BE EMPOWERED
GIRLS WHO CHOOSE IHA ARE DOING MORE THAN PICKING A SCHOOL.
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 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.
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.
Kerry Carroll’04 Principal Jason Schlereth President
70%
Founded in 1960, Immaculate Heart Academy enrolls approximately 650 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, 70% of IHA seniors 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 theatre, 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 16 athletic programs
IHA enrolledseniorsinAPs
11:1 student-teacher ratio 16 average class size 16 athletic programs 1
BE ENGAGED 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. 2
Joan Bertussi P’18, ’19, ’25 ...is a wife and mother of five including three Blue Eagles, past and present. A licensed professional engineer, she also manages the care of her elderly parents and practices random acts of kindness every day.
“I have witnessed first-hand through my three daughters that IHA transforms and empowers young women. The girls learn to not only fend for themselves, but also to fiercely advocate for others. They learn to hold a conversation, defend a thesis, and become strong, independent, faith-filled leaders. At IHA, you can be an artist, an athlete, a service leader, or all of the above. You are given the assets, the encouragement, and the confidence to change the world–one kind deed at a time. IHA is a community, a family, a tight-knit sisterhood built on the foundation of women empowering women.”
PROFILE
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.
ACADEMICS AP Courses 3
As a Roman Catholic high 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 single-sex college preparatory high school, 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 Art, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages. Additionally, we offer 19 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, European History, French Language and Culture, Italian Language and Culture, Physics 1, Physics C, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, Studio Art, and U.S. History.
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Our Scholae@theheart Program enhances IHA’s superlative college preparatory curriculum by providing increased opportunities for specialization and recognition in areas that capitalize on students’ strengths and interests.
BE PASSIONATE 4
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· The St. Hildegard Arts Schola · The St. Clare of Assisi Communications Schola · The St. Barbara Engineering Schola · The St. Catherine of Siena Humanities Schola · The St. Gianna Molla Life Sciences Schola SCHOLAE@THEHEART Scholae@theheart FAQs Q: Do students need to apply? A: Students submit a statement of intent. Q: Is a certain GPA required? A: Students of all academic levels can participate in any of the scholae. Q: Are students “locked in”? A: No, students can withdraw at any point prior to course selection for 12th grade. Q: Are students required to join a schola? A: No, they are completely optional. 5
Immaculate Heart Academy launched its Scholae@theheart Program in the 2022-23 academic year. This program allows students to investigate areas for postsecondary education and receive additional extracurricular experiences to support their discernment and learning. All of the scholae share a common liberal arts core curriculum that provides the foundation and skills that universities expect from top tier applicants. The program serves all students with emphasis classes available at every academic level and provides in-depth study opportunities for all core disciplines. Students enrolled in one of the five initial scholae offered at IHA will benefit from guided course selection, exposure to community professionals within the chosen emphasis field, afterschool enrichment opportunities, and the experience of developing a capstone synthesis presentation in their senior year. All successful scholars receive a designation on their transcripts. The initial scholae, named after female saints, include:
“Scholae@theheart acknowledges and celebrates students’ hard work in specific fields of study, allowing IHA’s young women to deepen their knowledge in certain subjects about which they feel passionately. There is no other program like this one, which sets students up for what they may want to pursue after high school. Being part of the Scholae@theheart program gives me and my peers the opportunity to advance our knowledge in selected fields of interest, display our passions in a more challenging environment, and set ourselves up for successful futures.”
Sophie Morales’24 …is an extremely involved student at IHA, serving as the vice president of the Class of 2024 and the social justice chair on the Christian Service Executive Board. Sophie is also a member of the cross country, winter track, and spring track teams. Throughout the school year, she costumes more than six shows at Immaculate Heart Academy, Don Bosco Prep, and Saint Joseph Regional High School. In the future, she plans to study engineering and attend law school to become a patent attorney. The IHA environment has made it possible for Sophie to pursue all her interests simultaneously.
PROFILE
BE CREATIVE The Arts remove boundaries and allow students to explore aspects of life around them in new ways. 6
...is a member of the IHA Ski Team, Art Club, Culture Club, and Eagle Ambassadors. She enjoys participating in IHA’s drama and musical theatre programs and dances with the ISKRA Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. She is actively involved in PLAST, an international Ukrainian scouting organization, as a member and troop leader.
