Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Immaculate Conception High School (Jamaica)

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Religious affiliation(s)
  
Christian

Status
  
OPEN

Phone
  
+1 876-924-1719

Founded
  
1858

Denomination
  
Roman Catholic

Address
  
Kingston, Jamaica

Motto
  
Ad Astra Per Aspera

Immaculate Conception High School (Jamaica)

Patron saint(s)
  
Our Lady of Immaculate Conception

Founder
  
Scottish Franciscan Sisters

Dean
  
Faith McCook (Dean of Academic Studies)

Similar
  
Campion College, Ardenne High School, Calabar High School, Wolmer's Boys School, Meadowb High School

Immaculate Conception High School (ICHS) is a Roman Catholic High School for girls in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica. About 1600 girls are enrolled.

Contents

History

In January 1858, the Scottish Franciscan Sisters set up a Preparatory and Secondary School for girls at Duke Street in Kingston. The School was dedicated to and named after Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. In January 1879, the Scottish Franciscans handed over the school to the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. Mothers Paula and Veronica set a high standard of achievement which is today still being preserved.

In the summer of 1858, the school moved to Duke Street. On Saturday October 23, 1937, the ICHS was burnt to ashes in a terrible fire that started a block away at a beauty parlor. The school moved to Old Hope Road (temporarily) and then in 1941, the school acquired the Constant Spring Hotel (which was operated by Niagara Falls businessman Frank A. Dudley and the United Hotels Company of America in 1933.) which is now used for the Immaculate Conception High School and Convent.

The school was separated into two sections, one section for the English speaking students of Jamaica and the other for French speaking students of Haiti. Due to the lack of Haitian students, the French section has been closed down.

The school was a Boarding and Day School.

Campus

ICHS is located on a large campus with many facilities including:

Insignia

Motto
  • Ad Astra Per Aspera "Through Difficulties to Excellence"
    • Emblem
  • The Franciscan Coat of Arms.
    • Uniform
  • For grades 7 to 11 (affectionately called "white coats"): white short sleeved button down blouse, mid-calf length white 12 pleated skirt, royal blue tie, low brown shoes, brown socks that fold above the ankle, a house pin worn above the breast pocket.
  • For grades 12 and 13 (affectionately called "blue coats"): a short sleeved blue coat lined with white piping worn over a white A-line skirt (knee length), black shoes, white socks and a house badge to be pinned upon the left collar of their coat.
    • Colours
  • Blue, white, black and brown

    • Clubs and Societies

    The Sport Clubs are: Badminton, Karate, Hockey, Football, Netball, Track & Field, Lawn Tennis, Table Tennis, Swimming and Chess.

    The Service and Awareness Clubs are: Immaculate Conception Environmentalists (ICE), Protecting Animal Wellness Society (PAWS), Scientific Environmental Technological Health (SETH), Key Club, Interact Club, Impact Club, Heritage Club, Tourism Action Club (TAC), Red Cross Club, Girl Guides, Campus Ministry and Octagon Club.

    Other Extracurricular Activities are: Modern Languages, Baking, Bible Study Society of the West Indies, Writers Club, Schools Challenge Quiz, Grooming and Etiquette, Debating, Orchestra, Steel Band, Guitar Club, Concert Band, Beginner Strings, The Glee Club (Choir), Immaculate Dance Troupe, Fitness Club, Inter Schools Christian Fellowship (ISCF), Sixth Form Association (SFA), Drama Club, Filmmakers Society, Ballet, Immaculate Reading Society (IRS), Junior Achievers, Photography Club, Science, Environment, Technology and Health (SETH) Club, and United Nations.

    Houses

    There are seven houses:

    1. The Immaculata House - named after Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. The house color is blue.
    2. The Franciscan House named after St. Francis of Assisi. The house color is brown.
    3. The St. Joan of Arc House - named after St. Joan of Arc of France. The house color is yellow.
    4. The St. Clare House - named after St. Clare. The house color is green.
    5. The St. Tekakwitha House - named after the Indian Martyr, St Tekakwitha. The house color is red.
    6. The St. Rose of Lima House - named after the first canonized saint in the Western Hemisphere. The house color is rose-pink.
    7. The Davidica House - named after Sister M. Davidica, former principal of ICHS. The house color is purple.

    Notable alumnae

    Politics and Law
  • Shahine Robinson, MP for St Ann
  • Tracy Robinson, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law,University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, Jamaica; Rhodes Scholar 1992; member of the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
  • Eleanor Brown, Associate Professor of Law, The George Washington University, Washington DC; Rhodes Scholar 1995
  • Dr. Chantal Ononaiwu, Trade Policy & Legal Specialist in the Office of Trade Negotiation (OTN) of the CARICOM Secretariat, formerly the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery(CRNM).
    • Sports
  • Sanya Richards-Ross, American track and field athlete.
  • Alia Atkinson, Jamaican swimmer and Olympian.

    • References

    Immaculate Conception High School (Jamaica) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA