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Founded in 1858 as a Catholic, independent college preparatory day and boarding school for girls between the grades of 9 and 12, Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart educates young women to be global citizens in alignment with Sacred Heart’s educational philosophy. Over the years, Woodlands has accumulated enough accolades to prove its effectiveness.
For example, Woodlands has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School and ranked as the #1 Best Catholic High School in Illinois. Situated near Lake Michigan and about 30 miles Northwest of Chicago, the campus is equally impressive spanning a stunning 41-acres. The school’s proximity to Chicago provides students with abundant opportunities to explore diverse communities, historical sites, and a vibrant performing arts scene in one of the most inclusive cities in the U.S. Chicago was recently voted as the Best Big City in the United States for the seventh year running.
However, that’s not all there is to Illinois’ #1 Best All-Girls School. Here are four more of the ways Woodlands empowers young women to achieve their full potential.
A nurturing residential program
The Academy’s Residence Life Program currently allows 20% of students to live full-time on campus. Maureen Shinnick, Social Studies teacher, explains that boarding students receive excellent care while living on campus grounds, especially in their academic and extracurricular endeavors.
“Students who need academic assistance have monitored study sessions to guide them,” says Shinnick. She also highlights the valuable features of the program, such as full access to school resources, residential community events, and regularly scheduled experiences. “All our activities and facilities serve to broaden students’ experiences in age-appropriate ways,” adds Shinnick who also serves as a student advisor.
The Woodlands campus is fully equipped with a fitness room, pianos, a dance studio, and much more for students to utilize after hours. The library remains open for the Boarding Student to access even on the weekends Community events are planned throughout the year, such as pumpkin carving during Halloween. Trips off campus are frequent, too, like Alpine skiing in Wisconsin and museum or theatre visits around Chicago.
Personalized learning approaches
At Woodlands, the ratio of students to faculty is 4:1. Classes are kept small to ensure each student is recognized as an individual with unique strengths and interests. “This gives us a clear idea of each student’s strengths and weaknesses, and teachers can adjust to a class’s varying needs,” explains Shinnick.
She recalls a particular history class where students struggled with traditional assessments, such as unit tests. To help grow students’ skills and confidence, Shinnick. made some changes and replaced some unit tests with project-based assessments. “This allowed students to demonstrate their understanding of the material in a less traditional format,” she shares.
Indeed, the Academy encourages flexibility wherever possible. English teacher Jennifer Brostrom endorses customization by exploring her students’ personal curiosities. “I support them in college preparatory academic writing and research guided by their own interests,” says Brostrom, who spent 10 years in educational publishing and journalism before joining Woodland’s faculty.
Enrichment beyond classrooms
Woodlands offers an extensive lineup of extracurricular offerings. More than 70% of students participate in a sport, and there is a wide variety of clubs and organizations catering to diverse interests. Elective courses span every topic imaginable — from Film and Animation and Folklore and Fairy Tales to Forensics and Robotics. The Global Odyssey program, stands out for its ability to spark students’ global curiosity, transporting them to various domestic and international destinations throughout the year.
“It’s unlike any program I have seen at any school, combining interdisciplinary and project-based learning as well as merging STEM and the arts,” shares Brostrom. “This year, we are traveling with groups of students to Hawaii for a combination of environmental and cultural study. Another group is traveling to London to explore history and cryptography.”
The Network of Sacred Heart Schools
Being part of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools connects Woodlands Academy students to a global community of learners through association with 25 Sacred Heart schools across the U.S. and Canada, and educational institutions across 41 countries.
“We all share the same mission, which provides excellent continuity in education, spiritual formation, and commitment to service,” explains Shinnick. Through the Network, she and her peers have availed themselves of valuable resources reserved for teachers, particularly in professional development, to ultimately enhance students’ learning opportunities.
Another remarkable advantage of being part of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools is the abundance of exchange opportunities facilitated by the Network. Woodlands welcomes 20-30 exchange students annually while allowing its students to travel abroad to sister schools.
“Our close connection with Sacré Coeur in Vienna has created an annual two-week exchange, with a Woodlands’ contingent (usually 12 students plus two faculty members) traveling to Vienna in the fall, while a group of Viennese students visits Woodlands in the spring,” shares Shinnick. In the last few months, has seen her students travel on other international exchanges to Spain, Ireland, Japan, and Australia.
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