“Art has always played a major role in my life, but IHA’s art program has truly challenged me to dive deeper into my artistic abilities and creatively express myself. What I love most is how the teachers promote self-expression and help nurture everyone’s unique artistic styles, encouraging us to be who we genuinely are as artists. No one artist or piece of artwork is the same, yet we are all united in our quest to self-express and share that with our community.”
Sophia Salewycz’24
PROFILE
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 theatre. 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 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, Theatre Arts, Theatre Production, or Musical Theatre Studio courses. In addition to The Arts curriculum, a wide range of clubs and activities give students the opportunity to explore visual arts, singing, photography, creative writing, and more.
THE ARTS 15 artsfine/performingclasses 7
BE DEDICATED It is our mission to develop every aspect of the individual, including the promotion of healthy competition, dedication, and teamwork. 8
“Being a student-athlete at IHA has sharpened my time management and multitasking skills. I find myself being more focused on not just succeeding in my sport, but all aspects of my life. Ultimately, I think these skills have made me a better student and will prepare me for my transition to college.”
SPORTS AT IHA
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 brand new tennis courts, renovated in the Summer of 2022. Through our Soaring to New Heights campaign, we completed the enhancement of our entire athletic field complex 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. 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.
Brookelyn Talmadge’23 …is devoted to receiving a strong education while also being a part of the IHA Volleyball team since her freshman year. She began playing volleyball at the age of 8, and has been in love with the sport ever since, playing full-time since she was 12 years old. Brookelyn has been named to the honor roll for all six semesters that she’s been at IHA, and she is also the co-president of the Black Culture Club.
TrackTennisSwimmingSoftballSoccer&FieldTrackWinter& FieldVolleyballSpring 9
SkiingLacrosseIceGolfFieldDanceCrossBowlingBasketballCountryHockeyHockey
ATHLETICS
PROFILE
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 past decade, more than 1,000 IHA athletes have earned all-conference honors and more than 500 have earned all-county honors. Even more impressive is that our student-athletes perform on and off the field, with some of IHA’s highest GPAs.
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Students put their faith into action, expanding their awareness of God, others, and themselves.
BE GENEROUS
Sydney Kearney’24 …is a member of numerous clubs including WIHA, Polish Culture Club, Junior State of America, Chess and Board Game Club, and the Bake-In Club, which Sydney founded. She is also an Eagle Ambassador, a role in which she said she loves serving and representing the sisterhood. Outside of school, Sydney likes to act, spend time with friends, and dedicate her time to volunteering at a camp for individuals with special needs. 11
“By coming to IHA, you have agreed to uphold a higher standard of service for a cause bigger than yourself,” said Riley Ypelaar’22. “I want to remind my sisters at IHA that service is not about getting those awards or adding them to a resume, but about the dignity of the humans that we uphold during the service. Through service, we are completing God’s mission that was sent forth to us.”
SERVICE PROFILE
“Volunteering at IHA and at a local camp for individuals with special needs has taught me responsibility and important life skills such as how to handle difficult situations. I take pride in volunteering; I love seeing the smiles on the campers’ faces when we play games, or when our future Blue Eagles get excited after I have given them a tour as an Eagle Ambassador! I will continue to partake in service even after graduating from Immaculate Heart, as I love to help my community in any way possible. Service means so much to me and I know it always will.”
Service at Immaculate Heart isn’t just something that is required; it’s a central part of who we are. IHA students put their faith into action by serving their immediate community and ministering to people in need through interactive service opportunities. By participating in the IHA Service Program, students apply their Catholic Christian values by practicing them in projects that expand their awareness of God, others, and themselves. Based on this call to action, IHA requires students to complete hours in two categories:
Social Justice and Volunteerism
Over the last year, our students served a total of 26,606 service hours. On average, IHA’s young women serve double the amount of hours required of them. The highest achieving class in the 2021-22 academic year was the Class of 2022, with a total of 8,583. Additionally, IHA students have accumulated a total of 740 President’s Volunteer Service Awards, with 66 this year alone. The President’s Volunteer Service Award, founded in 2003 by the United States President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, recognizes the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action too.
BE MENTORED
IHA graduates go on to excel at leading colleges and universities across the nation.
