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Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart exists for girls—shy or boisterous, precocious, or cautious—who are poised on the thresholds of the rest of their lives. Today, we offer Houston girls what Sacred Heart foundress Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat offered the girls of France more than 200 years ago—a stimulating, enveloping, and elevating education from which girls emerge uniquely as formed and confident young women. In our intimately scaled classrooms—an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio—your daughter expands her intellect, faith, conscience, and sense of self as part of our dynamic sisterhood. And she grows in knowledge, confidence, and ability as she learns, laughs and plays, sings, and prays with her friends. Our curriculum, culture, and worldview connect with and promote the Goals and Criteria of the international Sacred Heart Network. Our single-sex education ensures that our classes and community offer the support, challenges, and freedom that allow girls to shine. As a college-prep school, we send our graduates to top colleges across the country. We also match them to colleges where they will continue contributing to their campus and the local community, developing their strengths, and thriving academically and socially. These are your daughter's formative years. At Duchesne, she joins a diverse and vibrant sisterhood of girls' information. The mission of Duchesne Academy is to inspire and prepare young women to engage in a lifelong pursuit of their faith in God, intellectual vitality, social awareness, and action, the building of community and personal growth, in the living tradition of Sacred Heart education. The Society of the Sacred Heart has been educating girls and young women for more than 200 years since Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat founded the order in 1800 "for the sake of one child." At Duchesne, we draw upon the full force and range of our Sacred Heart heritage to help our girls form-wise hearts and sharp minds. As your daughter's learning universe fills with possibility, Duchesne surrounds her with an enlivening and intellectually serious community that propels her to develop her unmistakable voice and discerning mind. In our intimately scaled, all-girls classrooms, your daughter revels in an atmosphere of mutual discovery, discussion, and respectful debate. Her teachers and classmates know her heart and her mind. They provoke new perspectives on a classic text, new approaches to a math problem, and newfound joy in learning for its own sake. As she progresses through Duchesne, simple arithmetic grows into complex calculus. Reading and writing approach—even surpass—what is expected at many colleges. Research skills evolve with her age and capabilities. And her understanding of her ability to change and shape her future gains profound clarity. One of Duchesne's missions is to empower young women with technological fluency. Our curriculum offers and supports a fully integrated, advanced technology program of interactive classrooms and innovative teachers. Duchesne emphasizes mastery of analytical skills, computer concepts, and effectively using technology applications to communicate and solve various problems. Duchesne families often remark on the feeling of warmth and camaraderie they are greeted with every time they step on campus, a feeling that the school is a second home. We are undoubtedly inclusive and caring. We are also quite challenging in that a loving family expects the best from each child because they know how much potential resides within her. Within our enveloping Sacred Heart community, your daughter's formation means: Exploring her expansive relationship with God and forming a personal faith that guides her actions and helps her interpret the world. Immersing herself in original and challenging intellectual work and coming to know the joy and satisfaction that accompanies learning pursued its own sake. Developing an informed social conscience that impels her to put her knowledge and beliefs into meaningful action beyond the campus. Contributing her gifts and perspective to our dynamic community where she connects with classmates and teachers to construct a positive campus culture. Exercising the privilege of wise freedom, she earns and tests as she makes increasingly responsible and mature choices. View full school

Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart is an independent, Catholic, college-preparatory high school for girls in grades 9-12. Duchesne was established in Omaha in 1881 and is one of 24 Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada. Duchesne Academy is a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic college-preparatory high school for girls of all faiths and backgrounds. Duchesne is a proud member of the Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart is an independent, Catholic, college-preparatory high school for girls in grades 9-12. Duchesne was established in Omaha in 1881 and is one of 24 Networks of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada. Duchesne Academy is a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic college-preparatory high school for girls of all faiths and backgrounds. Duchesne is a proud member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada. The schools of the Sacred Heart Network share five goals which commit them to educate to: Personal and active faith in God. A deep respect for intellectual values. A social awareness that impels to action. The building of community as a Christian value. Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. Today, Duchesne offers a rigorous academic curriculum, a plethora of fine arts, competitive sports, community service opportunities, many clubs, and other extracurricular activities, all in a supportive, familial environment. There is something for every student. The schools of the Sacred Heart emphasize studies that nurture the desire for truth. You will be challenged by the intellectual dimension of your education. Great emphasis is placed upon your capacity for critical thinking and reasoning. Recognizing the distinction between what you do and why you do it is an essential element in your education. You will grow in appreciation of various modes of thought and ways of thinking. Your imagination and creativity will be stretched, because without these, you cannot become a well-informed, thinking, sensitive person. Duchesne Academy is fully accredited by North Central Accreditation, Advanced, and the state of Nebraska. Upon graduation, Duchesne students are well-prepared for the educational experiences ahead of them at any college or university in the United States. Traditionally, 100% of the Academy’s graduates attend four-year colleges and universities. Core subjects are studied in depth through a college-preparatory curriculum. Students begin researching, writing, testing, and analyzing from the start. Writing and critical thinking are emphasized in every classroom. Devoted teachers guide each student’s growth in classrooms with a 9:1 student to teacher ratio. Teachers are approachable, always willing to help, and committed to providing personal attention. The Duchesne Academy work-study program is a type of financial aid that allows students to earn money toward tuition by “working” on projects at the school. Projects are found in all departments of the academy and participation is year-round. A student must first apply for financial assistance to be awarded work-study hours. After receiving a letter stating the number of hours that have been awarded, a student must sign an agreement to abide by work-study policies. After a signed agreement is received by the academy, students can sign up for available projects. Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada. The schools of the Sacred Heart Network share five goals which commit them to educate to: A personal and active faith in God. A deep respect for intellectual values. A social awareness which impels to action. The building of community as a Christian value. Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. Today, Duchesne offers a rigorous academic curriculum, a plethora of fine arts, competitive sports, community service opportunities, many clubs and other extracurricular activities, all in a supportive, familial environment. There is something for every student. The schools of the Sacred Heart emphasize studies which nurture the desire for truth. You will be challenged by the intellectual dimension of your education. Great emphasis is placed upon your capability for critical thinking and reasoning. Recognizing the distinction between what you do and why you do it is an essential element in your education. You will grow in appreciation of various modes of thought and ways of thinking. Your imagination and creativity will be stretched, because without these, you cannot become a well-informed, thinking, sensitive person. Duchesne Academy is fully accredited by North Central Accreditation, AdvancED, and the state of Nebraska. Upon graduation, Duchesne students are well-prepared for the educational experiences ahead of them at any college or university in the United States. Traditionally, 100% of the Academy’s graduates attend four-year colleges and universities. Core subjects are studied in depth through a college-preparatory curriculum. Students begin researching, writing, testing and analyzing from the start. Writing and critical thinking are emphasized in every classroom. Devoted teachers guide each student’s growth in classrooms with a 9:1 student to teacher ratio. Teachers are approachable, always willing to help, and committed to providing personal attention. The Duchesne Academy work-study program is a type of financial aid that allows students to earn money toward tuition by “working” on projects at the school. Projects are found in all departments of the academy and participation is year-round. A student must first apply for financial assistance to be awarded work-study hours. After receiving a letter stating the number of hours that have been awarded, a student must sign an agreement to abide by work-study policies. After a signed agreement is received by the academy, students are able to sign up for available projects. View full school

Unique among our many signature programs is that at Oak Hill, all our teachers strive to teach how girls learn best and in ways that boys learn best, all on one iconic campus. At Villa Duchesne, young women are active and engaged in their learning, trying something new and taking risks, sitting for AP exams, starring in a play, being a scholar and an athlete, not only finding her voice but knowing how to use it, matriculating to some of the finest colleges and universities in the world. These 60-plus acres is holy ground. We have been steeped in the Catholic faith and tradition since our inception. We proudly carry on that tradition, offering a worldview based on the Scriptures and the noble Tradition of the Church. In St. Louis, we have a distinguished past and a limitless future. The principles of Sacred Heart education are as relevant today as they were in post-Revolutionary France. Madeleine Sophie Barat, who founded the Sacred Heart Society in 1800, envisioned a transformational education. Her vision was realized when Rose Philippine Duchesne arrived in Saint Charles, Missouri, in 1818 to establish Sacred Heart education. Villa Duchesne was founded in 1929 in honor of this religious pioneer, with Oak Hill, founded in 1973. Inspired by the vision of Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, the Society of the Sacred Heart, Villa Duchesne, and Oak Hill School strive to educate each Child's heart and mind in a nurturing and challenging environment. We are dedicated to educating the whole Child and preparing our students for lives of faith in God, integrity, leadership, and service to others. Our mission is to transform the world, One Child at a time. The foundation of our mission and educational philosophy are the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools. These give meaning and purpose to our objectives and unite us through a common thread with other Sacred Heart schools worldwide. The strength of Sacred Heart education lies in the building of relationships around our values. Serious in principles, strong in studies, and rich in the spirit of love and life, we are a Catholic school that takes great pride in living Saint Madeleine Sophie's vision. Our School continues to nurture Saint Madeleine Sophie's vision. We work in partnership with parents, whom we believe is the single, most powerful influence in a child's life. Together, we seek to transform each Child of the Sacred Heart in mind, body, and spirit. Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School are committed through the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools to create, support, nurture, and celebrate a diverse community, thus carrying on the timeless Sacred Heart commitment to inclusion and mutual respect. At Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, we are committed to embracing diversity with all its textures and potential. The School seeks to provide an environment for learning and growth, whereby students welcome, embrace, and celebrate differences, including learning styles, physical ability, race, age, culture, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic class and wherein they value and become transformed by these differences, in an increasingly interconnected global community. To this end, the School will actively develop and implement a Diversity Plan approved by the Board of Trustees, develop and implement support programs, recruit faculty, staff, and students of diverse backgrounds and experiences, to assure on-going education of the entire School family to the values of inclusion as one of the essential hallmarks of a Sacred Heart Education. Our students succeed in all of the conventional measures of an outstanding secondary school, college acceptances, ACT scores, athletic success, and accolades in the theatre and arts, and we recognize that to be well educated and well prepared for her future, a student must learn both in and out of the classroom. Our education is much more than what happens in the classroom. The experience is one in which the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education are embedded in the students' daily lives. These five goals, by which all Sacred Heart schools in the United States are governed, are to commit to educating to personal and active faith in God, deep respect for intellectual values, social awareness which impels to action, the building of community as a Christian value, and personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom. We focus on the unique character, academic gifts, and spiritual development of each student. Our students strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives, and it is our responsibility as Sacred Heart educators to provide those opportunities. To this end, we consistently work to enhance our programs while celebrating the rich traditions that are Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School. View full school