2020-21 Admissions Viewbook

EMPOWERING

GIRLS FROM THE

HEART

Girls who choose IHA are doing more than picking a school.

They are taking the first step toward a lifetime of learning, self-exploration, faith development, and powerful friendships.

By setting their hearts on IHA, they say to the world that they are ready to become confident, compassionate, and independent young women in control of their own futures.

Everyone at IHA expects to work hard, to play hard, and to excel. In the classroom, on the field, on the stage, and in the community, IHA girls Patricia Molloy President respect and support each other. As they conquer challenges, experience growth, and achieve excellence together, they make friends — sisters — they will keep all their lives.

Our positive and demanding single-sex environment empowers young women to focus on developing their unique gifts and pursue their academic, spiritual, artistic, athletic, and social needs. IHA has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. IHA is also a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS).

See for yourself if you should set your heart on IHA. Read on to find out more.

Jason Schlereth Principal

12:1

student-teacher ratio

18

average class size

Founded in 1960, Immaculate Heart Academy enrolls approximately 700 young women in a rigorous academic program that challenges the mind and nourishes the spirit. By instilling in its students a sense of responsibility, confidence, justice, peace, and compassion, IHA prepares its students for life in college and beyond. Our curriculum provides a broad perspective across 10 academic departments, with honors as well as AP courses offered in a wide variety of subjects. In fact, 54% of IHA upperclassmen are enrolled in AP courses.

IHA recognizes the achievements of our students through nine national honor societies in art, French, mathematics, music, science, social studies, Spanish, and theater, as well as overall academic excellence through the National Honor Society. We also enrich the lives and experiences of students through more than 50 clubs and activities, in addition to 15 athletic programs.

EMPOWERING

5O+ HEART

GIRLS FROM THE

electives offered

17

AP courses

EXCELLENCE

THE HEART OF ACADEMICS As a Roman Catholic college preparatory school under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Newark, IHA is committed to graduating savvy critical thinkers who are confident, independent women excited for their futures. We believe in staying ahead of education trends and in nurturing leadership opportunities throughout all aspects of our school curriculum.

Because IHA is a college preparatory high school for young women, a strong theme throughout the curriculum and extracurricular activities is the development of the special gifts that women can bring to society. The interests and needs of women in the areas of academics, spirituality, the arts, athletics, and social interaction drive all of the programs offered at IHA. Challenging classes are offered in all ten academic departments, with honors level courses offered in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages. Additionally, we offer 17 Advanced Placement courses in Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Comparative Government, Computer Science A, English (Language and Composition), English (Literature and Composition), Environmental Science, French Language and Culture, Physics 1, Physics C, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, Studio Art, and U.S. History.

Parents, teachers, and guidance & college counselors are consulted during the registration process to ensure that students pursue courses that not only fulfill basic requirements, but foster interests, academic strengths, and long-term career objectives.

“My daughter, Katie’17, had a great four years at IHA developing leadership skills and learning to be a strong, independent woman while embracing her faith. I am excited that my youngest daughter, Riley’21, is attending. Even though they are very different young ladies, I know she is having an equally valuable and impactful experience.

IHA celebrates the differences in its students and allows each student to be herself and get the most out of her experience.”

Claire O’Toole ...and her family provide the Egan/ O’Toole Scholarship, awarded to one young woman and one young man enrolled in local Catholic high schools in our area.

IHA offers quality college-preparatory education, complete with innovative courses and programs. Classes include everything from TV News Production and Computer Programming to Global Issues, Ecology, and more.

Advanced technology abounds at IHA, from the Information Commons to the science labs.

INNOVATION THE HEART OF STEM

For academically qualified students, we offer an accelerated STEM program. STEM@theheart reflects our commitment to liberal arts education and Christian values by incorporating the four C’s of communication, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking with advanced study of science, technology, engineering, and math.

By partnering with Project Lead the Way, we have incorporated two engineering courses into our curriculum: Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering. Best of all, every IHA student is able to take advantage of the pioneering courses and clubs implemented as part of STEM@theheart.

The Information Commons combines the resources of a traditional library with comprehensive digital information management and retrieval capabilities.

“My goal is to pursue a career in the medical field and the STEM@theheart program is designed to help me reach that goal. The classes and workload are challenging but I know that I am learning important life skills that will help me make a difference in people’s lives one day.”

Sanaiya Villanueva’22 …is a junior in the STEM@theheart program. She is a member of IHA’s Applied Engineering club, Black Culture Club, Book Club, CARE, Future Doctors of America, Math League, and Science Olympiad.

