History

In the early part of the 20th century, the Sisters of Saint Basil came to the United States. In 1911, the Sisters came to Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love," at the invitation of His Excellency, the Most Reverend Soter Ortynsky, OSBM, who was the first Ukrainian Catholic Ordinary in America. For the first few decades, the Sisters expended their talents to the education of grade school children in the orphanage and parishes, but during these years, they did not forget the idea of a Catholic high school for girls. Saint Basil Academy, a convent boarding school for girls, began on July 19, 1931 in the classrooms of the newly constructed convent building dedicated only a day earlier. Space and limited facilities on the main campus could no longer provide for updated laboratory and library expansion during the oncoming years. In 1968, the administration of the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great, undertook the construction of a new building, capable of housing 400 students. Much has changed: the student body has increased, programs have expanded, and the faculty has multiplied. And yet, nothing has changed. The character, spirit, and dedication that existed in 1931 are still present today. From its inception, Saint Basil Academy has kept its focus: dedication to excellence in the education of young women. This commitment remains and permeates every aspect of the institution.