Mount Profile 2017-2018

P R O F I L E

Mount Saint Joseph Academy believes that, “on the education of women largely depends the future of society,” and therefore educates young women to be transformational leaders, steeped in the tenets of service to the dear neighbor.

Agents

of

Intensive Writing

Tr ansformation

Transformational education is not just about the lessons taught in the classroom. It is about high-impact educational practices that promote learning on a significantly deeper level. This is the differentiator that is at the core of the Mount Saint Joseph education.

Diversity

and

Not restricted to English courses, Mount students experience comprehensive writing across various disciplines such as Theology, Social Studies, Business & Technology, and various Arts offerings. Mount also provides extracurricular writing opportunities including: • The Campanile: student-produced newspaper • The Muse: student-produced literary magazine

Global Learning

Collabor ative Learning

The Mount offers multiple courses focused on global learning, including: • Global Interdependence • World Literature Themes • Music & Cultural Identity • World Religions • Historical Islam

Block scheduling at the Mount promotes collaborative learning across all disciplines. Longer classes allow students to delve deeper into topics and lessons, and also allows them to spend time in smaller groups to discuss and debate. Team-based assignments are common and group study is encouraged.

There are also extra-curricular activities focused on global issues: • Multicultural club • Model United Nations • Mock Trial

Service Leadership “Women

as

Founders”

course

Committed to empowering young women through both education and hands-on service, this capstone course explores the women’s reform movement and current women’s issues. Students research how women have influenced society for the common good. Culminating senior project topics ranging from local and global service projects to youth leadership and self-image endeavors to women in science initiatives are presented to the Mount community during Women As Founders Week.

Community Service Corps Mount students carry on the legacy of the Academy’s founders by seeking out those in need of help and who are marginalized in society. Some examples of CSC programs include: • Serving at soup kitchens • Visiting the sick and elderly at various facilities • Working with animal rescue organizations • Special collection and distribution projects

Congregation of the Sisters Leadership Conference

of

Saint Joseph Student

Each summer, Mount students have the opportunity to attend this service and leadership workshop with students from other SSJ-sponsored schools across the country. They attend sessions on leadership, relationships, environmental justice, and service to the dear neighbor and then participate in various community service projects in their host city.

120 West Wissahickon Avenue I Flourtown, PA 19031-1899 I 215-233-9133 admiss@msjacad.org

Campus

100%

78acres

Mount Saint Joseph Academy is situated on in Springfield Township, Montgomery County. The picturesque campus lies just outside of Philadelphia.

of Mount graduates attend post-secondary institutions

P RO F IL E

Students

Student : Teacher ratio

A dmission

Faculty

Admission is through a competitive examination. Scholarships for academic achievement, service, and the arts are available. All are based on merit. Grants are offered to those who qualify for financial aid and meet the requirements of the specific grant. Financial aid is also available for those who qualify.

Enrollment for the 2017-18 academic year is 505 students.

The faculty at the Mount is composed of both Sisters of Saint Joseph and lay teachers.

The majority of faculty members (over 84%) hold advanced degrees.

20

Average Class Size

Block Scheduling The Mount has operated on a “block,” or intensive, schedule for more than 20 years. The school year is divided into two terms; students take 3 or 4 subjects per term for a total of 7 or 8 per school year. Students are assigned their courses each year and may not choose which semester to take certain courses.

Most AP courses are held in an intensive block on alternating days for the length of the entire school year.

Campus Ministry Mount Saint Joseph Academy’s Campus Ministry is dedicated to finding creative and practical ways to lace the values and charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph into various mission-focused experiences including: Liturgy • Retreats • Opportunities to “serve the dear neighbor” • CSSJ Leadership Workshops

“To live and work so that all people may be united with God and with one another.”

Administration:

president: S. Kathleen Brabson, SSJ, M.A. principal: Judith A. Caviston, Ed.D.

dean of studies: William J. Rooney, M.Ed. dean of student affairs: Kathleen Guyger, M.Ed.

