History of Holy Child

School of the Holy Child was established in 1904 as St. Walburga’s Academy in New York City. Girls and boys in grades kindergarten through twelve began classes on October 17, 1904.

In 1956, the Sisters purchased a 1930s Tudor-style mansion and the surrounding property in Westchester County where School of the Holy Child now exists. The new high school opened in 1957, and, although the mansion was beautiful, it was too small to accommodate the number of students and fulfill their extracurricular needs. Construction of a new, "state-of-the-art" addition was completed in the late summer of 1959 and signaled Holy Child's arrival in Westchester County.

Over the course of the next thirty years, enrollment grew and the School continued to establish its presence in Westchester County. In 1992, the Sr. Jean O’Meara Middle School was added to the existing Upper School, and in 1995 the fifth grade was added. This formed the independent school of today that educates girls in grades 5 through 12. Since 2004, upgrades have been made to the campus, including the construction of the Maureen Alison McGrath ’78 Memorial Library, five new classrooms, a large music room, a beautiful chapel, an art room, a new dining hall, and the “game-changing” Gryphon field.

Over the decades, the diversity of the student body has expanded and student exposure to the full world around them has grown. Holy Child students have traveled around the world and visited Holy Child Network Schools in England, Ireland, France, Ghana, and Nigeria, as well as welcomed girls from these Network Schools to Rye. Today, Holy Child students participate in Global Studies Programs in China, France, Italy, Spain, and Iceland, and service groups travel to the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Peru.

In 2012, the School launched the Generoso Pope Italian Cultural Studies Program—a two-year program of language, history, research, and study of Italian culture which culminates in a two-week summer trip to Italy for participating students. A year later, Holy Child received a grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation to expand the school's STEM program. Modeled after its humanities-based counterpart, the Engineering, Architecture, and Design for the Common Good Program is a two-year program that focuses on engineering, architecture, and digital design. In 2018, the School received another grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation to create the new Leadership Institute in Finance, a two-year, college-level seminar course that empowers girls to master financial literacy and explore business ethics. In 2020, the Italian Cultural Studies Program transitioned into the broader, inquiry-based Advanced Humanities Institute.

Thanks to the generosity of dedicated donors, School of the Holy Child celebrated another significant milestone in the Spring of 2015, when students, faculty, and staff joined with trustees, alumnae, family, friends, and local dignitaries for a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the construction of a new Field House, state-of-the-art Theatre, and Design Studio. 

Completed in the summer of 2015, the 22,000-square-foot Field House allows Holy Child teams to compete fully, fosters greater student participation in various activities, and provides diversification of physical education classes. The Field House is home to the 11,000-square-foot Kelly Gymnasium, Giordano Fitness Center, Ciaccia Athletic Training Room, dance studio, locker rooms, and The Kennedy Common Room. The 700-square-foot Design Studio was also completed in the summer of 2015 and includes a multi-purpose workshop and classroom for students studying STEAM. The Theatre was completed in January of 2016 and provides Holy Child students with a beautiful, new space that complements their exceptional talents.

During Spring 2020, the world experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the globe, schools and businesses were shut down for extended periods. The School transitioned to virtual learning for three months in order to protect the health and safety of students and teachers alike. The School appointed Colleen R. Pettus as Interim Head of School in May 2020 and that September, under Colleen’s leadership, the School reopened allowing students and faculty back to in-person learning on our vibrant campus.

As Interim Head, Colleen faced challenges of remote learning, balancing the health and well-being of faculty, staff, and students, and calls for a more inclusive community. In accepting the offer to serve as permanent Head of School in early 2021, Colleen built on her vision for engaged and empowered teaching and learning. She has been an impactful presence at Holy Child since joining the community as Head of the Middle School in 2012.

Today, School of the Holy Child enrolls 383 young women and is one of 24 schools throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa that make up the Holy Child Network of Schools.