The school began as the Ursuline Seminary for Girls in September 1897, operating out of Leland Castle at what is now the College of New Rochelle. As registration increased a wing was added to the southern end of the Castle and the College of New Rochelle was founded. By 1929, The Ursuline School, then a K-12 day school, moved to its present location at 1354 North Avenue. The North Building was added in 1960, the gym in 1981, the Chapel of St. Angela in 1986 and The Mooney Hancock Arts Center in 2002.
Academics
Ursuline students must complete 24 specified credits in order to graduate, including four years of English, social studies, and religion; three years of science, mathematics, and a foreign language; a year of Latin or art/music; and a semester of computer applications and health. Physical Education is also a requirement. More than 90 percent of students take four or more years of science, math, and a foreign language. The traditional college preparatory program includes three modern foreign languages, five years of Latin, a year of classical Greek, a broad range of fine arts courses, computer courses, and a variety of electives. Honors courses are available in all disciplines, and Advanced Placement courses are offered in art, French, Spanish, Latin, Italian, English, calculus, biology, physics, and European, U.S. history and U.S. government. The school also offers an Authentic Science Research program through which, in addition to their regular science courses, students engage in three years of directed independent study. Seventh-and eighth grade students at Ursuline have the opportunity to earn high school credit in a foreign language, mathematics, and science.
Clubs and organizations
Accomplishments
In 2007, 80% of Ursuline's 133 Advanced Placement students who took 191 AP exams in June earned college qualifying scores of at least a 3. Over 50% earned the highest scores of 4 or 5.
16 members of the Class of 2007 were named AP Scholars, 3 with Honor and 7 with Distinction. The awards are based on successful performance on Advanced Placement Exams, the number of exams taken and the grades earned on those tests. Scholars earned an average composite score of 3.79 ; the Scholars with Honor 3.92 and the Scholars with Distinction 4.49. The school AP grade average is 4.21 out of 5.
In 2010, "Team Sonia" was named the statewide "Top Youth Fundraising Team" in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's "Light the Night" walk. "Team Sonia" was created to honor classmate and friend, Sonia Dubey, who died from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia earlier that year.
Athletics
Ursuline belongs to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, with 30 interscholastic teams in swimming, tennis, field hockey, soccer, volleyball, cross-country, cheer leading, basketball, softball, lacrosse, golf, and indoor and outdoor track. Athletic facilities include a full-size gymnasium, a multi-sport playing field, and four tennis courts. The swim team has been undefeated for 8 years as of 2013.
Accomplishments
The Ursuline Varsity Cheerleaders placed 6th and Junior Varsity Cheerleaders placed third at the 2018 UCA National Cheerleading Competition.
In 2007 the Golf Team placed second in the league.
Also in 2007; JV Tennis and JV Soccer finished on top of their leagues; Varsity Volleyball was undefeated in League play; The Swim Team was undefeated in Division 1, the strongest league in the Section, capturing their third consecutive Division Title; Varsity Cross Country finished 2nd in both League and County Championships; JV Cross Country won the County Championships; Freshmen Cross Country finished 3rd in the County Championships.
