MOUNT DE SALES ACADEMY FOR GIRLS
Academic Excellence in the Catholic Tradition
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2020-2021
OUR MISSION Mount de Sales Academy forms young women in the spirit of Saint Francis de Sales and in fidelity to the Sacred Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the Roman Catholic Church through a college preparatory education that nurtures the whole person. Anchored in faith, the community of Mount de Sales Academy is committed to academic excellence, lifelong learning, moral responsibility, service to others, and the dignity of the human person.
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OUR STORY
OUR PEOPLE
Mount de Sales Academy was founded in 1852 by
The Dominican Sisters of the Saint Cecilia
Georgetown Visitation Sisters from Washington, D.C.
Congregation in Nashville, Tennessee have
The first Catholic institution in Baltimore County to
administered Mount de Sales since 1985. The Sisters
offer education to young women of all denominations,
fill the roles of principal and faculty members and live
Mount de Sales was a boarding school until 1933. It is
on campus in the convent.
now a day school for girls in grades 9-12.
Mount de Sales is owned by a committed Board of
The school is centrally located in the Academy Heights
Trustees. Beyond their leadership in school decisions
neighborhood of Catonsville, close to I-695, Route 40,
and planning, board members can be seen supporting
Edmonson Avenue, and downtown Catonsville.
our students at school events.
Mount de Sales is an independent school accredited
The faculty and staff infuse the school’s mission into
by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
the instruction and operation of Mount de Sales.
After completing the Middle States Sustaining Excellence Protocol for re-accreditation, Mount de Sales continues its three-year Action Research Initiative, “The Impact of Higher Order Thinking Skills on Student Interpersonal Communication in the One-to-One Technology Classroom.” Since 2004, the Cardinal Newman Society
The Parents’ Club sponsors several events, including the Christmas Bazaar and Spaghetti Dinner, Golf Tournament and Raffle, and Communion Breakfast. Parent volunteers devote countless hours to various projects throughout the year.
has recognized Mount de Sales as a School
Founded in 1896, the Alumnae Association
of Excellence.
connects graduates from the Visitation and Dominican eras through reunions, scholarships, and events like Homecoming and the Easter Egg Hunt.
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OUR ENHANCEMENTS
NEW DEPARTMENT: PHILOSOPHY INTRODUCED IN 2019-2020 Philosophy is now an integral part of the four-year curriculum. In the 2019-2020 school year, all students
Mount de Sales strives to utilize its 10-acre campus
took “Intro to Philosophy.” Each following year,
for the various needs of our school community.
additional classes will be added, resulting in grade-
Construction for the Center for Performing Arts and
specific studies in philosophy, ethics, and life issues.
Student Life began in the Summer of 2019. In the July 2019 issue of View from the Cupola magazine, Sr. Maris Stella, O.P. explains: In today’s society, it is increasingly difficult for our girls to navigate the countless moral issues that confront them. Each day they receive thousands of images and messages, from the series they watch on Netflix to the posts they follow on social media. As our students try to make sense of so many conflicting concepts, it is easy to understand why moral relativism has become pervasive, proffering that “what is true for you is not necessarily true for me.” Rooted in the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and his forerunner Aristotle, our philosophy curriculum will offer students semester-based studies of perennial topics related to the human person and ethics, and it will teach students to view current issues through the lens of good reasoning. God has given us an amazing gift, the power of intellect, and with a little training, such as our new philosophy department will offer, our girls can use this gift to its full potential, arriving at the truth, the truth that sets Center for Performing Arts and Student Life. Top: View from the Convent. Bottom: Overhead view as of August 2020
2011
2013
Phase I Convent, Campus Security, and HVAC 4 Completed
Phase II Turf Athletic Field Completed
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us free. Sister Maris Stella, O.P., served as the Religion Department Chair from 2017-2019.
Summer 2017 Gate House Renovation Completed
Summer 2018
Summer 2018
Summer 2019
Phase III B-Side Fourth Floor Renovation Completed
Phase III A-Side Chapel Expansion Completed
Phase III CPASL Construction Begins!
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ANCHORED IN FAITH Like the Visitation Sisters before them, the Dominican Sisters believe that Catholic education is, above all, a work of love. Understanding that each student is on her own faith journey, Mount de Sales encourages spiritual growth through service, retreats, First Friday Mass, monthly Reconciliation and Adoration, prayer services, and other activities. Students have an open invitation to keep Our Lord at the center of their lives by visiting the Chapel of St. Francis de Sales, appropriately located in the heart of the school.
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TRADITIONS The traditions of Mount de Sales promote unity, sisterhood and excitement by providing meaningful high school memories. Every tradition is a bond between the current students and the alumnae, encouraging the continued legacy of Sailor Sisterhood.
Big Sisters-Little Sisters First Friday All-School Masses Freshman Miraculous Medal Mass Homecoming Dances (Mixer, Homecoming, Spring Formal) Senior Class Retreat Junior Class Retreat Sophomore Class Retreat Freshman Class Retreat Fall Festival Sophomore Pin Mass Junior Ring Mass The Living Rosary Christmas Door Decorating Twisted Tunes Father-Daughter Cotillion Senior Picnic Junior-Senior Prom Spirit Day Talent Show Senior Mother-Daughter Tea May Procession Senior Art Show Baccalaureate Mass Honors Assembly Graduation 7
ACADEMICS Academics are the focus of the
COURSE PLACEMENT
ADVANCED PLACEMENT
instructional work at Mount de Sales.
Incoming freshmen will be required
College-level Advanced Placement
The college preparatory curriculum
to or qualified to take placement
courses are offered to juniors and
carries high expectations and
tests for particular subjects based on
seniors. Students in Advanced
challenging work as students gain
prior experience and/or High School
Placement courses are required
experience in all academic areas.
Placement Test Scores. Because each
to take examinations given by the
Every class intends to complement
girl’s strengths are unique, Mount
College Board each spring.
the spiritual growth and total
de Sales does not have a track
formation of each student.
system. Instead, students take course
To graduate, each student is required to earn service hours, attend scheduled retreats, and complete summer reading requirements all four years.
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work at various levels and have the opportunity to change levels between one year and the next.
CHART KEY L1 = College Prep Level 1 L2 = College Prep Level 2 H = Honors Level AP = Advanced Placement
COURSE
ELIGIBLE GRADE(S)
LEVEL(S)
NOTES
ENGLISH Literary Genre Survey I
9
L1, L2, H
Literature Genre Survey II
10
L1, L2, H
American Literature
11
L1, L2, H
AP Junior English - Language & Composition
11
AP
British Literature
12
L1, L2, H
AP Senior English - Literature & Composition
12
AP
Creative Writing: Various Genres
11, 12
L2
Study of the Holocaust
11, 12
L2
1 semester, with Humanities Studies
Humanities Studies
11, 12
L2
1 semester, with Study of the Holocaust
RELIGION Scripture and Doctrine
9
L2
Sacraments and Morality
10
L2
Christology and Discipleship
11
L2
Apologetics and the Call to Holiness
12
L2
PHILOSOPHY Philosophy of the Human Person
9
L2
Introduction to Ethics
10, 11, 12
L2
French I
9, 10, 11, 12
H
French II
9, 10, 11, 12
H
French III
11, 12
H
French IV
11, 12
H
AP French
11, 12
AP
Latin I
9, 10, 11, 12
H
Latin II
9, 10, 11, 12
H
Latin III
10, 11, 12
H
Latin IV
11, 12
H
Latin V
11, 12
H
Spanish I
9, 10, 11, 12
L2, H
Spanish II
9, 10, 11, 12
L2, H
Spanish III
10, 11, 12
L2, H
Spanish IV
11, 12
H
AP Spanish
11, 12
AP
Physical Education/Health
9, 10
L2
Dance Fitness/Health
9, 10, 11
L2
Lifetime Fitness
11, 12
L2
Conditioning for Athletes
11, 12
L2
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
$ scholarships total in MILLION
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$
90%
DOLLARS
WERE OFFERED merit scholarships
ATTENDING
23
Catholic universities
PHYSICAL EDUCATION MATRICULATING AT
75
colleges and universities ACROSS 25 STATES
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MDSA Graduation Requirements
Course distribution for entrance into colleges/universities in State of MD
English Credits 4
Foreign Language Credits 2
Social Science Credits 3
Fine Arts Credit 1
English Credits 4
Lab Science Credits 3
Religion Credits 4
Social Science Credits 3
Foreign Language Credits 3
Philosophy Credits 2
Math Credits 4
(including U.S. History)
Mathematics Credits 4 (including Algebra II)
Lab Science Credits 3
Physical Education Credit 1 Elective Credits 5
COURSE
(including Geometry & Algebra II)
ELIGIBLE GRADE(S)
LEVEL(S)
in same language
Fine Arts Credit 1
NOTES
MATH Algebra I
9
L1, L2
Integrated Geometry
9
L2
Geometry
9, 10
L2, H
Algebra II
9 (H), 10, 11 (L2, H)
L1, L2, H
Geometry Concepts
11
L1
College Algebra
11, 12
L1
Statistics
11, 12
L2
Precalculus
10 (H), 11, 12
L1, L2, H
Calculus and its Applications
11, 12
L2
AP Calculus AB
11, 12
AP
AP Calculus BC
11, 12
AP
AP Statistics
11, 12
AP
STEM Explorations
11, 12
L2
Integrated Technology
Introduction to Computer Science
11, 12
L2
Integrated Technology
Biology
9
L1, L2, H
AP Biology
12
AP
Chemistry
10, 11 (L1)
L1, L2, H
AP Chemistry
11, 12
AP
Anatomy & Physiology
11, 12
L2, H
Marine Ecology
11, 12
L2
Offered every other year
Environmental Science
11, 12
L2
Offered every other year
Forensic Science
11, 12
L2
Physics
11, 12
L1, L2, H
Research in Science
11, 12
H
STEM Explorations
11, 12
L2
Integrated Technology
Introduction to Computer Science
11, 12
L2
Integrated Technology
SCIENCE
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COURSE
ELIGIBLE GRADE(S)
LEVEL(S)
NOTES
SOCIAL SCIENCES Western Civilization
9
L2, H
American Government
10
L2, H
