In the beginning

Ascension Catholic is the oldest Catholic school in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, and traces its origins to the arrival in Donaldsonville of six Daughters of Charity in 1845.  At the time, all of the United States was part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland.  In 1850--the same year that New Orleans became the second archdiocese in the United States--a large three-story brick convent building was constructed in Donaldsonville to serve as a hospital, school (originally known as St. Vincent Institute), and residence for the Daughters of Charity. In 1854 this convent building also became an orphanage for children whose parents were killed by yellow fever.  That 1853 epidemic killed more than 10,000 in the greater New Orleans area.  In 1885, the Sisters of the Holy Family came to Donaldsonville and started St. Augustine School for African American children.  In 1886, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart came to Donaldsonville to start a school for boys named St. Joseph Commercial Institute.  With the establishment of St. Catherine Parish in 1924, St. Augustine School was renamed St. Catherine School.  St. Joseph Commercial Institute became known as Catholic High School in 1930.  In 1954 new high school facilities costing $238,000 were built for the high school divisions of St. Vincent Institute and Catholic High School.

In 1961 a new convent building costing $132,000 was built for the residence of the Daughters of Charity, and the 1850 convent was entirely used to house the elementary division of St. Vincent Institute.  The high school division of St. Catherine School merged with St. Vincent Institute and Catholic High School in 1965, and in 1969, all three original schools merged to become Ascension Catholic Interparochial Schools. The 1850 convent building housed the elementary division and the St. Catherine School campus housed the middle school division.  Between 1969 and 1975, $439,000 would be spent to build a new classroom wing at the middle school campus, a new classroom wing at the elementary school campus, and a new Administration building and library building at the high school campus. 

Our Alumni 

Ascension Catholic boasts of more than 2,500 distinguished living alumni worldwide.  Many life long friendships, including marriages, began at Ascension Catholic.  Our alumni are, at the same time, our greatest tribute and resource, and keep the Ascension Catholic tradition strong.  

Our Mission

Founded in 1845, Ascension Catholic is a Catholic co-educational school operated by the Diocese of Baton Rouge that serves grades pre-school through twelve.  

Mission Statement:

Ascension Catholic educates and develops the mind, body and spirit of each student to know, love and serve God, self and others in a safe and caring environment.

 

          “We believe that every child is a child of God and for that reason our school exists”

 

Our Philosophy

Ascension Catholic believes the commitment to continuous improvement is imperative if our school is going to enable students to become confident, self-directed, lifelong learners. Teachers, administrators, parents, and the community share the responsibility for advancing the mission of Ascension Catholic. Ascension Catholic accepts the responsibility for educating and developing students. Ascension Catholic is committed to providing opportunities for the growth of the whole person.

Religious education classes provide cognitive, affective, and behavior knowledge of God and the Catholic faith. Regularly scheduled prayer and worship — both private and communal — allow for spiritual growth.

Academic excellence is pursued through the study of curriculum. Curriculum and instructional practices incorporate a variety of learning activities to assure intellectual progress of all students.

Required service projects encourage social interaction with the community as well as stewardship. Students are challenged to desire the good of others as the most important value guiding social decision-making.

Self-esteem and emotional health are enhanced by positive relationships and mutual respect among and between students and staff. By fostering respect for the dignity of each human person, including oneself, students recognize their creation in the image of God.

Physical education classes (Grades K-8) assist in the health and well being of the students. Students are encouraged to participate in the multifaceted athletic program (available to grades 5-t2) that not only assists in physical fitness but also promotes a sense of competition, teamwork and fair play.

"Ascension Catholic believes the commitment to continuous improvement is imperative if our school is going to enable students to become confident, self-directed, lifelong learners."

Time Line from 1845 -2009

1845  January 1, 5:30 am., The Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph arrived from Emmittsburg, Maryland to open St. Vincent’s Institute.

1850  The Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph became the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. The Old Convent building was completed to serve as a hospital.