Sanaiya is an honor roll student and a member of the St. Brigid Society.

She is also a member of the IHA dance team, a competitive gymnast and gymnastics coach, and an altar server. Sanaiya hopes to use all of the lessons she learns at IHA and through STEM@theheart to achieve her dream of becoming a surgeon.

22

Science and Technology courses

3

honor societies for art, theater, and music

CREATIVITY

THE HEART OF THE ARTS

Because we understand that self-expression is a crucial part of personal growth, we place special emphasis on The Arts. At Immaculate Heart Academy, art encompasses everything from video production, drama, music, and photography, to graphic design, fine art, dance, and musical theater.

A spacious and innovative 2,600-square-foot Art Studio occupies two sunlit rooms with sizable workstations, a picturesque art courtyard, 24 adjustable drawing tables, two Smart Boards with projectors, nine butcher-block tables, and eight new iMacs to use in courses that incorporate lessons on digital design and photography.

IHA’s performing arts program has always showcased the incredible talent of our students on stage and behind the scenes. Our girls and students from area boys’ schools present a drama production in the fall and a musical production in the spring that are both enjoyed and celebrated by the community at large. During the school day, IHA students interested in the performing arts can enroll in our Actor’s Studio, Theater Arts, Theater Production, or Musical Theater History and Performance courses.

In addition to The Arts curriculum, a wide range of clubs and activities give students the opportunity to explore visual arts, fashion, singing, photography, creative writing, and more.

“I picked up a crayon before I learned to walk. Art has been a large part of who I am and who I want to be, and the art program at IHA allows me to truly express myself.

The teachers guide the students every step of the way, but, in the end, everyone’s art is still different and unique to them. That’s what I love most about the art program here.”

Elizabeth Pinto-Shaw’21 …is a member of the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society.

Elizabeth is a varsity Track & Field athlete and is currently taking AP Studio Art. She is a member of CARE and is actively involved with St. Martin’s Kitchen. Elizabeth plans to study physical therapy, but would also like to remain involved with children’s art programs. Her goal is to use art as a way of helping patients over the mental barrier of rehabilitation. Elizabeth would eventually like to open her own art studio where kids are allowed to let their imagination roam free.

The Arts remove boundaries and allow students to explore aspects of life around them in new ways.

COMMITMENT

THE HEART OF ATHLETICS The success of our scholar-athletes at Immaculate Heart Academy is a reflection of the focus, commitment, and team ethic that enrich everything we do. Each year, IHA teams dominate at the league, county, sectional, and state levels and are recognized with a wide variety of Coach, Player, and Team of the Year awards. In the 2018–19 school year, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) named IHA in the top three athletic programs in New Jersey. This was the fourteenth consecutive year that Immaculate Heart Academy was ranked in the top five athletic programs in the state. Even more impressive is that our studentathletes perform on and off the field, with some of IHA’s highest GPAs.

“As a student-athlete, I had an extremely busy schedule between studying for tests and quizzes, going to practices, and homework. My involvement in a sport at IHA helped me to blossom as a student, friend, and person. Having to juggle so many responsibilities helped me to learn discipline and perseverance.

It is not the one race, goal, or score that matters, it is about what you learned when it’s all over.”

Students and athletes alike have access to top-of-the-line facilities at IHA. They train on advanced sports performance and workout equipment in the Vincent Herold Fitness Center, and regularly utilize our full-sized Field Turf™ field and four recently renovated tennis courts. Through our active Soaring to New Heights campaign, we recently completed the renovation and enhancement of our entire athletic field complex. The project broke ground in June 2019 and the new turf field was completed for the 2019-20 school year. The surrounding walkway and spectators’ patio, completed in the spring of 2020, offer an elevated view of the field and are ADA compliant so that all fans can access IHA’s athletic complex easily and safely.

Giavanna Baquerizo’20 ...was committed to receiving a strong education while also competing as a member of the IHA Swim Team all four years at IHA. She proudly served as one of the senior captains for the 2019-20 season. Gigi began swimming when she was six years old and has been on a year-round swim team ever since. She is currently a freshman at University of Scranton and a member of the Royals swim team. Gigi has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten, through which she participates in a wide variety of service opportunities.

Physical fitness is an essential part of IHA’s school day, as students consistently participate in challenging physical education classes. Realizing that nutritious food is a vital part of wholesome living, we also offer students fresh, healthy options from sustainable, local resources through our farm-to-school cafeteria service.