1 semester, with United States History
United States History
10
L2, H
1 semester, with American Government
Modern United States History
11
L2, H
AP United States History
11
AP
AP U.S. Government and Politics
12
AP
AP World History
11, 12
AP
Geography and Global Issues
11, 12
L2
Psychology
11, 12
L2
AP Psychology
11, 12
AP
Introduction to Economics
11, 12
L2
Line and Color
9, 10, 11, 12
L2
Graphic Communications
9, 10, 11, 12
L2
Portfolio
10, 11, 12
H
Advanced Portfolio
11, 12
H
Independent Advanced Portfolio
12
H
Clayworks
10, 11, 12
L2
AP Art History
11, 12
AP
Yearbook
12
L2
Speech and Performance
10 (L2), 11, 12
L2, H
Offered every other year
Acting 1
10, 11, 12
L2
Offered every other year
Advanced Acting
11, 12
H
Offered every other year
Theatre Arts
10, 11, 12
L2
Offered every other year
Advanced Theatre Techniques
11, 12
H
Offered every other year
Chorus
9, 10, 11, 12
L2
Concert Choir
10, 11, 12
H
Symphonic Orchestra
9, 10, 11, 12
L2
Advanced Orchestra
10, 11, 12
H
Chamber Ensemble
11, 12
H
Dance Fundamentals
9, 10, 11, 12
L2
Ballet Techniques
9, 10, 11, 12
L2
Honors Dance Company
10, 11, 12
H
Offered every other year
FINE ARTS Integrated Technology
Offered every other year
Offered every other year
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COUNSELING The Counseling Department is comprised of a freshman-junior counselor, a sophomore-senior counselor, a college counselor, the counselor for Sacred Heart students, and the registrar. School counselors meet with their assigned students in individual, small group, and large group settings. Counselors assist students with schedule development, social relationships, academic concerns, emotional needs, and career exploration. The department hosts periodic parent coffees for each grade to update parents throughout the year. During specialized lessons, students are introduced to Naviance, a tool for personal exploration and the college search. Students are encouraged to use this tool to find their strengths and consider their future. As juniors, students begin preparing for the college application process with the college counselor, which leads to a more individualized approach in senior year. The Counseling Department addresses topics with students in meetings and assemblies that are appropriate to girls in high school. They include:
• Transition to High School • Study Skills/Time Management • Social Media Responsibility • Self-Esteem • Stress Management • Communication Skills • Career Planning Day • Transition to College
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COLLEGE COUNSELING The journey in preparation for selecting a college for each student at Mount de Sales is a partnership venture, one in which each of us plays a vital role. Throughout the process, College Counseling helps students to look within themselves for clues as to what will be important in the search for an appropriate post-high school experience. The objectives are to address individual college needs and ensure that each Mount de Sales student is an active, energetic and investigative participant in the process. Starting in junior year, Mount de Sales students and their families will work with the college counselor to navigate the college process. This includes:
• Annual Mount de Sales Academy & Mount Saint Joseph College High School College Fair • Junior College Visit Day
CLASS OF 2020 SAT SCORES
• Individual Meetings and Group Lessons with College Counselor
Mid 50% Evidence Based Reading & Writing:
• College Essay & Application Workshops • Use of Naviance Family Connection
565-650 Mid 50% Math: 510-620 Mean Total Average: 1170
• Visits & Presentations by College Representatives
CLASS OF 2020 AP SCORES
• Financial Aid Night
65% of the class of 2020 took an AP course
• Informational Parent Coffees for Junior & Senior Parents
during their time at Mount de Sales
• Guidance on Choosing Best Plan for Standardized Testing
junior year were earned a 3 or above
88% of tests taken by the Class of 2020 in
• Each family is given a handbook on the College Process at Mount de Sales
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THE SACRED HEART PROGRAM The Sacred Heart Program provides academic support and instruction to meet the specialized needs of collegebound students with identified learning disabilities and ADHD. Named after the devotion that is beloved both in the Visitation and Dominican traditions, the Sacred Heart Program provides academic assistance and remediation for continued improvement of academic skills as well as enables the student to discover her learning strengths, build on these strengths, and advocate for her needs. ACCOMMODATIONS |Accommodations provided will be individualized to the needs of each student in the program. Accommodations include but are not limited to additional time to complete tests and in-class assignments, use of a computer for tests or to take notes, oral testing, copies of teacher notes, and preferential seating in each class. All Sacred Heart students take their tests in the Sacred Heart Testing Center to ensure effective and consistent use of testing accommodations. