Ursuline Academy Viewbook

Defy

Expectations

“ Students here really take pride in doing their best and going beyond what’s expected.

The support of the community encourages you to be both bold and compassionate. It is quite an empowering combination.”

MARY-KATE TRACY ’94, PRINCIPAL AND DIRECTOR OF MISSION

There’s More to you than you know WELCOME TO URSULINE ACADEMY.

Young women arrive at Ursuline having established themselves as academically motivated and talented students.

However, we know that when you get here you are an unfinished masterpiece, with room to grow intellectually, socially, physically, and spiritually.

Five hundred years ago, our foundress, St. Angela Merici, urged her followers to “risk new things.” Likewise, the Ursuline experience challenges you to go beyond the expected and stretch the limits of what you believe you can do. Teachers challenge each student to discover her full potential, and students encourage and support one another along the way.

As a result, our alumnae include artists, lawyers, teachers, doctors, executives of businesses and nonprofits, nurses, and dancers. Many of them find a way to give back locally in their communities, families, and places of worship or on the world stage.

Perhaps you think of yourself as an athlete or a “drama kid,” as a future doctor or an engineer. Chances are, there is much more to you than you know.

GET READY TO DEFY EXPECTATIONS.

Learning Love of

At Ursuline, you will be surrounded by classmates who love grappling with a problem and who get a thrill out of setting their minds to figuring it out. With persistence, guidance, and collaboration, you’ll find that you can conquer even the greatest challenge.

You will hone your existing talents and find new ones. Ursuline’s comprehensive curriculum will ensure that you emerge as a strong writer, persuasive speaker, and analytical thinker. Your appetite for exploration will be satisfied by a broad range of elective courses, including those in the sciences, visual and performing arts, and technology. Most importantly, you will develop habits of mind that will enable you to solve tomorrow’s problems.

EXPLORE YOUR BOUNDARIES – AND PUSH PAST THEM.

“It’s really a special group of people who want to learn, and want to take what they’re learning and keep going, keep extending it.”

MS. CAROLINE RUFO, ART TEACHER

We live with

Faith, Courage, and Joy We are a Catholic school and in keeping with the Catholic faith, we welcome students from all denominations and faith traditions.

Theology is both an academic subject and a source of inspiration and values. Our faith provides us with the courage to overcome obstacles, and the joy of becoming our best selves.

Ursuline schools worldwide are rooted in a belief in the power of women, the importance of education, and a commitment to using our God-given talents to better the world. We believe that these values are as necessary today as they were almost 500 years ago, when Saint Angela urged her company of women to “be ready for big surprises.�

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IN THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE.

“ Class retreats not only strengthened my friendships, but also strengthened my faith. I learned to see God in all of my classmates, even those who I did not know as well.�

KATHERINE, 12TH GRADE

URSULINE CORE VALUES u Academic excellence u Serviam (service) as a lived reality u Spiritual formation and

faith development u Respect for uniqueness of

the individual u Development of the

whole person u Development of a nurturing

community spirit u Commitment to the environment

and peacemaking in the world

“Being in a community that builds you up and gives you the confidence to take charge and take the lead opens doors to future opportunities.”

LINDSAY P. ‘17

We rise

Together No one succeeds alone. Now more than ever, all signs point to the world’s need for collaborative leaders and the ability to be part of a team.

At Ursuline, we understand the power of people joined in mission and spirit.

It is a culture in which one person’s success is everyone’s success. In our class projects, retreats, athletic endeavors, and extra-curricular activities, a spirit of teamwork is pervasive. It is an empowering experience that creates collaborative leaders: women who can unite others to create positive change.

WE WORK TOGETHER, WE STRIVE TOGETHER, AND WE ALL GROW TOGETHER.

Did you make a

Difference

today?

Service is at the heart of what we do and who we are. In fact, the motto of all Ursuline-sponsored schools is Serviam, Latin for “I will serve.” At Ursuline, service to others is a response to the call of the Gospel, a responsibility, a privilege, and a way of life.

Ursuline students have an opportunity to serve both near and far, participating in activities ranging from tutoring elementary school students or being a companion to nursing home residents to helping reroof a home in West Virginia.

Through this commitment to service, students come to know that they have the potential to be agents of change in a global world.

As our mission statement says,

“OUR STUDENTS ENGAGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH PURPOSE AND PRESENCE.”

