FSHA students are part of a wonderful legacy that began in 1931. For more than 79 years, the Dominican Sisters and their colleagues have nurtured the dreams, intellectual curiosity and goals of young women in a quiet yet powerful way. Our graduates walk securely and confidently into the world and make their own indelible mark upon it. Our unique school community continues to bring young women together from diverse nations, cultures and backgrounds; FSHA graduates have come from or currently live in more than 40 countries and six continents. More than 400 students occupy a 41-acre campus that is nestled in the San Rafael Hills, overlooking the San Gabriel Valley and the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Our boarding program is home to approximately 50 students who enjoy the quiet seclusion of the hills, but are within a comfortable distance from all the cultural delights of Southern California and less than an hour's drive from Los Angeles International Airport.
All students are encouraged to participate in all cocurricular activities, such as sports, theatrical productions and clubs. There is also a multitude of opportunities for leadership exclusively for boarding students, including participation in the Boarding Student Council, the Boarding Student Ambassadors, or as a writer for the At Home on the Hill section of Veritas Shield, the student newspaper.
Weekend life in the boarding hall is bustling. FSHA is close to Pasadena, which boasts many excellent retail stores, restaurants and movie theaters, as well as museums and cultural landmarks. The boarding program has special monthly activities, ranging from visiting local ski resorts, enjoying some of Southern California’s finest beaches, shopping at the outlets in the desert city of Palm Springs, or having fun at a nearby amusement park, such as Disneyland, Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm or Magic Mountain.
The day student parents and their daughters are encouraged to become Host Families for the American and international boarding students. Host Families may invite one or more of the boarding students to their homes to participate in family activities. This program eases homesickness and also helps the boarding students make new friends with the day population. This is also a wonderful way for the international boarding students to participate in another facet of American culture and practice their English.
FSHA is home to a truly international population. For the 2010-2011 academic year, boarders from the following countries call FSHA their home: China, Hong Kong, Mexico, The Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States. Recent years have also seen boarders from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Nigeria, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Spain.
The boarding halls are made up of 23 rooms, each of which two girls usually share. In order to foster interaction among students from different cultures, the Director of Boarding Students makes a consistent effort to assign students from different countries as roommates.
Every room is equipped with a phone line with private voicemail for each student, Internet hook-up, bed, chest of drawers and desk for each student, fluorescent lighting, walk-in closet, private bathroom with shower and tub, locker for valuables, fans and heaters. All rooms are cleaned once a week by a cleaning service. |