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION | This is a four-year program that addresses the individual needs for each of its students. Sacred Heart Seminar is a credited course which includes explicit instruction in school-based skills. It is individualized to each student’s needs and focuses on remediation in particular academic areas, study skills, time management, organization, note-taking and test-taking strategies, and assistance with classwork. During this class, students report to a learning support center to meet with program staff for instruction. Part of this session may also be used as a study period, or to accommodate the extra time given for assessments. Upperclassmen in the program who have completed freshman and sophomore Seminar and demonstrated effective implementation of the school-based skills taught in Seminar may be recommended by Sacred Heart staff to have the option to enroll in Phase 2, Coach. This non-credited section provides students with a class period designed to work independently, with the assistance and supervision of a Sacred Heart Learning Professional. It also designates time for the administering and monitoring of testing accommodations and other basic supports as needed. Students who are diagnosed with a learning disability or ADHD during their high school years may apply for the Sacred Heart Program. In addition to Sacred Heart Seminar classes, the program offers resources to students and parents through quarterly group meetings and individual meetings, as needed.
“I found the Sacred Heart parent meetings to be especially helpful. The information shared by the Sacred Heart staff and guest speakers as well as the lessons learned and passed on by other parents were INVALUABLE IN HELPING ME provide constructive feedback and effective methods and tools to assist my daughter in improving her self-esteem, executive functioning and grades.” - Teresa, parent 14
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TECHNOLOGY The One-to-One Technology Initiative is designed
New students attend technology orientations, and
to enhance the Mount de Sales curriculum while still
faculty and staff receive professional technology
maintaining its authenticity by supporting academic
development. In addition, during the school day our
excellence, moral responsibility, and ethical formation.
technology staff and help desk are available, and
Teachers and students are using Canvas Learning Management System, Office 365 and Microsoft education tools such as OneNote Class Notebooks,
the growing Library Media Center offers resources, including a 3D printer. MDSA utilizes ClassPolicy, a classroom management software.
Microsoft Forms, and Sway in innovative ways to
Incoming families are required to buy their own device
enhance the learning experience for students daily.
based on the school’s criteria. However, there are no
Technology integration at Mount de Sales is utilized to
technology fees in addition to tuition. Students will have
foster and encourage important 21st century skills such
full access to Microsoft Office Suite and Office 365
as communication and collaboration among students
online at no charge.
and teachers.
MDSA was named a Microsoft Showcase School for 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020. The MDSA Tech Team was awarded the 2017-2018 Teams that Make a Difference Award by the Catonsville Chamber of Commerce.
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A SPACE TO ENGAGE WITH INFORMATION In the budding Library Media Center, students, faculty, and staff alike have access to an abundance of resources including books, DVDs, and online databases available both on campus and from home. Students use the library space for quiet study, group work, and class sessions and workshops on research skills, writing techniques, and information literacy. Staffed by a fulltime librarian, the library is a creative space that supports the curriculum and provides outlets for exploration. The Technology Help Desk is located adjacent to the library and is a student’s first stop for any issues with her device.
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2020 - 2021 SCHOOL YEAR
470 48 10:4 16
STUDENTS
FACULTY
Student to Teacher
AVERAGE CLASS SIZE
RATIO
Our students come from:
Typical
Freshmen
Foreign L a
by prior e
116
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students
Literary G
Instructio
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78
SCHOOLS
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French o r
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Latin (Fore
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trine (Reli
hilosophy
Fine Arts c
2021.
