Mount Assisi Academy, a comprehensive, Catholic high school for young women, was founded in 1951 at the present provincial center of the School Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King in Lemont, Illinois. As enrollment increased, it was necessary to provide larger facilities and construction of the present building began in 1954.
September 1, 1955, marked the official opening of the new Academy building, and the late Samuel Cardinal Stritch dedicated the new school in 1956. Along with the baby boom of the late 1950’s into the 1960’s, Mount Assisi continued to grow and thrive, necessitating the addition of three modular classrooms in 1969, two in 1971, and three more in 1981.
To guide students toward mature Christian womanhood, Mount Assisi Academy’s administration, in conversation with faculty members, has developed a program of studies which strives to integrate the school’s mission and vision. Daily classes consist of 10 periods lasting 50 minutes each, and a 20-minute homeroom. Opportunities for independent study, as well as participation in co-curricular activities and interscholastic athletics are offered. Mount Assisi Academy is a member of the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC.)
In 2007 Mount Assisi Academy’s strategic plan, Vision 2011 was initiated after an extensive planning process involving the advice and counsel of members of MAA’s Board of Directors, faculty and staff, alumnae, parents and members of the business and professional community. Several of the goals and objectives put forth in Vision 2011 which include focus on school and community, climate and culture, curriculum and instruction, external relations, financial resources, and facilities and grounds have been implemented. The results of this implementation include improvements in curriculum, technology, marketing, and fiscal stability.
Mount Assisi Academy continues to strive to provide its students with the means necessary to successfully negotiate the complexities of life in the 21st century, teaching them how to achieve proficiency in a wireless learning environment, communications, maximum productivity, and integrative thinking.
In response to the ever-growing need for engaging, dynamic, and relevant learning for all students, Mount Assisi Academy has changed its curriculum initiatives, changing both the way our faculty members teach and and the way our students learn. 1:1 Learning integrating technology with tablet laptop computers was introduced in Fall 2007. All Mount Assisi Academy students have their own tablet laptop computers, and the technology involved with this method of teaching and learning is integrated into daily lessons.
Mount Assisi Academy, accredited by the State of Illinois and AdvancED (formerly known as the North Central Association), is staffed by dedicated Sisters and lay faculty. Mount Assisi Academy is sponsored by the School Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King who collaborate in the Church’s mission of education, and recognizes the moral and ecclesial authority of the Cardinal and the Archdiocese of Chicago.
The 2009-2010 school year marks the beginning of the 59th year of Mount Assisi Academy’s mission to the young women of the Chicago metropolitan area and the south and southwest suburbs. There are currently approximately 6,100 Mount Assisi Academy alumnae.
As a college preparatory, all-girl Catholic high school, Mount Assisi Academy attempts, in the spirit of St. Francis, to provide a holistic education for each young woman who meets the criteria of willingness to work and to become a Christian leader of the future. Therefore, we provide a curriculum for each student that offers both the education and experience that will best prepare her for the challenges and competition she will meet in the future.
