I t radiates throughout hallways and classrooms. Reverberates across practice fields and pep rallies. Whispers in the stillness of the library and flows through every study hall. It permeates intellectual adventure and saturates artistic expression. It guides. It leads. It follows. And it knows no bounds.
Faith in Young Women.
It is
ST. C ECILIA ACADEMY.
Come and see.
FA I T H I N
B e f ore
Achievement
s h e is a well- educa ted y ou n g w o m a n , s h e is a girl b r i mmi n g w it h pr omise. St. Cecilia fu lf ills pro m is es . We are a Catholic college p repa ra to ry s ch o o l f o r g irls . Fo r m o re t h a n 1 50 ye ar s , we hav e been c h a llen g in g s tu den ts to i n order to becom e th eir b es t s elv es . Th is co n tin u a l se a rc h for truth takes the St. Cecilia girl beyond tests and grades to the e s s e n c e of academic achie v em en t: dis co v erin g lif elo n g j o y in l e a r n i n g an d i n s ha ring the fruits o f th a t lea rn in g w ith o th ers .
tru th
g r a p p l e w ith
AC A D E M IC S T HAT ADAP T Within a traditional structure that instills discipline, St. Cecilia offers each student a learning experience that is rigorous and flexible—designed to accelerate her strengths and overcome her challenges. Hallmarks of our academic program include: • “Physics First” Curriculum: Students study Physics at the very beginning of the high school sequence because it lays the foundation for understanding all science, followed by chemistry and biology. Additional electives are: Environmental Science, Anatomy & Physiology, Scientific Research, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics. • Fine Arts Program: All St. Cecilia students are introduced to the fine arts during a multidisciplinary survey course freshman year that incorporates dance, theater, speech, and the visual arts. They continue with at least one additional course in a specialty area of the arts. • St. Martin Program: We have a dedicated Learning Specialist who coordinates individualized support for students with mild learning differences.
A MATCH TO BE MADE We think the college admissions process is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. St. Cecilia offers comprehensive college counseling that helps each student discover and gain admission to post-secondary options best suited to her passions and personality. In addition to individual counseling and online support with Naviance, the program offers:
• Online School for Girls: A consortium of more than 80 bricks-and-mortar schools, The Online School for Girls designs single-sex courses that play to girls’ typical strengths–connection, collaboration, application and creativity – expand their horizons, and build their self-confidence. • Dual Enrollment: Students interested in accelerating their academic pace have the opportunity to take college-credit courses at Aquinas College, located on the same campus with St. Cecilia.
• Small-group personal statement workshop • Summer college “boot camp” • College admissions interview prep • SAT/ACT test prep sessions • College scholarships and financial aid nights • College fairs and regular visits from representatives throughout the year
SCA BY THE NUMBERS:
16 Average
Class Size
• Independent Study: Accelerated students may take courses designed specifically for their interests with one of our faculty members.
8:1
Student-Teacher Ratio
73% Faculty with
Advanced Degrees
19 AP courses offered
OF ALL THE PURSUITS OPEN TO THE HUMAN PERSON, THE SEARCH FOR WISDOM IS MORE PERFECT, MORE PROFITABLE, AND MORE FULL OF JOY.
TH E
All-Gir ls’ ED G E
— St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
A recent study conducted by UCLA found: Graduates from all-girls’ high schools outscored their coed peers in composite SAT scores by 43 points. Graduates from all-girls’ schools rank higher across multiple categories, including self-confidence, political and social activism, and life goals. More all-girls’ school graduates (71%) consider college a stepping stone to graduate school than their coed peers (66%).
FA I T H I N
Achievement
The St. Cecilia educational philosophy, rooted in the centuries’ old Dominican
inquisitive and courageous.
tradition, develops women who are Immersed in an environment that is at once intimate and demanding, she becomes eager to discover why God made her and what she is meant to do.
WE ARE: • The only Catholic high school in Middle Tennessee named to the Catholic Education Honor Roll’s Schools of Excellence 7 times in a row • A National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
FA I T H I N
Exploration
THE GLORY OF GOD IS THE HUMAN PERSON FULLY ALIVE. — St. Irenaeus (120-202)
The St. Cecilia girl is emboldened to be young and carefree – alive to beauty and art as it is manifested in every aspect of extracurricular life. She takes advantage of countless opportunities to pursue her interests, or to sample pursuits she never even imagined could intrigue her.
All-Girls’ E D GE T HE
SCA AROUND THE WORLD We offer domestic and international travel opportunities to fit different interests and budgets. • Arizona - A biology, astronomy, and environmental science adventure. • Costa Rica - Discovering the flora and fauna of Central America and practicing Spanish. • France - An exchange program for select French students with Lycèe de La Sauque in Bordeaux. • Germany and Italy - Seeing the sights of historical, cultural, and religious significance. • Haiti - Mission trip to provide dental care through the “Be Happy Haiti” initiative. • Ireland and England - A literary and cultural tour. • Poland - World Youth Day celebration in Krakow with Pope Francis.
Too many girls lose self-confidence in adolescence. But UCLA’s study found that all-girls’ schools are reversing this trend. Significantly, all-girls’-school graduates rate themselves as more successful and engaged not only in the humanities but also in areas where male students have historically excelled — mathematics, computers, engineering, and politics.