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MDSA su
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Intro to P
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Spanish,
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PLACES OF WORSHIP
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AN INIC
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DRIV
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THE CAMPUS
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Gazeb
CHAPEL EXPANDED: 2018
SCIENCE RESEARCH LAB INTRODUCED: 2018
DING
UIL IN B
MA
FOURTH FLOOR B SIDE RENOVATED: 2018
Future Location of the Center for Perform ing Arts and Student Life
OR NT SFTERS E V SI ON
C
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No
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20
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P COM
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IN
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KN
1
CONSTANCE & SAMUEL PISTORIO
SPORTS COMPLEX
N
RE
BUILT: 1998
PIAZZA
GATE HOUSE
Bleachers
TURF FIELD AND
STADIUM SEATING INSTALLED: 2013
MAIN ENTRANCE Through the Gate House
Academy Road
BUILT: 1852 RENOVATED: 2017
Whitfield Road
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FINE ARTS Mount de Sales offers classes in visual art, theatre, dance, choral music, instrumental music, and graphic communication. Sharing real-world experience and passion, the fine arts faculty encourages their students to identify and refine their talents. While one Fine Arts credit is required, many students take additional Fine Arts electives. The annual Fine Arts Festival celebrates the arts with the entire student body through performances and activities.
MUSIC Vocal and instrumental music courses cultivate appreciation for a wide variety of musical genres and traditions. Students work to advance the technical skills necessary to become proficient and confident performers while also reinforcing the tools necessary to read music effectively. In addition to Christmas and spring concerts, other performance opportunities include pit band, annual coffee house, a cappella club, and monthly Mass. Each year, music students travel as far out of state as Virginia and Tennessee for adjudication. 22
DANCE Dance students at Mount de Sales acquire technique skills through participation in a variety of classical and contemporary dance forms. Studying historical perspectives and evaluating dance performance allows students to develop a personal aesthetic. Students have the opportunity to create dance by learning and applying current trends in composition. As ambassadors for Mount de Sales, dance students share their talents at various school events. Dance program alumnae have studied at prestigious college dance programs, such as University of the Arts and Towson University, as well as joined internationally renowned dance companies. 23
THEATRE AND DRAMATIC ARTS The drama classes provide opportunities to develop
is based on academic excellence and theatrical
both performance technique and technical skills. The
experience. The troupe’s goal is to share its expertise
curriculum promotes self-awareness, confidence,
with the community and its love of the performing arts
and the use of careful analysis for expressive choices.
with each other.
Students learn to work independently and collaboratively in a creative atmosphere and are given the opportunity to showcase what they have learned in class at the Fine Arts Festival and through student-produced one act plays. Honors level classes are available for both technical theatre and dramatic performance.
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The winter musical production is an extracurricular activity that provides an opportunity for all MDSA students to perform onstage, play in the pit, or work in stage crew. Rehearsals are initially held after school at Mount de Sales and later take place at Mount Saint Joseph High School, who generously allows us to use its
In addition to the honors classes, Mount de Sales has
auditorium for our show. We participate in the Baltimore
a theatre honor society: The International Thespian
Chapter of The Cappies, a national student critic and
Society. Upperclassmen may apply, and membership
award program.
VISUAL ARTS Visual arts students begin their studies by either taking Line and Color or Graphic Communications to learn the four components of art education: production, criticism, history and aesthetics. Students can continue their studies to build an impressive portfolio, and senior art students display their work at the Senior Art Show each spring. Throughout the year, the Fine Arts Department rotates displays of visual artwork in our Gallery Hallway. Over the course of the year, students will see great growth in their work and gain more self-confidence with each project. Mount de Sales graduates attend some of the nation’s most outstanding art institutions such as Rhode Island School of Design, Pratt University, Maryland Institute College of Art, Savannah College of Art and Design, Tulane University, School of the Visual Arts NYC, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts/U Penn and Drexel University, to name a few. Students have gone on to major in medical illustration, graphic design, animation, illustration, architecture and industrial design. 25
Each year students “adopt� families by providing food and Christmas gifts. 26
SERVICE Charity is the greatest of all virtues, and we encourage every member of the Mount de Sales community to give of herself in order to draw closer to the heart of Christ. While all students are required to earn service hours in their religion classes, Sailors far exceed their quotas. The Campus Ministry Office gives students the opportunity to serve others inside the Mount de Sales community, the surrounding region, and beyond our borders through a variety of service projects. Our students serve populations including the homeless, the elderly, the unborn, the poor, members of the U.S. military, and those with disabilities.
• Monthly Bagged Lunches for the Homeless
• Mount 2000 Retreat (February)
• Crisis Pregnancy Center
• Steubenville Youth Conference (Summer)
• Maryland March for Life
• Senior Week Mission Trip
• National March for Life in Washington, D.C.
