St. Cecilia Academy

🌟 Key Highlights: St. Cecilia Academy

St. Cecilia Academy (SCA) is a private, all-girls Catholic college preparatory school in Nashville, Tennessee. Owned and operated by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, it is the oldest continually operating high school in Nashville, dedicated to forming young women of faith, intellect, and character.

🏫 Overview

• Type: Private / All-Girls Catholic High School (Owned by Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia)

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee (Sharing the Dominican Campus with Overbrook Catholic School)

• Grades Served: 7th – 12th Grade

• Enrollment: Approximately 270–290 students

• Core Mission: To offer young women an intellectual foundation in the liberal arts within a joyful, Christ-centered community, inspiring them to love knowledge for its own sake and excel in the pursuit of truth (Veritas).

• Accreditation: Cognia (SACS) and member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) and the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).

• Distinction: Nashville’s oldest continually operating high school (founded 1860).

✅ What Makes the School Unique?

SCA’s distinctiveness is its single-gender focus, rigorous academics, and Dominican foundation:

• All-Girls Advantage: Provides an educational environment tailored to young women, promoting leadership, self-confidence, and self-expression. Statistics show graduates are more likely to pursue STEM majors and hold leadership positions.

• Dominican Pillars: Education is rooted in the four Dominican pillars: Study, Prayer, Community, and Service. Students commit to 60 hours of person-to-person service as a graduation requirement.

• Rigorous Liberal Arts Curriculum: Features a college-preparatory curriculum with an emphasis on the liberal arts. Notable academic programs include the innovative “Physics First” sequence and the required study of Philosophy to develop logical reasoning.

• Advanced Coursework: Offers a wide range of Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses (up to 16 AP courses available), consistently producing AP Scholars and National Merit recognition.

• Low Student-Teacher Ratio: Maintains a small average class size of approximately 13–14 students and a student-to-teacher ratio of around 10:1, ensuring individualized attention.

• Fine Arts Emphasis: As the patron saint of music, St. Cecilia guides the school’s strong Fine Arts program, which includes a multi-disciplinary survey course for freshmen and dedicated programs in dance, drama, music, and visual art.

🎯 Who Would Enjoy This School?

This school is an excellent fit for:

• Young women (Grades 7–12) seeking an all-girls Catholic high school that provides an empowering and supportive sisterhood.

• Students who thrive in a rigorous, college-preparatory environment that values the Classical Liberal Arts and intellectual inquiry.

• Families who prioritize a school with a deeply integrated Catholic faith, guided by the tradition and presence of the Dominican Sisters.

• Students interested in a balanced high school experience with competitive athletics (TSSAA Division II-AA) and strong programs in Fine Arts and travel opportunities (Interim travel abroad).

🛑 Who Should Consider Other Options?

This school might not be the best fit for:

• Families seeking a co-educational or all-boys learning environment.

• Students who prefer a purely secular or non-religious high school experience, as Catholic faith and spiritual formation are central to the school’s mission.

• Families seeking a less structured or non-traditional high school curriculum that is not focused on the liberal arts and college preparation.

📞 Contact Information