The Academy of the Sacred Heart, founded in 1821 in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, is a Catholic, independent school for girls in Pre-Kindergarten-3 through grade twelve, with residential accommodations for students in grades seven through twelve.

Located on a 250-acre campus, the school offers students the experience of an innovative and challenging college-preparatory curriculum within a supportive learning environment. The program emphasizes the process of individual growth through an education designed for young women.

Enriched by a 200-year tradition of educational excellence within a national and international network of Sacred Heart Schools, the Academy's goal is to prepare students to become confident, faith-filled, and effective leaders of tomorrow.

The entire educational program of the Academy of the Sacred Heart is directed toward fostering:

• a personal and active faith in God,
• a deep respect for intellectual values,
• a social awareness which impels to action,
• the building of community as a Christian value,
• personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.

These goals are common to Sacred Heart schools in the United States and are supported by specific criteria. A similar philosophy can be found in the more than sixty Sacred Heart schools throughout the world. The American schools are independent and a Board of Trustees governs each institution. All trustees make a formal commitment to uphold and further the educational philosophy of Sacred Heart schools.

Each Sacred Heart school in the United States is accountable to the Provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart and her team for the implementation of the Goals and Criteria for Sacred Heart Schools in the United States. Every five years, the school undergoes an evaluation directed by the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals (SHCOG). Following a year-long self-study, an on-site visit is conducted by educators from other Sacred Heart schools; the school, SHCOG, and the Provincial Team participate in a dialogue that forms the heart of the evaluation process. The evaluation enables the school to grow in its understanding of and lived commitment to the goals of Sacred Heart education.

The Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau is the oldest independent school in Acadiana. Its philosophy emanates from the educational tradition begun in France in 1800 by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and brought to America in 1818 by St. Philippine Duchesne. The Academy is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest institution of learning west of the Mississippi River. The main building is one of the oldest plantation structures and dates back to 1830.

In this historic setting, the school offers a challenging college preparatory curriculum. Students are expected to acquire the basic skills needed to continue their education and to develop a love of learning and the ability to apply their knowledge to moral, intellectual, and social questions. While focusing on the individual, the school endeavors to provide opportunities for students to develop a concern for others through the sharing of experiences with students and faculty from diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds.

The Academy, a Catholic, independent school, enrolls students in the Primary School (PK3-4), the Preparatory School (5-8) and the High School (9-12). It is accredited by ISAS (Independent Schools Association of the Southwest), one of the nation’s most respected accrediting agencies, and is a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools and the National Catholic Education Association.

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