• Summer Mission Trips
• 40 Days for Life
• Toiletries for Tara
• Monthly Adoration and Confession
• Christian Speakers
• Little Sisters of the Poor Nun Run
• Archdiocesan events
• Gabriel Network 5K for Life
• & many others…
• Christmas Family Adoption for Homeless
CLUBS
• Canned Food Drives
• Sodality of the Immaculate Conception
• Clothing Drives
• Global Outreach Club
• Mercy Night (Adoration, Confession & Music)
• Guardians of Life Club
TOTAL HOURS OF
Christian service:
12,700
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Wellies Club
Student Council
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Med Club
G.I.R.L. Club
STUDENT LIFE
A.C.E. (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Academy Ambassadors
Students have fun, make friends, pursue a passion, and even explore
Art Club
potential career paths in a variety of activities. By applying what
Book Club
they learn in the classroom and tapping into their personal talents,
Campus Ministry
Sailors gain experience to carry beyond high school into collegiate
Culinary Arts Club
or professional interests.
CyberPatriot
Student life fosters mutual respect and personal responsibility in every participant, and leadership appears in many forms. In fact, many clubs at Mount de Sales are student-founded.
Drama Club Dream Club Environmental Club French Club Girls’ Initiative for Rising Leaders Global Outreach Club
Academy Ambassadors
Golf Club Guardians of Life International Thespian Society Latin Club Lighthouse Literary Magazine Medical Club Mock Trial National Art Honor Society National Dance Honor Society National English Honor Society National French Honor Society National Honor Society National Latin Honor Society National Math Honor Society National Science Honor Society
CyberPatriot
National Social Studies Honor Society National Spanish Honor Society Photo & Design Club Sodality of the Immaculate Conception Student Council Tri-M Music Honor Society Wellies Club Winter Musical Production Yearbook Club
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ATHLETICS Mount de Sales believes fair play, good sportsmanship
• Mount de Sales is a charter member of the
and teamwork are an important part of each student’s
Interscholastic Athletics Association of Maryland
growth toward maturity. Athletics promotes school spirit
(IAAM), one of the top high school athletic
and provides a unique opportunity to nurture respect
conferences in the country
for our athletes, opponents, fans and coaches — all of which are means of imitating Christ in our daily lives. Athletics at its best is a deepening of the educational mission, and the athletic arena serves as an occasion to imitate Christ by living the virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, and self-control. In this environment, young women have a unique opportunity to develop as athletes and witness to the dignity of teammates, coaches,
• In 2018-2019, there were 33 Mount de Sales selections to IAAM All-Conference teams. • 14 members of the Class of 2020 will play sports at the collegiate level (NCAA Division I, II, & III colleges and universities). • More than 50 percent of Mount de Sales students participate in the athletic program.
officials, opponents, and fans.
SPORTS
RECENT CHAMPIONS
Basketball (JV & V)
TENNIS: 2012 & 2013
Cheerleading (V) Cross Country (V) Field Hockey (JV & V) Golf (V) Indoor Track (JV & V) Lacrosse (JV & V)
SOFTBALL: 2013 IAAM A Conference Champions
FIELD HOCKEY: 2013 & 15 IAAM B Conference Champions
GOLF: 2015 & 2018 IAAM B Conference Champions
Outdoor Track & Field (JV & V)
VOLLEYBALL: 2015, 2017 & 2018 & 2019
Soccer (JV & V)
IAAM A Conference Champions
Softball (JV & V)
CHEERLEADING: 2019
Swimming (V) Tennis (JV & V) Volleyball (JV & V) Mountain Bike* (V) The Mountain Bike team is a member of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).
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IAAM B Conference Champions
1st place Cupid Championships @ UMBC
TRACK AND FIELD: 2018 & 2019 IAAM A Conference Champions
CROSS COUNTRY: 2018 IAAM A Conference Champions
Field Hockey
Volleyball
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SCHOLARSHIPS FROM MOUNT DE SALES ACADEMY ST. FRANCIS DE SALES SCHOLARSHIP
FRA ANGELICO ART SCHOLARSHIP
Amount: Half-tuition or quarter-tuition/year
Renewable: Each year if requirements are met
Renewable: Each year if requirements are met
Extra application needed: Portfolio. Due by
Extra application needed: No
December 18, 2020.
These scholarships are awarded solely based on High School Placement Test scores. All applicants are automatically eligible.
Fra Angelico Art scholarships are awarded to students for visual art.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SCHOLARSHIP Amount: $2,500/year Renewable: Each year if requirements are met
ST. MARTIN DE PORRES SCHOLARSHIP Amount: $1,500/year Renewable: Each year if requirements are met Extra application needed: Essay. Due by December 18, 2020.
Extra application needed: No
Special requirement: Applicants must be of Hispanic
These scholarships are awarded solely based on High School Placement Test scores. All applicants are automatically eligible.
or Latina ethnicity. St. Martin de Porres scholarships are awarded to students based on their essay submissions.