Guidance:

director of guidance: Amy Balcer, M.S. school counselor: Lisa Boyle, M.S. Marybeth Competelli, M.A. Jonathan Fabrey, M.S. academic coach: Rosemary Salvo, M.S.

www.msjacad.org

GR ADUATION REQUIREMENTS English (4 years) Physical Education (4 years) Theology (4 years) Mathematics (3 credits) Science (3 lab sciences) Social Studies (3 credits) Foreign Language (3 consecutive years/same language) Fine Arts (1 credit) Computer Literacy (.5 credit) Health Education (.5 credit) ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGR AMS Art History Biology (2 credits) Calculus AB Calculus BC Computer Science Principles English Literature & Composition European History Latin Music Theory Physics C: Mathematics Psychology Spanish Language Statistics Studio Art U.S. Government & Politics U.S. History HONORS COURSES Advanced Drawing & Painting Algebra I, II American Literature Biology British Literature Chemistry I, II Concepts of Physics Europe: 19th & 20th Centuries Films of the ‘50s and ‘60s Geometry Government Policy & Economics Introduction to Writing & Literature Language III, IV Music Theory Physics Physiology Pre-Calculus U.S. History: Colonial-1877 U.S. History: 1877-Present Women As Founders World History ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS 2017 Total Scholars: 79 Average Score: 3.66 AP Scholars with Distinction: 31

Course Weighting

2017 Testing Profile

Courses are weighted according to the degree of challenge presented to students. Major courses are classified as Advanced Placement, Honors/ Accelerated, or College Preparatory. An overview of these course types are as follows: AP courses are offered to grades 10, 11, and 12 AP Test is mandatory AP courses are taken throughout the entire school year

Honors/Acceler ated Courses • Offer more in-depth study of specific subjects • Expanded opportunities for independent work • Freshman students are limited to three honors courses

College Prepar atory Courses •

•

Provides students with the skills and knowledge imperative for college success All major courses not otherwise designated are College Preparatory

Class R ank Mount St. Joseph Academy does not rank its students. This decision was derived from a philosophy which encourages care for the individual. As the Mount has a selective student body and a rigorous college preparatory program, class rank is not an accurate measurement of individual achievement.

Further, class rank can also be misleading in determining a student’s ability to successfully complete college work.

Gr ading Equivalencies GRADE QUALITY/POINT QPE HONORS QPE AP NUMERICAL EQUIVALENT EQUIVALENCY

A

4.0

4.3 4.7 100-94

A-

3.7

4.0 4.3 93-91

B+

3.3

3.7 4.0 90-88

B

3.0

3.3 3.7 87-85

B-

2.7

3.0 3.3 84-82

C+

2.3

2.7 3.0 81-79

C

2.0

2.3 2.7 78-76

C-

1.7

2.0 2.3 75-74

D+

1.3

1.7 2.0 73-2

D

1.0

1.3 1.7 71-70

F

0.0

0.0 0.0

(Students who receive scores or 3 or higher on five or more AP exams and receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken)

AP Scholars with Honor: 10

(Students who receive scores of 3 or higher on four or more AP exams and receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken)

AP Scholars: 38

(Students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams)

results

2017

(maximum score: 1600) (MEAN)

ERW MATHEMATICS TOTAL

MSJA 630 600 1230 STATE 540 531 1071

A dvanced Placement Courses • • •

SAT

69-

533 527 1060

NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL

*Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

ACT Composite

scores

(score range: 1-36)

MOUNT STATE

75th Percentile

29

28

50th Percentile

26

24

Selected R ecent College Acceptances American University Boston College Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University California Polytechnic State University Carnegie Mellon University College of William & Mary Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth University Duke University Fordham University Georgetown University George Washington University Georgia Institute of Technology Harvard University James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Lehigh University Loyola University Maryland New York University Princeton University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Savannah College of Art & Design Stanford University Swarthmore College Syracuse University University of California, Los Angeles University of Miami University of Pennsylvania University of St. Andrews University of Virginia Villanova University Wake Forest University

Diocesan Scholars Progr am The Diocesan Scholars’ Program offers eligible seniors the opportunity to take up to two courses per semester on the campus of a participating college or university. Participation in this program is highly selective.