Ramona Convent Secondary School

Ramona Convent Secondary School
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Address
1701 West Ramona Road Alhambra, California, (Los Angeles County) 91803 United States
Coordinates
Information
Type	Private
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s)	Joan of Arc
Established	1889
President	Sr. Kathleen Callaway
Principal	Mary Mansell
Grades	9-12
Gender	Girls
Enrollment	430 [1] (2008-2009)
Campus size	19 acres (77,000 m2)
Color(s)	White and Gold
Team name	Tigers
Accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Newspaper	Tiger Tribune
Alumni	over 5,600 [2]
Associate Principal Curriculum	Halina Szymanski
Associate Principal Student Life	Judy Alvarez
Admissions Director	Veronica Puente-Smith
Athletic Director	Deborah Drury
Director of Student Services	Valerie Green
Website	http://www.ramonaconvent.org

Ramona Convent Secondary School is a private, Catholic, college preparatory school for girls grades 9-12, located in Alhambra, California. Established in 1889 by the Sisters of the Holy Names, Ramona is one of the oldest continually operating schools in the same location in California and has graduated over 8,300 students. Today, more than 5,600 alumnae located throughout the world serve their communities both professionally and personally. Ramona is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and was a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence recipient in 1993 and 1998. 99-100% of Ramona graduates enter college directly after graduation.

Mission statement

Ramona's mission, as a Catholic school sponsored by the teaching order Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, is to provide an educational program that results in graduates who are well-rounded young women characterized by academic excellence, spiritual depth, moral strength, and personal grace, open to the wisdom of other cultures and traditions, and prepared for leadership in the twenty-first century.

High school program

Ramona offers a wide variety of activities to its students - academic, service, and cultural. The challenging academic program includes 25 Honors and Advanced Placement classes. Its campus ministry involves the students in social action through Christian service to the community. The school offers a wide range of co-curricular activities and sports. Ramona high school students compete in eight sports: basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, track & field, tennis, and volleyball, in the Horizon League of the CIF, under the California Interscholastic Federation and the Catholic Athletic Association.

History

Ramona Convent Secondary School's first building was dedicated at Ramona Acres, on January 29, 1890 on the expansive property that was later called Shorb, and is now part of the City of Alhambra. The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary came from Oakland, California at the request of several prominent San Gabriel Valley families interested in the Catholic education of their daughters.

The James de Barth Shorb family donated 15 acres (6.1 ha) of the 31.5 acres (12.7 ha) of the original property. The first building to be built was a four-story red brick building on the knoll that dominated the Convent grounds. The dedication ceremony was presided over by the Right Reverend Bishop Mora of Los Angeles on January 29, 1890. The first commencement exercises were held on June 23, 1891. The groundbreaking ceremony for the major part of the school, took place April 18, 1910. In 1939, 3 acres (1.2 ha) were sold to the State of California for the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10).

In 1967 a Master building plan was developed and implemented, first adding the library with computer and language labs in 1967. Approximately 4 acres (1.6 ha) of the southwestern section of Ramona's property were sold In 1979 in order to help fund further implementation of the Master Plan. Due to extensive damage caused by the October 1, 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, the main buildings built between 1889-1912 were demolished. A building to house administrative offices, kitchen and dining facilities, and a chapel was dedicated on November 12, 1989, the beginning of Ramona's second century. Ramona received Blue Ribbon School of Excellence status from the U.S. Department of Education in 1983 and again in 1998.

Co-curricular activities

Ramona offers an extensive variety of co-curricular activities to its students. Ramona’s Campus Ministry involves the students in social action through Christian service to the greater community. Options for student travel led by teachers during the last three years have been London/Dublin, Italy, Paris/Madrid, and Quebec. In 2007-2008 our students traveled to Italy/Sicily and Japan. Students are encouraged to audition and perform in Ramona’s productions. The music department presents two choral concerts and offers a spring concert tour. Other clubs include Student Council and the American Technology Honors Society. Ramona’s Robotics team, sponsored by the Margaret Hall Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and FSC International, just competed in its sixth FIRST Robotics Competition at the San Diego Regional Competition. Ramona students compete in eight sports in the Sunshine League of the CIF.

2008 Demographics

Ethnic enrollment (approx.): 70.0% Hispanic, 15.0% Asian, 4.0% Non-Hispanic Caucasian, 10.0% Multi-Ethnic, 1.0% African-American. Religious Affiliation: 88.0% Catholic, 12.0% other faiths

Notable alumnae

• Lucille Roybal-Allard, Member of Congress
• Loretta Young, Academy Award-winning actress of film and television.

External links

• Ramona Convent Secondary School Website