3.50

average GPA for student-athletes

SPORTS AT IHA Basketball

Ice Hockey

Swimming

Bowling

Lacrosse

Tennis

Dance

Skiing

Track - Winter

Cross Country

Soccer

Track & Field - Spring

Golf

Softball

Volleyball

It is our mission to develop every aspect of the individual, including the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

Students put their faith into action, expanding their awareness of God, others, and themselves.

COMPASSION THE HEART OF SERVICE

Students at Immaculate Heart Academy regularly put their faith into action by serving their community and ministering to people in need through a wide variety of service opportunities.

By participating in the IHA Service Program, students apply their Catholic values by practicing them in projects that expand the students’ awareness of the image of God in others and themselves. At IHA, everyone serves. It’s not only cultivated, it’s celebrated.

In the 2018-19 school year, our young women gave more than 45,000 hours of service, the most in recorded IHA history. Despite having all requirements waived in the 2019-20 school year because of COVID-19, our students still completed 29,724 hours of service.

That’s nearly 2.5 times what is normally required! Additionally, despite the year of service being cut short, 75 IHA students were honored with President’s Volunteer Service Awards.

This award, founded in 2003 by the United States President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, honors individuals whose service of at least 100 hours per year positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action too.

Six-hundred thirty-one IHA students have earned this special award since 2015. A Service Awards Parade was held in May of 2020 to celebrate the amazing service achievements of our thoughtful young women. Two special awards were distributed at the parade: the Spirit of Service Award, given annually (awarded 37 times since 2016) to one student per grade who demonstrates a dedication to helping others that is core to who she is as a person, and the IHA Servant Leadership Award, given annually (awarded 7 times since 2017) to one or more seniors whose commitment to leadership and dedication to service are so incredible that they transformed the IHA community.

In 2018-19, our young women: • Volunteered at more than 50 organizations

•C ooked 130+ meals for local assisted living

• Completed almost 3.5x the service required of them

•C ollected more than 50 children’s books for local underprivileged students

•S ponsored more than 15 student-led service groups

•W rote hundreds of letters to detainees

•P rovided 343 Christmas gifts to children in need

• Volunteered more than 100 hours of swim lessons for students with special needs

• Provided Easter baskets to 225 children in need • G ave 200+ hours teaching Religious Education classes at local parishes •G ave more than 1,200 hours volunteering with those with special needs •D edicated more than 1,000 collective hours to Camp Acorn •G ave more than 1,200 hours volunteering with the elderly •W rote more than 600 letters of encouragement to their IHA sisters • Volunteered 932 hours to feeding the hungry throughout the course of the year •W ere honored as recipients of 125 President’s Volunteer Service Awards

•G ave 2,790 hours to directly benefit IHA

$43 MILLION

Class of 2020 scholarships

YOUR FUTURE

THE HEART OF COUNSELING Four guidance counselors and two college counselors apply a developmental approach to each student’s progress through her four years at IHA. Guidance counselors advise and equip students to realize their future educational goals. They keep students apprised and prepared for standardized tests, such as the SAT I, SAT II Subject Tests, and ACT, as well as Advanced Placement testing. Our guidance counselors are also available to students and parents to aid in both personal and social development.

100% college acceptance rate

College counselors maintain ongoing relationships with higher education institutions and act as liaisons to representatives who visit IHA. They work with students for four years, helping them navigate through college applications and the sometimes overwhelming admissions process. They meet with students individually and in groups, and host routine parent meetings to keep parents up-to-date with how to best assist their daughters in the ever-changing landscape of college admissions.

IHA graduates go on to excel at leading colleges and universities across the nation.

SISTERHOOD THE HEART OF IHA

In a single-sex environment like IHA, there’s no pressure on our young women to fulfill gender stereotypes. They have enhanced access to leadership opportunities, achieve greater academic success, become more confident and assertive, and are more likely to pursue studies in fields traditionally considered male-dominated. We empower our students to believe their hopes and dreams will become their reality.

For 56 years, IHA alumnae have told us, again and again, that the friends they made in our hallways and classrooms are still the closest friends in their lives. The sisterhood effortlessly cultivated at Immaculate Heart is enduring, and the bonds students form here last a lifetime.

Life After IHA The IHA environment provides our girls a level of independence, accountability, and confidence that becomes a tremendous advantage in their college years. In a recent survey, more than 90 percent said IHA had given them above-average or superior preparation in effective time management, writing, and critical thinking — the very areas with which so many college students struggle. As one alumna wrote, “The teachers I had at IHA were incredible. They were so caring and dedicated. Although the work load was always hard and heavy, my transition to college was simple.”

The momentum IHA girls bring to their colleges and universities remains with them. More than 50 percent of our alumnae reported taking on two or more undergraduate internships, 57 percent pursued post-graduate coursework related to their degrees, and 22 percent pursued doctoral studies. As one of our teachers recently said, “You can always identify the IHA girl in a meeting. When she speaks, people listen and take note.”

10,529 IHA alumnae

“Going to IHA gave me the confidence and courage to really figure out who I was and who I wanted to be. The teachers create a supportive environment where students feel empowered to speak up and take risks. It was easier to find success in a creative field because of the four years I spent here, learning to value my own voice.”

Tracey Wigfield’01 … is a comedy writer, producer, and actor who won an Emmy® Award, along with Tina Fey, for writing the series finale of 30 Rock. She was the creator and showrunner of the sitcom, Great News, which ran on NBC for two seasons.

Previously, Tracey was a co-executive producer, writer, and actress on the FOX and HULU comedy, The Mindy Project.

Tracey was named one of Glamour magazine’s “35 Under 35 Women in Hollywood,” and is now the mother of two daughters.

Carly DePhillips’18 & Ellie DePhillips’21 Sisters in life and @theheart.

IHA ADMISSIONS T

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SEPTEMBER—DECEMBER

WHY I CHOSE IHA...

“I chose to come to IHA not just for the academics, but also because of the warm and welcoming environment that exists here. The excellent reputation of the school, great school spirit, and the bond of sisterhood made me realize that this was the perfect school for me. IHA provides countless opportunities for students to exceed and grow, and I am forever grateful that IHA has shaped me into the person I am today.”

Attend OPEN HOUSE to get a look at the opportunities that IHA offers.

Make sure your school submits your TRANSCRIPTS from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

Complete your ONLINE APPLICATION.

Mia Grossman’21 …is the Student Council Executive Board president, vice president of the International Thespian Society, and a member of the National Honor Society and St. Brigid Society. She is involved in CARE, Junior Statesmen of America, and is a Peer Mentor and Eagle Ambassador. Mia loves taking part in various community service opportunities offered at IHA, and is involved in the performing arts both inside and outside of school.

JANUARY— FEBRUARY

DECISION notifications are mailed and emailed.

Attend our ACCEPTED STUDENTS’ RECEPTION.

Enroll as an IHA student at REGISTRATION DAY.

MAY—JUNE

Take your Math and Language PLACEMENT TESTS.

Meet your future classmates at the ICE CREAM SOCIAL.

FAST FACTS • Founded in 1960 as the first regional high school for girls in the Archdiocese of Newark • Approximately 700 students enrolled

Accreditations and Memberships — Blue Ribbon School of Excellence — Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools — New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS)

Academics

— Spanish Language and Culture

— National Art Honor Society

— Student-Teacher Ratio – 12:1

— Statistics

— Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society

— Average Class Size – 18

— Studio Art

— Science National Honor Society

— 73% of faculty and staff hold advanced degrees

— U.S. History

— Spanish Honor Society (Reina Sofia Chapter)

— 50+ electives offered

— Tri-M (Modern Music Masters)

Class of 2020

Guidance and College Counseling

— Biology

— 3 National Merit Semi-Finalists

— Calculus AB

— 13 National Merit Commended Students

— 4 Guidance and 2 College Counselors

— Calculus BC

— 4 National Hispanic Scholars

— 100% College Acceptance Rate

17 AP Courses

— Chemistry

Demographics

— Comparative Government

— 54% of students are from public elementary schools, and 46% from Catholic

— Computer Science A

— Approximately 90% of students are Catholic

— English (Literature and Composition)

— Students reside in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex, and Morris Counties in N.J. and Rockland and Orange Counties in N.Y.

— Environmental Science

— 10,529 total IHA alumnae

• 54% of upperclassmen enrolled in AP classes

— English (Language and Composition)

• Statement of Class Rank – Considering the quality of the student body and the rigorous college prep course of study, Immaculate Heart Academy does not rank its students.

National Honor Societies Sponsored by IHA:

— French Language and Culture

— French Honor Society

— Physics 1 — Physics C

— Mu Alpha Theta (National Mathematics Honor Society)

— Psychology

— National Honor Society

— International Thespian Society (ITS)

— $43 Million in scholarships earned by Class of 2020 graduates

Athletics and Activities — 15 athletic programs offered — Average student-athlete GPA – 3.50 — More than 50 Clubs and activities

Service in 2019-20: — Over 29,000 total hours of community service — 631 President’s Volunteer Service Awards since 2015

FROM THE HEART Phone: 201.445.6800

www.ihanj.com

Immaculate Heart Academy 500 Van Emburgh Ave. Township of Washington, NJ 07676