Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville)

Sacred Heart Academy is an all-girls Roman Catholic high school in Louisville, Kentucky. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville. Sacred Heart Academy was founded in 1877 and is a sponsored school of the Ursuline Sister's of Louisville. It has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence twice and is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. It first achieved International Baccalaureate (IB) World School status in 1997. It is one of only two schools in the city and the only Catholic school in the state to offer IB.HistorySacred Heart Academy's History began in 1858, when a request for teachers to the Ursuline Sisters of Germany came from Louisville, KY. Three young Ursulines answered the request, traveling to Louisville to teach German immigrant children at St. Martin's school. By 1859, the Sisters had established Ursuline Academy at the corner of Shelby and Chestnut streets. In 1864, the Sisters incorporated the Ursuline Society and Academy of Education. In the 1870s, more space was needed to accommodate the growing number of sisters, students and boarders. The community purchased property on Workhouse Road (later known as the Lexington Road campus). In 1877, classes began in an existing farmhouse, and the Academy of the Sacred Heart opened for grades 1 through 12. In 1924, The Academy became two schools: Sacred Heart Academy, a high school for girls, and Sacred Heart Model School, a grade school for boys and girls.Extracurricular activitiesSacred Heart Academy has over 40 clubs and activities in which students can participate.AthleticsSacred Heart Academy has earned 84 team state titles in its history. The on-campus athletic facility includes a gym, fitness center, five tennis courts, a regulation track, softball field, two natural grass fields and one synthetic turf field. Nearly 60% of the student body participates in one or more 14 sports.