Type Private, All-Female Established 1880 CEEB code 053335 Ceased operations June 30, 2011 Colors Blue, Gold | Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic Closed 2011 Phone +1 707-524-1130 Principal Julie Carver | |
Motto Soli Deo Gloria
(Glory only to God) Address 90 Ursuline Rd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, USA Similar Cardinal Newman High Sch, Piner High School, Santa Rosa High School, Maria Carrillo High Sch, Montgom High School | ||
Ursuline High School was a private, Roman Catholic, all-girls high school in Santa Rosa, California. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California.
Contents
Background
Ursuline High School was established in 1880 by the Ursuline Sisters. The school moved to their present location in 1956 from its previous location downtown. The school was a boarding school until 1974
History
Ursuline High School served students grades 9 through 12 in Santa Rosa, California. Ursuline was a private, independent, Catholic, college-preparatory high school for girls which was owned and operated by the Ursuline Sisters of the Roman Union. Ursuline’s heritage was rooted in the founding of the Ursuline Order by Angela Merici in Brescia, Italy, in 1535. The vision of Angela spread throughout Europe and beyond – the Ursulines were the first religious order to reach the New World. Eight pioneering Ursuline Sisters from Brown County Ohio established Ursuline, Santa Rosa, at its original 10th and B Street site. Ursuline had educated young women in Sonoma County since 1880, guided by the Ursuline mission of academic excellence, leadership and service. Ursuline moved to its current campus on the old Howarth Estate in 1957.
Students at Ursuline High School found a supportive and challenging learning environment which encouraged not only strong academic growth, but also spiritual and personal growth fostered by the school-wide learning expectations, the mission, and philosophy of the school, and the Ursuline tradition of “Serviam”. Community-based service learning which culminated in the Senior Project was one of the key ways in which this tradition was supported.
Last enrollment at Ursuline was 345 students. Ursuline had three Counselors and a Director of College Counseling to provide academic, spiritual, social/emotional support to all students. LINK Crew students served as mentors, helping new students adjust to high school both socially and academically.
Ursuline was a safe and secure campus located at the end of a long driveway and secluded in the hills of northwest Santa Rosa. The campus was sufficiently secure that student backpacks lined the hallways and locker areas. The school had a clearly articulated, written conduct policy which is outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook. The policies are frequently reviewed with a goal of making consequences for policy violation relevant and appropriate learning experiences resulting in a cessation of unwanted behaviors. The school had well–planned emergency guidelines which were known and frequently practiced by all faculty, staff and students.
68% of Ursuline students are Catholic. The remaining 32% are of a variety of church and spiritual backgrounds. Attendance at monthly liturgical services was required as was four years of Religious Study courses. While the teachings of the Catholic Church were taught in each of the Religious Studies courses and students are expected to know the teachings, in the Ursuline tradition, and in the tradition of educational excellence, this teaching is done in an atmosphere of openness and respect for all beliefs and traditions. 30% of the students at Ursuline received some level of financial assistance.
Ursuline High School was a sister school to a boys' secondary school located on the same road named Cardinal Newman High School. Their campuses adjoin and share a common eating area. The schools' academic programs were also intertwined, with most classes for juniors and seniors taught coeducationally. Exceptions include all levels of math and basic levels of science. It is uncommon for CN and UHS freshmen and sophomores to take classes taught at the other school, but certainly not unheard-of as in the case of certain language classes. The schools had separate Associated Student Bodies that collaborated in the discharge of their duties. School-sponsored social events were also facilitated in cooperation between the two schools, as was the drama program. Athletics, with the exceptions of Cross Country and Track & Field, were not coeducational. The schools had separate offices, libraries, computer labs, classrooms, and gymnasia, but shared cafeteria facilities, a multipurpose facility, and some athletics facilities. Class rankings for Newman and Ursuline were separate (as Ursuline does not use the class rank system), but the students graduated together, with at least one valedictorian and salutatorian from each school giving an address.
On Tuesday, November 9, 2010, Ursuline President Julie Carver sent out an email to all parents at the school announcing that the school would close at the end of the academic year, due to financial problems. The following morning, Ursuline students gathered at the front of the school, expressing their love for their school. Cardinal Newman took on all continuing Ursuline students.