2018-19 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, 50% of IHA upperclassmen are enrolled in AP courses.

IHA recognizes the achievements of our students through eight national honor societies in art, French, mathematics, music, science, 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

92%

GIRLS FROM THE

of AP students scored a 3 or higher on an AP exam

HEART

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 headed to 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.

“I have always known that I wanted to become a doctor, and being a member of the STEM program at IHA has only strengthened my desire. I know that the rigorous course work is preparing me for the future and it has given me the confidence to pursue my dreams. Numerous opportunities have been presented to me due to the program, and I could not be more grateful to be a part of it.”

Rebecca Nadler’19 ...is a student in the STEM@theheart program. She is a member of the Applied Engineering club and the News Editor for Accents. Rebecca is the resume program and group tutoring coordinator for NHS, treasurer of Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society, and a member of the Science NHS. She is also enjoying her fourth year on the IHA Varsity Dance team, as a captain. Rebecca is in the Columbia University Science Honors Program and is interning for her second year at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

6

new 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, or Theater Production 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 an athlete on the soccer and track and field teams. She is a member of CARE and actively involved with St. Martin’s Kitchen. She has been taking art classes at the River Edge Cultural Center since she was nine years old, and plans on studying either art history or art education in college.

Elizabeth would like to open her own art studio one day, as she wants to teach kids about art and allow them to be free in their imagination just like she was able to do as a child.

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 2017–18 school year, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) named IHA in the top three athletic programs in New Jersey. This was the thirteenth consecutive year that Immaculate Heart Academy was ranked in the top five athletic programs in the state.

“As a student-athlete, I have an extremely busy schedule between studying for tests and quizzes, practices, and homework. Being involved in a sport has helped me blossom as a student, friend, and person. Having to juggle all of these responsibilities has helped me 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 newly renovated tennis courts. Even more impressive is that our student-athletes perform on and off the field, with some of IHA’s highest GPAs.

Giavanna Baquerizo’20

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.

3.59

average GPA for student-athletes

… is committed to receiving a strong education while also competing as a member of the IHA Swim Team since her freshman year. She began swimming when she was six years old and she has been on a year-round team ever since. At IHA, Gigi is a member of the Traffic Safety Squad.

She has also been a Girl Scout since kindergarten, through which she participates in a wide variety of service opportunities.

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.

In the past year, IHA’s young women gave more than 40,000 hours of service, the most in recorded IHA history. The Class of 2018 served a collective 26,468 hours in 2017 alone, and a total of 67,861 hours during their time at IHA. One hundred thirty-two students, fourteen families, and nine faculty members were awarded the prestigious President’s Volunteer Service Award—all school records!

In 2017-18, our young women: • Volunteered at more than 50 organizations

132

Presidential Volunteer Service Award recipients

• Completed almost three times the service required of them • Sponsored more than 15 student-led service groups • Provided 260 Christmas gifts to children in need • Provided Easter baskets to 250+ children in need • Were honored as recipients of 132 President’s Volunteer Service Awards • Cooked 130+ meals for local assisted living • Collected more than 500 children’s books for local underprivileged students • Wrote hundreds of letters to detainees • Volunteered almost 50 hours of swim lessons for students with special needs • Gave 200+ hours teaching Religious Education classes at local parishes • Dedicated more than 1,000 collective hours to Camp Acorn • Used 3-D printing technology to create a paper-folding device for a Camp Acorn camper • Raised more than $7,000 for cancer care and treatment through IHA’s annual Powderpuff Tournament • Participated with 75 other classmates in a three-day service immersion trip providing service throughout the state

$33 MILLION

Class of 2018 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 more than 50 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.”

10,229 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 gave birth to her first baby, a girl, in December 2017.

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

BLUE EAGLE FOR THE DAY “Coming to IHA to shadow a student during my Blue Eagle for the Day visit was a great opportunity. I experienced what the classes, teachers, students, and overall atmosphere are like. My visit helped me to be confident that this was the perfect school for me and that it’s where I wanted to attend for the next four years!”

Mia Grossman’21 …is the sophomore class president, an honor roll student, and a member of the St. Brigid Society. She is a member of Future Doctors of America, CARE, ACT, Culture Club, and Spanish Club. 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.

IHA

EXPLORE THE HEART The best way to learn more about IHA is to experience it for yourself. Visit our beautiful campus in the Township of Washington, N.J., for an Open House, STEM Information Night, or Parent Information Session. Explore our leading academic programs, meet with teachers, and talk to current students. Then, spend a full day at IHA as a Blue Eagle for the Day, held in the fall for eighth graders and spring for seventh graders.

Because we are a regional high school, our students hail from a wide geographic area, including the counties of Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex, and Morris in New Jersey, as well as Rockland and Orange in New York. IHA welcomes students of all religious faiths, racial, ethnic, and educational backgrounds. There is something for everyone at Immaculate Heart Academy, and we would love for you to join our family.

DO YOU BELONG

?

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

— Science National Honor Society

— Student-Teacher Ratio – 12:1

— Statistics

— Average Class Size – 18

— Studio Art

— Spanish Honor Society (Reina Sofia Chapter)

— 75% of faculty and staff hold advanced degrees

— U.S. History

— Tri-M (Modern Music Masters)

17 AP Courses

Class of 2018

— Calculus AB

— 5 National Merit Commended Scholars

— 4 Guidance and 2 College Counselors

— Calculus BC

— 2 National Hispanic Scholars

— 100% College Acceptance Rate

— Chemistry

• 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.

— $33 Million in scholarships earned

by Class of 2018 graduates

— Comparative Government — Computer Science A

— Approximately 50% of students are from public elementary schools, and 50% from Catholic

— English (Language and Composition)

— Students reside in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex, and Morris Counties in N.J. and Rockland and Orange Counties in N.Y. — 10,229 total IHA alumnae

Guidance and College Counseling

— Biology

Demographics

— Approximately 89% of students are Catholic

• 50% of upperclassmen enrolled in AP classes

— English (Literature and Composition) — Environmental Science — French Language and Culture — Physics 1 — Physics C — Psychology

National Honor Societies Sponsored by IHA:

Athletics and Activities — 15 athletic programs offered — Average student-athlete GPA – 3.59 — More than 50 Clubs and activities

— French Honor Society

Service in 2017-2018:

— International Thespian Society (ITS)

— Over 40,000 total hours of community service

— Mu Alpha Theta (National Mathematics Honor Society) — National Honor Society — National Art Honor Society

— 132 Presidential Volunteer Service Award Recipients

FROM THE HEART Phone: 201.445.6800

www.ihanj.com

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