past year, I have truly developed a heightened awareness for all human dignity and a greater sense of compassion and mercy for the imprisoned.”
Castro’s Cuba: The Complexity of Religious Oppression, Liberation Theology, and a Catholic Renewal
From Carolina: “I really enjoyed the process of researching my theology topic, liberation theology and Cuba, because it showed me how the government impacts the practice of faith and how we can find theology in political topics.”
Through the dedication required to complete the full research process, I learned about the value of time management, exploring one’s interests, and asking larger “why?” questions. — 11th Grade Student
As students grow in social awareness, compassion, and character, they discover a deep sense of purpose, drawing upon Goal III and their own unique talents to impact the world. They emerge from the Upper School’s transformative social justice program as leaders passionate about creating meaningful change, and confident that they can do so.
Sacred Heart’s Visual Arts program challenges students to consider what it means to be an artist, explore the role that art plays in shaping our culture, and experiment with different media and compositional strategies. Courses in Middle School include Art and Ancient Cultures, 2D and 3D Art, and Contemporary Art. In Upper School, students delve into Art History, Ceramics, 3D Design, Drawing & Painting, Film, Photography, Sculpture, and advanced level courses.
The robust Performing Arts curriculum empowers students to refine their performance, public speaking, and story-telling skills, as well as grow in self-confidence and responsiveness to others. Drama and Music classes in Middle School cover Characterization Exploration, World Music & African Drumming, Western Theater, and Developing Voice through Music & Drama. In Upper School, students can participate in Chorus, Orchestral Ensemble, Madrigals, and Music Theory. Both Middle and Upper School students may audition for musical and drama productions that take place throughout the school year.
Rooted in the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education, Sacred Heart values diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as integral parts of educating and empowering young women to lead lives of purpose that integrate faith, intellect, social action, community and personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. In addition to monthly studies of annual heritage months and cultural holidays, students participate in lessons and conversations about identity and diversity so that every student can have a deeper understanding of and appreciation for who she is and who her peers are, as well as better prepare for meaningful dialogue about and engagement in justice and action. Teachers incorporate Learning for Justice’s antibias framework into units of study, read alouds and interdisciplinary projects. Beyond the classroom, students engage in DEI through workshops, presentations, affinity spaces, cultural groups and all-school events.
• Network of Sacred Heart Schools Summer Service Projects
• Alternative Spring Break Service Learning Domestic & International Projects
• Monthly Habitat for Humanity Builds
• Ignatian Teach-In for Justice: Washington, D.C.
• H.E.A.R.T. (Health, Education and Responsible Tools) Summer Program
• YPI (Youth and Philanthropy Initiative)
• SIA (Students in Action)
In line with Goal V, students are continually supported as they grow and learn, celebrate successes, and make mistakes. As they develop empathy and exercise resilience in meeting challenges, they discern what gives them a sense of meaning, and how to lead change within their communities.
Sacred Heart’s robust public speaking program challenges our young women to find and share their unique voice. The forensics speech team is one of the most popular extracurricular activities with 20% of students competing in local, state and national competitions. Our team is proud to be one of the largest and most successful independent school teams in New York State.
2x NY State Forensics League Champions
• 15 Awardees
• 25 Qualifiers
• 5th Place Sweepstakes
• Top finishing independent school in New York State
8x National Qualifiers
• 2nd Place Sweepstakes at the NYCFL Grand Championship
Top finishing independent school
Students are offered a cultural learning experience that serves as an opportunity to develop independence and self-advocacy. They may choose to study for part of a semester at one of our Sacred Heart schools in the United States or internationally. Students have recently studied:
Internationally
• Nantes, France
• Rome, Italy
• Dublin, Ireland
• Taipei, Taiwan
United States
• Miami
• New Orleans
• Omaha
• Madrid and Barcelona, Spain
• Sydney and Brisbane, Australia
• Seattle
• San Francisco
• Washington, D.C.
We define entrepreneurship as creating value where it did not exist before through the pursuit of opportunity and innovation. Entrepreneurs ask themselves, “Is this something that could benefit the world?” In the Exploring Entrepreneurship Program, students spend one week in New York City at the 91st Street location and one week in the San Francisco Bay Area at the Sacred Heart School in Atherton. During these visits, students engage as a cohort in field visits with expert panels, workshops and learning, and networking dinners and activities. This experience culminates in a collaborative design sprint where students practice the entrepreneurial process of responding to real-world problems with real-world solutions.
At Sacred Heart, we ask each member of our community to open their hearts and seek a deeper understanding of the challenges that face our world. We encourage students to be agents of constructive change and move our faith towards action. Our hope is to build a more equitable society, where each person is valued and cared for.
Michael Chung, Director of Community Outreach and Upper School
The school is housed in two historic mansions which provide an extraordinary learning environment.
On the lower level of our 91st Street buildings, our FutureLab houses the science and technology classrooms for the entire school. The students can also eat in the cafeteria or use community spaces to collaborate.
Makerspace #2
Makerspace #1
Life Science Lab
Athletics and Wellness Center
Completed in 2014, the Athletics and Wellness Center is a state-of-the-art, 60,000-square-foot facility that allows students of all ages to swim, play sports, work out, or dance.
Dance Studio and Training Facilities
Middle School and Upper School 1 East 91st Street 25-Yard Pool Full-size Gymnasium
Lower School 7 East 91st Street
Labs
Convent of the Sacred Heart admits students of any race, religion, color, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic or other school-administered programs.