Villa Maria Academy (Malvern, Pennsylvania)

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Villa Maria Academy
Address
Villa Maria Academy (Malvern, Pennsylvania)
370 Central Avenue

Malvern
,
(Chester County)
,
Pennsylvania
19355

United States
Coordinates 40°2′25″N75°30′26″W / 40.04028°N 75.50722°W / 40.04028; -75.50722
Information
Type Private
MottoNisi Dominus Frustra
(Without God, all is in vain. Or With God, nothing is in vain.)
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
Established1872
Oversight Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
CEEB code 392375
PrincipalDr. Jane Hannon
Staff62
Grades 9-12
Gender Girls
Enrollment419  (2023-24)
 •  Grade 9 104
 •  Grade 10 110
 •  Grade 11 106
 •  Grade 12 104
Average class size14
Student to teacher ratio10:1
CampusSuburban
Campus size45 acres (180,000 m2)
Color(s) White and Blue   
SloganNisi Dominus Frustra
Athletics conferenceAACA, PIAA District 1
MascotHurricanes
Team nameHurricanes
Accreditation Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools [1] Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS)
PublicationFestival (literary magazine)
NewspaperThe Villa Voice
YearbookReflections
Tuition$29,000
Website www.vmahs.org

Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS)

Contents

Villa Maria Academy is an all-girls Catholic college-preparatory high school located in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The school was formed and carried out by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It is operated independently and with the blessing of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Founding and early history

The foundation of the academy dates to July, 1872. At that time, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary transferred their motherhouse, novitiate, and boarding school from Reading to West Chester, PA. Occupying the property formerly owned by the Pennsylvania Military Academy, the school flourished in West Chester until 1914, when Villa Maria moved to the site of Immaculata College, in Frazer, Pa.

In 1924, the Sisters acquired the property of William R. Warner, Jr. in Green Tree (Malvern), where the high school remains today. May 5, 1925 marked the opening of Villa Maria at Green Tree. Regina Mundi Hall was constructed in 1955, and had many later additions and expansions.

In 1979, Villa Maria Lower School, grades K-8, was moved to a wing of the House of Studies at Immaculata. At this time the high school acquired St. Joseph Hall, which had been built in 1965. In 1985, plans were undertaken to build the Marian Center, an Arts/Athletic complex. The Athletic Center, Phase 1 of the total project, opened in December, 1987. Phase Two was completed in May, 1997; new soccer/lacrosse, softball, and hockey fields, an all-weather track, and five tennis courts were also constructed. In the early 2000s, other renovations and expansions were completed, which included an addition to St. Joseph's Hall, renovation of the cafeteria in Regina Mundi, and campus security measures.

Campus

Villa Maria's 44-acre (180,000 m2) campus includes two academic buildings (Regina Mundi and St. Joseph's Hall), another building with the gymnasium, fitness center, and, the Villa Maria Conservatory, and a connected auditorium (Marian Center), a convent, and the Theresa Maxis Student Union, opened in summer, 2022. The student union houses the Holloway Dining Hall, Parsons Chapel, counseling, nursing, activities, and administrative offices. In 2015, the Maurene Polley turf field was built in honor of the legacy of the former field hockey coach of 43 years, National Field Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame, and athletics director. [2]

Villa Maria is a relatively small school, with a staff of 62 (including both religious and laypeople) and 400-450 students. It offers college-prep, honors, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, beyond the classroom experiences, scholarships, a Scholars Program, and a Senior Capstone Program.

Notable alumnae

Notes and references

  1. ↑ MSA-CSS. "MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools" . Retrieved May 23, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Villa Maria Opens Maurene Polley Field Turf Athletic Facility". October 9, 2015.
  3. ↑ "An interview with Mary Pat Christie - Story | WWOR". www.my9nj.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Megan Griffith - Women's Basketball". Columbia University Athletics.
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