As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 189 students and 20.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9:1. The school's student body was 32.3% (61) White, 25.4% (48) two or more races, 18.0% (34) Hispanic, 16.4% (31) Asian and 7.9% (15) Black.[1]
History
The school was founded in 1878 by a community of nuns from New York, with the objective to educate children of immigrants, primarily German, before moving to a sire on Bergen Avenue in 1915 and then on Bentley Avenue in 1929.[7] On March 7, 1942, SDA moved to its present location on Kennedy Boulevard. In 1994, a new wing was open with new computer labs, science and language labs.[8] The school celebrated its 135th birthday in the 2013–14 school year with the addition of grades 7 and 8.[9] In 2015, Saint Dominic Academy received a generous donation of a building located on Fairmount Avenue in Jersey City. This building was once the Jersey City Women's Club and is now known as Siena Hall, which opened in April 2016 and is used for school-related events.[10]
Certain minimum requirements have been established by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and Saint Dominic Academy for graduation. These are expressed in terms of successful completion of specific courses and credits.
Graduation requirements:
4 years of English
4 years of Math (exceeds the NJ State standards)
3 years of History
3 years of Science
2 years of a World Language (Spanish and French)
4 years of Religious Studies
4 years of Physical Education and Drivers Education
1 semester of Art and Music
1 semester of Computer Literacy
4 electives
Community service hours vary per grade level and are required for graduation
Academic Levels - College Preparatory/Honors/Advanced Placement:
68 College-preparatory (CP) courses
18 Honors level courses
7 Advanced Placement courses
200 Virtual High School courses
50 College Level courses earning credit from Saint Peter's University
4 College Level courses earning credit from Seton Hall University
Physical education courses are conducted at Saint Peter's University located just a few blocks away from the high school. Students have use of the university's gym/athletic facilities including fitness center, basketball and tennis courts, jogging track, and a competitive swimming pool.
Athletics
The Saint Dominic Academy Blue Devils[3] compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic League, which comprises public and private high schools in Hudson County and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[13][14] With 340 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group II for public schools).[15]
The track team won the winter / indoor track Non-Public state championship in 2016.[16]
The track team won the indoor relay Non-Public B title in 2018.[17][18]
Extracurricular activities
SDA hosts a range of after-school clubs. These clubs consist of a moderator and an executive board made up of seniors (normally) and are elected by the fellow members of that club. It is encouraged to join as many clubs as possible by the school. Some of the clubs that are run are:
↑ "Knights to Present Flag To St. Dominic Sunday", The Jersey Journal, February 27, 1942. Accessed November 13, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Originally the academy was located on 1st St., where its cornerstone was laid in 1878. In 1915, it was transferred to 669 Bergen Av., where it continued its educational activities for 14 years. The increasing number of pupils necessitated another change, and was moved in 1929 to a more favorable site on Bentley Av."
↑ History, Saint Dominic Academy. Accessed November 20, 2016.
↑ "School marks its 135th year, adds 2 grades", The Jersey Journal, August 7, 2013. Accessed November 13, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "When school opens on Sept. 5, Saint Dominic Academy in Jersey City will be celebrating the beginning of its 135th anniversary year and the opening of a 7th and 8th grade program."
↑ Siena Hall, Saint Dominic Academy. Accessed November 5, 2017. "In March of 2015, Saint Dominic Academy was so pleased to accept the transfer of the property known as the Jersey City Woman’s Club to the Academy. Founded in 1894, shortly after Saint Dominic Academy opened its doors, the former Women’s Club was housed in a beautiful, old building on Fairmount Avenue, just steps away from the SDA campus."
↑ Koob, Andrew. "Hail to the Victors: Your 2018 NJSIAA Indoor Relay Champions", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 23, 2018, updated May 15, 2019. Accessed February 8, 2021. "Non-Public B Girls: St. Dominic St. Dominic, Hudson Catholic and Pingry kept the team standings close throughout the night with each team recording at least 40 points. Yet it was the Blue Devils who emerged with their first ever indoor state relay title with 48 points."
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