THE INTERIM EXPERIENCE If it’s January, it’s Interim at SCA. Students begin the new semester with wide and enriching learning experiences: It’s about travel. Some girls have chosen to spend Interim in Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy and Costa Rica. It’s about internships. Others have shadowed local community leaders or professionals, and worked on Capitol Hill – both Nashville’s and Washington’s. It’s about on-campus classes. Still others take advantage of intriguing course offerings, such as Mind Control Economics, Dystopian Literature and Film, and Introduction to Law.
FA I T H I N
Exploration
O ur girl has plenty of room to be goofy and serious in the same afternoon. To dance with her dad one weekend, and her date the next. Most importantly, she is given the gifts of so that she can reflect on the interconnectedness of all experiences.
time and guidance
IF YOU HAVE GOD AS THE CENTER OF ALL YOUR ACTION, YOU WILL REACH THE GOAL.
— Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925)
FA I T H I N
Action
S t. Cecilia girls are winners. And we mean that in every sense of the word. We foster an environment in which all students learn to be team players. That’s why we field championship teams. We offer girls who revel in athletic competition the chance to try out for a wide range of interscholastic sports. And we encourage every girl to be active – to discover the many ways that exercising the body
awakens the spirit.
BE WELL - THE SCA WAY Wellness means being healthy in every dimension of your life – throughout your life. That’s what we teach at SCA. Offered four days a week, our Wellness class strengthens the mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional dimensions of our students.
GOOD SPORTS The SCA athlete has the chance to compete in 12 varsity sports: basketball, bowling, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track-and-field, and volleyball. She also has the chance to win:
SWIMMING 2014 - District Champions VOLLEYBALL 2014 - District Champions ROWING 2015 - Mid-South Scholastic Championship Women’s Varsity 4+ Champions Mid-South Scholastic Championship Women’s 2nd Varsity 4+ Champions
THE
CROSS COUNTRY 2013 - Region Champions; State Runner Up
A ll-Girls’ E D GE
SOCCER 2011 – District Champions 82% of female business executives played sports, with the majority saying that lessons learned on the playing field contributed to their success. Each year, about 60% of SCA girls play sports and 20% are multisport athletes.
TO GIVE TRUTH IS THE GREATEST CHARITY.
— School Motto
FA I T H I N
S t.
Tradition
Cecilia Academy is the oldest independent school in Nashville. Our intellectual heritage is older still. Established in 1860 by Dominican Sisters of the Saint Cecilia Congregation, ours is a tradition dating back to St. Dominic, who founded The Dominican Order in 1216 for the purpose of study, prayer, community and service. It is illuminated by our namesake, St. Cecilia, patroness of musicians and muse of poets.
ever ancient and ever new
This rich legacy is – as relevant today as it was 800 years ago, and interwoven into every aspect of our academic and extracurricular life. 1860 Four Dominican Sisters from 0hio open boarding school.
Third wing of construction on St. Cecilia Motherhouse and Academy completed.
1923
St. Cecilia Academy moves to Harding Road location.
1976
1904
Sisters buy 92 acres on Harding Road for $180,000.
1957
Ground broken for new library, theater, and fine arts wing.
U.S. Department of Education awards SCA Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence in Education, a distinction we retain.
1991
2001 New science wing, administrative offices, and Alumnae Hall dedicated.
SCA first named a “Top 50 Catholic High School” in U.S., a distinction we retain.
2004
2007 SCA’s production of Beauty and the Beast named the best high school musical in Tennessee by USA Weekend.
SCA opens $1.5 million track and soccer field complex.
2009
2015 Capital campaign underway for the addition of a new fine arts wing.
FA I T H I N T H E
Future IF YOU ARE WHAT YOU SHOULD BE, YOU WILL SET THE WHOLE WORLD ON FIRE. — St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
The St. Cecilia girl is going places. The road she will travel is uniquely her own. But she will never travel alone. She is always in the company of her St. Cecilia family: committed educators who have prepared her well for future academic challenges, a fulfilling career or rewarding vocation; generations of alumnae to emulate; and abiding friendships to sustain her for the rest of her life.
SCA GRADUATES HAVE ENROLLED IN THE FOLLOWING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING: • Boston College • Boston University • Bryn Mawr College • Carnegie Mellon University • College of the Holy Cross • College of William and Mary • Dartmouth College • Emory University • Furman University • Georgetown University • Massachusetts Institute of Technology • New York University • Northwestern University • Pepperdine University • Princeton University • Purdue University • Saint Mary’s College • Savannah College of Art and Design • Spelman College • St. Olaf College • University of Dallas • University of Kentucky • University of North Carolina • University of Notre Dame • University of the South (Sewanee) • University of Tennessee • United States Air Force Academy • United States Coast Guard • St. Anselm College • Vanderbilt University • Wake Forest University •
All-Girls’ E DG E TH E
The 2009 UCLA Study found: Women who attended singlesex schools were more likely than those who attended a coeducational school to say that they are going to college to prepare for graduate school (71% to 66%) and to choose a college because its graduates are admitted to top graduate schools (45% to 41%).
FA I T H I N T H E
Future
S t. Cecilia Academy ennobles young women, equips them to excel, and inspires them to lead lives of integrity.
This is
our promise.
Office of Admissions 615.298.4525 Fax: 615.783.0561 Email: admissions@stcecilia.edu STCECILIA.EDU