GOLDEN COUNSEL SCHOLARSHIP
SERVICE LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP
Amount: $1,000/year
Amount: $2,500/year
Renewable: Each year if requirements are met
Renewable: Each year if requirements are met
Extra application needed: No
Extra Application Needed: One-page, one-sided
These scholarships are awarded to applicants who exhibit high achievement.
list of service and leadership activities. Due by December 18, 2020.
ST. CECILIA MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
These scholarships are awarded to applicants who exhibit service/leadership qualities.
Amount: $1,000/year Renewable: Each year if requirements are met Extra application needed: Video links and/or audition requests are due by December 18, 2020. Some applicants will be contacted for February 2021 auditions. Auditions are NOT indicative of an admissions decision. St. Cecilia Music scholarships are awarded to students for vocal and/or instrumental music. 32
Amount: $1,000/year
FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS* SEMPER FI SCHOLARSHIP Amount: Allocated by selection committee Renewable: Possibly. Annual application required. Extra application needed: Application, parent essay, student essay, parish and pastor documentation due by January 1, 2021 and completion of FACTS application due by January 8, 2021.
Special Requirement: Applicants must be practicing Catholics who meet requirements listed on the scholarship application. Students grades 9-12 may apply for a Semper Fi Scholarship.
GUARDIANS OF LIFE SCHOLARSHIP Amount: $2,500/year Renewable: Each year if requirements are met Extra application needed: Essay and letters of recommendation due by December 18, 2020. It is recommended that one letter be written by a priest or religious sister.
Special requirement: Applicants must be Catholic. The Guardians of Life Scholarship is awarded to a student whose essay portrays an understanding of the dignity of life. She is passionate about protecting the unborn and helping young women in need. She must also be willing to be a voice for the voiceless among her peers. *These scholarships are funded by a foundation or fund. Applications are processed through Mount de Sales.
Please visit the Scholarships page at MOUNTDESALES.ORG for additional scholarship resources. 33
FINANCIAL INFORMATION TUITION | Tuition for the 2020-2021 academic year
ELECTRONIC DEVICES | Families are responsible
is $15,850. A non-refundable deposit of $400 (included
for purchasing tablets or laptops that meet Mount de
in tuition) is due in the spring in order to secure
Sales requirements.
enrollment for the following school year.
UNIFORMS | Uniforms are purchased from
SACRED HEART | The 2020-2021 cost of the Sacred
FlynnO’Hara Uniforms. Families may order online, at
Heart Program is divided by phase: $3,000 for Seminar,
the Flynn & O’Hara stores, or at Uniform Measurement
and $1,000 for Coach Sessions.
(TBD Spring 2021). A used uniform sale is held each
BOOKS AND FEES BILL | Includes $175 textbook
summer for incoming families (TBD).
rental fee plus Miraculous Medal, locker lock, agenda,
BUS SERVICE | Mount de Sales partners with Mount
media, security, and retreat fees as applicable per
Saint Joseph High School to provide transportation
grade.
options. Please visit the Tuition + Fees web page under
CONSUMABLE BOOKS | Families are responsible for separately purchasing these items through an online provider. ATHLETICS | The $150 athletic fee is billed per sport, per student-athlete.
the Admissions tab for details. Requests, reservations and payments are made directly between families and Mount Saint Joseph. CARPOOLS | Mount de Sales helps enrolled families coordinate carpools by providing contact information upon request starting in Spring 2021.
APPLICATION | The application fee is $50.
TUITION ASSISTANCE | The Board of Trustees and Administration of Mount de Sales are committed to keeping Catholic education affordable. Limited aid is available to students in financial need. Families wishing to be considered for tuition assistance must submit an annual application to the Business Office through FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment. Please visit the Tuition + Fees web page under the Admissions tab for additional information. FACTS requires an application fee for processing. Families are encouraged to check with their parishes regarding the possibility of additional tuition assistance. Thomas Walter, Business Manager | 410.744.8498 ext. 110 | twalter@mountdesales.org FACTS applications for 2020-2021 tuition assistance are due by January 8, 2021.
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APPLICATION PROCESS SHADOW DAYS Eighth-grade shadow days are between September and December 2020. Seventh-grade shadow days are on select days in Spring 2021. More information will be
APPLICATION PROCESS
forthcoming. Please email admissions@mountdesales.
All applications are due December 18, 2020. The
org to join our mailing list and receive all updates
Admissions Committee will only review complete
on shadow days, admissions events, and the
applicant files. The following are required to complete
admissions process.
an applicant file:
HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT TEST (HSPT)
• Application
All eighth-grade applicants are required to take the HSPT. See archbalt.org or email admissions@ mountdesales.org for more information.
