 | St. Catherine’s is a recognized leader in educating girls to reach their full potential. Through innovative teaching, rigorous academics and expansive course offerings and opportunities, the school is dedicated to enhancing excellence in every girl. St. Catherine’s fosters an embracing community where individuality is respected and personal connections are valued.
History
From the founding in 1890 by Virginia Randolph Ellett, the school continues to give its students the best possible preparation for their college years and beyond. Read more about St. Catherine's history.
Campus
Located on a 16-acre campus in the residential West End of Richmond, St. Catherine’s provides the most updated technology in the classrooms including SMART boards, new science labs, independent study areas and recently renovated classroom spaces. Wright Library boasts 20,000 volumes and an adjoining Technology Center. Also on campus: 70,000 square-foot Kenny Sports and Fitness Center, art studios, theatre building and dance studios. The school is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Academic Program
St. Catherine's provides a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum with an emphasis on critical thinking.The Lower School focuses on nurturing a foundation for learning and creative thought. In the Middle School girls expand their knowledge through hands-on learning and collaborative projects. Moving into the Upper School, students dive into honors and AP courses, independent study and internships, which prepare them for success at highly selective colleges.
Enrollment
Total Students: 954
Lower School JK-4: 339
Middle School 5-8: 305
Upper School 9-12: 310
representing 60 zip codes and four foreign countries
2012-13 Tuition
Lower School: $15,950-$18,900
Middle School: $20,900
Upper School: $22,500
See more detailed information.
Financial Aid
More than $3 million in financial assistance was awarded to 24 percent of students. Financial assistance is awarded on the basis of need to help deserving girls who could not otherwise afford to attend.
Philanthropy 2011-12
Endowment: $38.8 million
Annual Giving: $1.6 million
Building and Endowment Gifts: $4.3 million
Faculty
St. Catherine’s faculty continue to seek the best methods for teaching girls through further education, professional development and opportunities beyond the classroom.
- 229 Total Faculty and Staff (176 full time, 53 part time)
- Faculty advanced degrees: 62%
- Doctorates: 9
Arts
The arts are celebrated at St. Catherine's and are an integral part of school life infusing meaning through classes, exhibits, concerts and productions. Girls explore their passions in visual arts, music, dance and theatre at all levels. Theatre collaborates with St. Christopher's in the Upper School for joint performances throughout the year. Visual arts as well as the musical arts showcase their work throughout Richmond and the region. St. Catherine's benefits from both a professional Dance Company and a Quartet in residence.
Athletics
St. Catherine's boasts better than 70 percent participation in the athletic program, which includes 45 teams in 15 sports. The outstanding facilities include the 72,000 sq ft. Kenny Sports and Fitness Center, which holds a regionally-acclaimed eight-lane pool with 1-meter diving, three court gym and 4,000 sq. ft. weight room. The main campus and 145-acre campus in Goochland County combine for five natural Bermuda fields and a softball facility. Teams regularly win LIS titles, advance to state tournaments and move on to complete at the collegiate level.
Alumnae
St. Catherine’s boasts more than 5,000 active alumni who are excelling in fields such as, law, education, business, communications and technology.
Coordinate Program
While St. Catherine’s believes single sex education is the ideal learning environment, we also know that ultimately men and women will live and work together for the rest of their lives. The school works closely with St. Christopher’s to provide greater educational opportunities in and out of the classroom including coed classes in the Upper School.
Accreditation & Memberships
St. Catherine's is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools
Memberships include:
• National Association of Independent Schools
• National Coalition of Girls Schools
• Council for the Advancement and Support of Education
• College Entrance Examination Board
Information updated October 2012
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| | Advanced Placement Results AP Test Results (2012)
Number of students taking exams: 134
Number of exams taken: 283
Percentage of seniors taking exams: 91%
Number of exams per senior: 3.2
Qualifying Scores of 3, 4 or 5: 83% (grade 10,11,12)
Qualifying Scores of 4 or higher: 54% (grade 10,11,12)
*Based on scale of 1-5
Advanced Placement Exams Taken (2011)
Art History, Biology, Calculus AB and BC, Chemistry, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, English Language Composition, English Literature, French Language, Government and Politics – U.S., Latin Vergil, Physic C Electricity and Magnetism, Physics C Mechanics, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, U.S. History, World History, Psychology, European History
National Merit Program: 25 semifinalists 1999-2012
SAT Scores:
Class of 2012
Critical Reading: 570-670
Math: 550-670
Writing: 580-690 |
Many of St. Catherine’s graduates are accepted into highly-selective colleges, with 100 percent attending four-year schools. In 2008, St. Catherine’s was the only school in the nation accepting a Jefferson Scholar and Morehead-Cain Scholar in the same year.
Sample of colleges attended (2005-2010):
Alabama, American, Boston College, Boston University, Bryn Mawr, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon. Catholic University of America, College of Charleston, Colby College, Colgate, Colorado-Boulder, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Davidson, Denison, Dickinson, Duke, Elon, Emory, Furman, Georgetown, George Washington, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Hampton, Harvard, Harvey Mudd, Haverford, James Madison, Johns Hopkins, Kenyon, Lehigh, Longwood, Macalester, Mary Washington, Michigan, MIT, Mt. Holyoke, Northwestern, Notre Dame, New York University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Randolph-Macon, Rhodes, South Carolina, Smith, SMU, Swarthmore, Sweet Briar, Trinity, Tufts, Tulane, U. S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Chicago, University of Richmond, University of the South, University of St. Andrews (Scotland), University of Virginia, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, VMI, Wake Forest, Washington and Lee, Washington University (St. Louis), Wellesley, William & Mary, Vassar, Yale |
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