“ A commitment to Serviam is one of the biggest things I’ll take away from Ursuline. It stopped being a requirement and is now second nature, so much so that looking for campus ministry and community service was part of my college search.”

CATE M. ‘19

You’re more than you think,

and so are we LARGE ENOUGH TO CHALLENGE YOU, SMALL ENOUGH TO KNOW YOU

At approximately 400 students in grades 7-12, Ursuline Academy is large enough to offer 15 AP courses, 14 sports, three drama performances each year, a wide range of clubs and activities, and international travel experiences. However, we are small enough for teachers to know you as an individual and for you to know each of your classmates.

STUDY WITH “POWER TOOLS”

Tailored to how young women learn best, our curriculum incorporates design thinking across all disciplines. In our I.D.E.A. Hub, students use the latest technology, such as laser cutters and 3D printers, to bring their problem-solving solutions to life. And with coding and AP Computer Science in the curriculum, you can master another method of communicating your powerful thinking.

GET READY FOR THE ROAD AHEAD

Guidance and wellness are built into the academic schedule. The School & College Counseling Department helps you navigate the transition to middle and high school, supports your social and emotional health, and helps you to figure out your next steps after Ursuline. Our approach to college counseling focuses on helping you find the school that best fits your needs and goals.

AN EDUCATION OF FAR GREATER VALUE THAN ITS COST

Part of Ursuline Academy’s heritage is to be accessible to families from a wide array of economic circumstances. With tuition less than half that of some independent schools, we may be more affordable than you think.

Both need-based aid and merit scholarships are available.

“ Ursuline’s value far exceeds the tuition it charges. With the academics, the athletic program, the drama and art opportunities, and the faith and character formation, it’s the full package. You could pay a lot more for all that Ursuline offers.”

KIM, P ‘21

At a Glance • Approximately

400 students enrolled in

grades 7-12 • Ursuline draws widely from public, Catholic, and independent elementary and middle schools and from approximately 40 different towns.

• Member of a network of Ursuline schools in the United States and abroad • Over 4,000 alumnae from Ursuline-Dedham ACADEMICS • Student-teacher ratio averages 11:1 • Over 80% of faculty hold advanced degrees • Fifteen AP courses; wide range of electives including 10 arts electives • Three academic honor societies ATHLETICS • Fourteen interscholastic sports, with most available at the varsity and JV level • State of the art fitness center, competition-size gymnasium and indoor suspended track • Winner of Boston Globe Singelais Award (highest winning record in division) for two consecutive years ARTS AND EXTRACURRICULARS • Drama club with three performances each year • A variety of vocal and instrumental groups • Dedicated performance space with professional sound and lighting • Wide array of clubs, including Speech Team, Model UN, Robotics Team, Green Club, and many more

TECHNOLOGY • Technology integrated across the curriculum with eTextbooks, GSuite for Education, and online learning spaces • I.D.E.A. Hub - Innovation lab with a wide array of tools for translating ideas into reality: laser cutters, 3D printers, green screen, virtual reality, camera and video equipment • Interactive digital displays and casting capabilities in every classroom CAMPUS MINISTRY AND SERVICE • Over 30 Masses and retreats each year • Retreats offered at all grade levels to promote bonding, socio-emotional learning, and faith formation • 24,000 service hours offered by Ursuline students each year in the local community or on service trips SCHOOL & COLLEGE COUNSELING • Three school and college counselors • Guidance and wellness built into the curriculum at all grades • 1:1 college guidance to ensure the best possible college outcome BEYOND URSULINE • 100% acceptance to four-year colleges or universities each year • Students accepted to over 200 private, public, and Catholic colleges and universities from 2015-2019

WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Design: Š Peapod Design, Norwalk, CT | Photography: Peapod Design and George Martell

AND SEEING YOU GET TO KNOW YOURSELF.

OUR MISSION

An independent Catholic school for young women in grades 7-12, Ursuline Academy fosters respect, compassion, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to service.

Inspired by the legacy of St. Angela Merici, our students grow to be women of integrity who engage in their communities with purpose and presence. We live with faith, courage, and joy.

REV 10/19

85 LOWDER ST., DEDHAM, MA 02026 | WWW.URSULINEACADEMY.NET An independent Catholic school for young women in grades 7-12.