Ramona Convent Secondary School

Ramona Convent Secondary School is a private, Catholic, college preparatory school for girls grades 9–12, located in Alhambra, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. Sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Established in 1889, Ramona is one of the oldest continually operating schools in the same location in California. Today, more than 7,000 alumnae located throughout the world serve their communities both professionally and personally. Ramona is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the Western Catholic Education Association and was a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence recipient in 1993 and 1998. Ramona was voted "Best Catholic School" in the San Gabriel Valley Readers' Choice Awards in 2018 and again in 2019. High school program 99–100% of Ramona graduates enter college directly after graduation. Ramona offers a rigorous and personalized college-prep program with a wide array of Advanced Placement, Honors, Arts, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and elective courses, including the AP Capstone Program with its emphasis on college-level research, writing, and presentation skills and AP Computer Science Principles. Principles of social justice, service, and leadership are infused throughout the program. History Ramona Convent Secondary School's first building was dedicated at Ramona Acres, on January 29, 1890 on the expansive property that was later called Shorb, and is now part of the City of Alhambra. The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary came from Oakland, California at the request of several prominent San Gabriel Valley families interested in the Catholic education of their daughters. The James de Barth Shorb family donated of the of the original property. The first building to be built was a four-story red brick building on the knoll that dominated the Convent grounds. The dedication ceremony was presided over by the Right Reverend Bishop Mora of Los Angeles on January 29, 1890. The first commencement exercises were held on June 23, 1891. The groundbreaking ceremony for the major part of the school, took place April 18, 1910. In 1939, were sold to the State of California for the San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10).