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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.
COUNSELING $41 million in scholarships earned by the Class of 2022 100% college acceptance rate 13
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, 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.
PROFILE BE CONNECTED The
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“The teachers, staff, and coaches at IHA truly invest their time and energy into building up independent and intelligent women. My time at Immaculate Heart helped me to develop a strong sense of self, but also how to foster lifelong friendships with supportive women. I truly believe that the sense of community I experienced at IHA has helped me to forge strong relationships both personally and professionally.”
Kathleen Donohue Wright’07 ...is the director of production operations for Macy’s. Her responsibilities include the production of iconic Macy’s events including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks as well as localized in-store holiday activations and the Macy’s Flower Show. After graduating from IHA, she attended Fordham University and studied communications and media studies. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, Jimmy. sisterhood effortlessly cultivated at Immaculate Heart is enduring, and the bonds students form here last a lifetime.
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.”
Life After 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 58 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. Including the Class of 2022 graduates, 10,869 young women proudly call themselves IHA alumnae.
SISTERHOOD 15
Riley Ng-Knepper’25 …is a sophomore honors student on the lacrosse and soccer teams, a member of Student Council, and participates in the & Snowboarding club. of IHA, Riley plays guitar, in club lacrosse, and and spending time with friends and family.
Outside
“I chose to come to IHA because of the excellent academics. I know the hard work I put into my classes now will help me to succeed in college and beyond. Immaculate Heart is also the right choice for me because of the competitive athletics that I’ve always loved. I feel confident that IHA is where I was meant to be.”
participates
enjoys traveling, exercising, swimming,
TIMELINE IHA ADMISSIONS Schedule a BLUE EAGLE FOR THE DAY visit to see what a typical school day is like firsthand. Attend an OPEN HOUSE to get a look at the opportunities that IHA offers. Sit for the HSPT EntranceArchdiocesanExam. Complete your APPLICATIONONLINE Make sure your school submits your TRANSCRIPTS from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. SEPTEMBER—DECEMBER DECISION notifications are mailed and emailed. Attend our RECEPTIONSTUDENTS’ACCEPTED Enroll as an IHA student at REGISTRATIONDAY Take your Math and Language PLACEMENTTESTS Meet your future classmates at the ICE CREAM SOCIAL JANUARY—FEBRUARY MAY—JUNE PROFILE 16
Ski
Demographics 60% of students are from public elementary schools, and 40% from ApproximatelyCatholic 87% of students are StudentsCatholicreside in Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Essex, and Morris Counties in N.J. and Rockland and Orange Counties in N.Y. 10,869 total IHA alumnae Ratio – 11:1 Class Size – 16 73% of faculty and staff hold advanced degrees 50+ electives offered 19 AP Courses Government Computer Science A English (Language and EnglishComposition)(Literature and EnvironmentalComposition) European History French Language and ItalianCultureLanguages and PhysicsCulture 1 Physics SpanishPsychologyCLanguage and U.S.StudioStatisticsCultureArtHistory•70%ofseniors enrolled in AP classes Class of 2022 5 National CommendedMeritStudents•StatementofClassRank–Considering the quality of the student body and the rigorous college prep course of study, Immaculate Heart Academy does not rank its students.
FAST FACTS
National Honor Societies Sponsored by IHA French Honor Society International Thespian Society (ITS) Mu Alpha Theta (National Mathematics Honor NationalSociety)Honor Society National Art Honor Society Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor ScienceSocietyNational Honor Society Spanish Honor Society (Reina Sofia Chapter) Tri-M (Modern Music Masters)
Guidance and College Counseling 4 Guidance and 2 College Counselors 100% College Acceptance Rate $41 million in scholarships earned by Class of 2022 graduates Athletics and Activities 16 athletic programs offered 50+ clubs and activities Service 26,606 hours served over the last year 740 President’s Volunteer Service Awards since 2015
Academics Student-Teacher
Science
• Founded in 1960 as the first regional high school for girls in the Archdiocese of Newark • Approximately 650 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)
Average
CalculusBiology AB Calculus ComparativeChemistryBC
Immaculate Heart Academy 500 Van Emburgh Ave. Township of Washington, NJ 07676 Phone: 201.445.6800 www.ihanj.com FROM THE HEART
