Assumption High School (Kentucky)

Assumption High School is a Catholic all-girls school located in Louisville, Kentucky, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of Louisville. The school has been named a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence on three separate occasions. Assumption is one of only 41 schools in the nation and the only all-girls school in Louisville to receive this prestigious award three times. In 2005, Assumption was one of 30 schools nationwide and the only high school in Kentucky to receive the Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School Award.

History

The history of Assumption High School began in 1951 when the Most Reverend John A. Floersh, Archbishop of Louisville, asked the Sisters of Mercy to establish a new high school at the corner of Bardstown Road and Tyler Lane. The school first opened on September 6, 1955. In that first year, tuition was $100 and the student body consisted of 103 freshmen and 50 sophomores.^[3] The first principal was Sr. Mary Prisca Pfeffer, and the faculty consisted of five Sisters of Mercy. Another sister served as the cook and was the only staff member. For three years, the sisters lived on the third floor of the school until there were finally enough funds to build a separate convent. Today Assumption High School brings together almost 1000 young women, grades 9-12, in a Catholic environment.

Academics

Assumption offers a college preparatory curriculum, with courses at the Academic, Honors, Honors I, Advanced, CP, and AP levels. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are available for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Assumption offers 22 AP classes. Assumption also offers college credit through the ACES Program, which provides dual credit through Bellarmine University, and these courses are commonly referred to as the CP level.

Achievements

Assumption is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Kentucky Department of Education. In addition, Assumption is one of twelve schools in the nation to be honored with the National Catholic Education Association's Innovations in Education Award in 2005, as well as one of eight schools to receive the RAMP award for Assumption's model counseling program from the American School Counselor Association. Assumption was the first school to receive the Beacon of Hope Award, Making a Difference Award from the Learning Disabilities Association of Kentucky. The faculty consists of 79 certified professional teachers, 93% of whom have advanced degrees.

Athletics

Assumption High School has a rich tradition of excellence in athletics. Assumption offers 15 sports sanctioned by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) which include archery, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, dance, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

Assumption has been included in countless runner-up in track, volleyball and field hockey, as well as national titles in dance and volleyball. The dance team has won three national titles: 1999, 2003, and 2005. The volleyball team has won 7 national championships in 1996, 2000, 2001 and 2005. They have also won 19 state titles in the past 22 years, winning four in a row in 2013^[4] and the most recent in 2015.^[5] The cross country team has won the state championship in 2007, 2008 and 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.^[6] Field hockey won the state championship in 2009,^[7] 2013,^[8] and 2016 ^[9]

Performing and fine arts

Assumption High School produced the Kentucky stage premiere of Disney's High School Musical in 2006. Other recent Rose Theater Productions include A Chorus Line (2016), Into the Woods (2015),The Drowsy Chaperone (2014), The King and I (2013), West Side Story (2012), Kiss Me Kate (2011), Fiddler on the Roof (2010), Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell, Our Town, FAME, Mother Hicks, Suessical the Musical, Steel Magnolias, Romeo and Juliet, Cotton Patch Gospel, Grease, Defying Gravity, Disney's High School Musical, Dearly Beloved, John Lennon and Me, Antigone, and Rowan and Martin's Laugh In.

Notable alumnae

• Maggie Lawson, actress
• Monica Hardin, 32WLKY-TV news anchor and Miss Kentucky 2001.^[10]
• Katie George, former University of Louisville volleyball player named the 2015 ACC Player and Setter of the Year, NCAA All American and CoSIDA Academic All American. She was also crowned Miss Kentucky USA 2015 and placed in the Top 11 at the Miss USA 2015 Pageant.Katie graduated magna cum laude from the University of Louisville in three years with a Bachelors in Communications and minor in Sports Administration. She is a sports reporter for WDRB-Fox41.^[11]

References

External links

• Assumption High School website
  • Assumption High School history

Archdiocese of Louisville
Ordinaries	Bishops Benedict Joseph Flaget John Baptist Mary David Benedict Joseph Flaget Martin John Spalding Peter Joseph Lavialle William George McCloskey Denis O'Donaghue John Alexander Floersh Archbishops John Alexander Floersh Thomas Joseph McDonough Thomas Cajetan Kelly Joseph Edward Kurtz Affiliated bishops Guy Ignatius Chabrat Michael Heiss Charles Garrett Maloney John McGill James Ryan John Lancaster Spalding James Kendrick Williams
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville Parishes:
Education	High schools (boys) St. Francis DeSales High School, Louisville St. Xavier High School, Louisville Trinity High School, St. Matthews High schools (girls) Assumption High School, Louisville Mercy Academy, Louisville Presentation Academy, Louisville Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville High schools, coeducational Bethlehem High School, Bardstown Holy Cross High School, Louisville Special needs school Pitt Academy, Louisville
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