 1861  Hospital closed due to lack of funding — 13 orphans accepted.

 1862  Federal troops took New Orleans and bombarded and burned Donaldsonville. Orphans were given refuge in the Sacred Heart Convent when St. Vincent’s Institute was threatened to be burned. Sgt. Scott, who killed the Union Lieutenant who ordered it burned, saved the building, but was later executed for his act.

 1885  The Sisters of the Holy Family opened St. Augustine’s School for Black children.

 1887  December 20, The Brothers of the Sacred Heart opened St. Joseph Commercial Institute for boys located on Paradise Alley.

 1894  St. Joseph Commercial Institute was chartered as an institute with power to grant degrees.

 1929  Football team was in existence.

 1930  St. Joseph Commercial Institute became Catholic High School.

 1931  St Marie Fogerty assigned to St. Vincent Institute.

 1941  Football team was State Champs.

 1942  St. Augustine’s School was renamed St. Catherine School.

 1953  School band established.

 1955  Ascension Catholic High School built. St. Vincent’s Institute was on one wing and Catholic High School was on the other wing.

 1961  New convent completed for Daughters of Charity.

 1963  Catholic High School discontinued boarding students.

 1964  The Daughters of Charity exchanged their traditional habits with the white coronet for a more practical dress.

1965  St. Catherine High School was dosed; the students were allowed to transfer to Ascension Catholic with grades 5-8 housed at St. Catherine, renamed ACMS.

 1968  The Brothers of the Sacred Heart departed.

 1969  All three schools, St. Vincent’s, Ascension Catholic Middle, and Catholic High School were amalgamated into Ascension Catholic Interparochial School to serve 14 church parishes. The schools were under the direction of the Daughters of Charity assisted by the Sisters of the Holy Family.

 1970  Catholic High School (old rectory) burned.

 1969-1975  Ascension Catholic Primary school built 11 new classrooms, but they continued to use space in the St. Vincent Institute building (built in 1850). Four new classrooms were built at Ascension Catholic Middle School, and a new administration building, library and class rooms were built at Ascension Catholic High School.

 1973  Football team was State Champs.

 1977  Ascension Catholic High School was accredited by Southern Associa­tion of Colleges and Schools.

 1978  St Natalie Marengo awarded prize in national contest by Scholastic Magazine.

 1980  ACIS Development Program was established with a major fund raising drive.

 1981  Sr. Marie Fogerty died in January The Sisters of the Holy Family withdrew in June.

 1987  The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul withdrew.

 1992  Football team was State Champs.

 1993  Baseball team was State Champs.

 1994  Baseball team was State Champs. Blue Ribbon Committee reactivates the ACIS Development Program.

 1995  150 year anniversary “The Tradition Continues”

Ground Breaking Ceremony

9/11/2001 – America was changed forever…. Terrorist attack World Trade Center and the Pentagon 2004  Groundbreaking for new Science Lab and Computer Labs on the High School Campus

2005  Danceteam places 1st in the National Danceteam competition in Orlando, FL

2005  Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the New Orleans area.  Ascension Catholic took in over 200 new displaced students from the New Orleans area

2006  Marie U. Fontana, Founder of the Ascension Catholic Alumni Association died on April 28, 2006.  Alumni Association was founded in 1983.

2008   Renovation and dedication of four classrooms on the second floor of the “old convent”

2008-09 Consolidation of Middle School with the Primary and High School campuses

Administration

The School Board, Principal, administrators and teaching staff play a central role in implementing the philosophy of Ascension Catholic Diocesan Regional School.  The entire staff is encouraged to:

• Embody this philosophy in their professional relationships with students, with each other and with all members of the school community
• Participate in the varied aspects of school life, religious, social, cultural and academic
• Avail themselves of suitable opportunities to further their professional and personal development
• Place their professional expertise at the service of the students, and
• Cooperate with other educational agencies in developing, implementing and evaluating curricula which responds to the needs of the students and which correspond to the mission of the school.

 

“Students don’t care how much you know until
they know how much you care”

 

Administration and Staff