• $50 fee • Report cards, standardized test/assessment scores, and attendance records from sixth, seventh and eighth grade thus far.
SACRED HEART PROGRAM Applicants must indicate on their applications that they are applying to the Sacred Heart Program. Documentation of a learning disability/ADHD and accompanying paperwork are required for consideration and must be submitted directly to
Patrick Martel (410.744.8498 ext. 267 or pmartel@mountdesales.org).
• HSPT scores (if Mount de Sales is listed as any choice, Scholastic Testing Services will send scores directly) • Recommendation form(s) – see next page for details by school type • Interview with student and at least one parent/guardian. All applicants interview. See the website for details. Application confirmations will be sent. Please contact Admissions if you do not receive confirmation of application submission.
Transfer applications are considered for 10th and 11th grade. Enrollment is assessed each spring by the Board of Trustees, and transfer admission decisions will follow. See the website for transfer application process.
Please visit the Admissions tab at MOUNTDESALES.ORG for admissions details and resources. 36
SPECIFIC APPLICATION PROCESS NOTES BY SCHOOL POPULATION • The Mount de Sales Request for Records and Standard Recommendation forms can be found on mountdesales. org under the Admissions tab. • ALL records and recommendations should be sent from the school/recommenders directly to Mount de Sales c/o Admissions and not through applicant families. • Recommendation letters are NOT required for any applicants but will be added to files if received. The records and recommendations portion of the application process varies based on what school the applicant attends. Please see below for specifics by school type: ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE SCHOOLS: Authorize the release of records when prompted during online HSPT registration. The middle schools will send the records and principal’s recommendation directly to high schools chosen by families to receive students’ HSPT scores. ARCHDIOCESE OF WASHINGTON SCHOOLS: Complete the Archdiocese of Washington’s Authorization to Release Records Form by mid-November. The middle schools will send the records and principal’s recommendation directly to high schools chosen by families to receive students’ HSPT scores. Mount de Sales accepts the Archdiocese of Washington packet as is. PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR NON-CATHOLIC PRIVATE SCHOOLS: The signed Request for Records form and two Standard Recommendation forms should be submitted to the applicant’s current school in November. Records and recommendations should be sent directly to Mount de Sales by the school and/or recommending teachers (families should not submit these items themselves). The forms can be found online under the Admissions tab. HOMESCHOOL/CO-OP/TUTORIAL:
Students enrolled in a homeschool program that issues transcripts: Sign and submit the Request for Records form to the program in November. The program should send records directly to Mount de Sales.
Students homeschooling through local school district approval: The home educator must provide a list of courses, textbooks, and progress for grades 6, 7, and 8 up to the current date. For students who do not earn numerical or letter grades, the home educator should provide a summary of the student’s progress for each class in each year.
All homeschoolers: The Standard Recommendation Form should be completed by two teachers. Tutors, co-op teachers, and adults who have worked with the student in an instructional capacity may submit recommendation forms. Note: Homeschooled students are strongly encouraged to take a standardized test in middle school beyond the eighth-grade HSPT.
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NOTES
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EVENTS ANNUAL ADMISSIONS EVENTS Details will be shared on our website as each event approaches..
ARCHDIOCESE OF BALTIMORE VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL FAIRS September – October 2020
MDSA VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE November 1, 2020
A MORNING AT MOUNT DE SALES FOR EIGHTH-GRADERS AND PARENTS November 2020
A MORNING AT MOUNT DE SALES FOR SIXTH- & SEVENTH-GRADERS AND PARENTS Spring 2021
ADMISSIONS POLICY Mount de Sales Academy for Girls does not
Please visit the Visits + Events page at MOUNTDESALES.ORG for event updates, details and registration.
discriminate on the basis of race, color or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policy, athletic or other school administered programs. All acceptances are conditional upon the successful completion of eighth grade. As a condition of acceptance, students may be required to attend and satisfactorily complete remedial summer math and/ or reading programs prior to admission. All decisions regarding the acceptance of a student into Mount de Sales Academy are done with the highest emphasis placed on what is in the best interest of the individual girl. When applying, applicants “understand and acknowledge that receiving the application does not constitute a commitment by Mount de Sales Academy, and that Mount de Sales Academy may deny admission if they determine that enrollment of the applicant in the Academy would not be appropriate.”
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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT APPLYING TO MOUNT DE SALES? The application process for eighth-grade applicants occurs each fall and winter. Access details about the application process, visits and events, and more at mountdesales.org/admissions. Email the Admissions Office at admissions@mountdesales.org. Let us know if you want to receive our emails!
MOUNT DE SALES ACADEMY FOR GIRLS 700 Academy Road Catonsville, MD 21228 p: 410.744.8498 | f: 410.747.5105 MountdeSales.org
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