The Ursuline Update Archive

October 16, 2026

October 2026

16 - Rally 2026

19 - Lily House and Academy Closed for Fall Break - No School

28 - PSAT for 10th and 11th Grades

30 - Lily House and ECLC Halloween Fest

Parents, families, alumnae, and friends of Ursuline, join us for the 79th Rally on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. in the Ourso Gym! General admission tickets and concession tickets will be available for purchase at the door for guests only. Please note that we are a cashless event.

Join us on Thursday, October 22, 2026, for the Pink Game honoring former Ursuline coach, teacher, and administrator Marta Bott. The Middle School Volleyball Team will face off against Christian Brothers at 4 p.m. in the Ourso Gym, followed by the Varsity Volleyball Team vs. AOL at 5:30 p.m. in the Ourso Gym.

T-shirt purchase includes free entry into the Pink Game.

There will be a lunchtime fundraiser in the Courtyard on Thursday, October 22.*

Pink sunglasses - $3 l Sunglass Decoration Kit - $2 l Pink bows - $5 l Pink bracelets - $2 l Pink tattoos - $1 l Pink ribbons with pin - $1 l Face Paint - $5 l Pink claw clips - $5 l Hair Tinsel - $5 l Baked Goods - between $1 and $5

*Please bring exact change.

Students are invited to dress down for the Pink Game on Thursday, October 22! Wear as much pink as possible – wear your Pink Game t-shirt with jeans (no holes or rips) or a uniform skirt, tennis shoes, and pink accessories. If you didn’t purchase a Pink Game t-shirt, bring a $5 donation to wear a pink shirt, jeans (no holes or rips), or a uniform skirt, tennis shoes, and pink accessories. 

Calling all Lower School (K-4th) and Middle School (5th-7th) dads, grandfathers, uncles, stepfathers, or father figures! Grab your favorite sidekick and join us for a night of superhero-sized fun. Come dressed as any famous dynamic duo—superheroes, movie characters, athletes, iconic pairs, or your own creative combo. The registration deadline is Tuesday, October 20.

Please contact parentsclub@uanola.org if you have any questions.

Please note that the Audition Sign Up form is to be filled out and submitted by a parent or guardian only.

An optional audition workshop will be offered from 3:30-4:45 p.m. in the Auditorium on the following dates:

• 6th-12th Grade: Thursday, October 29
• 3rd-5th Grade: Friday, October 30

Parents/Guardians are welcome to join! This is a time to ask questions and review the best preparation and audition-day practices.

Get a head start on your holiday treats and delights with Ursuline's "Poinsettias and Cookies" Christmas Fundraiser!

Stock up on festive goodies and decor just in time for holiday parties: purchase a beautiful Perino's poinsettia plant for $12 and buy a dozen delicious Christmas Cookies for only $20! Not only will you delight your guests, but you'll also be helping the Parents' Club raise funds for the Serviam Annual Fund.

All poinsettias and cookie orders can be picked up on Tuesday, December 8, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 2-5:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, December 9, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. in St. Ursula Hall.

Ursuline Academy is excited to host its annual Bach Contest on Saturday, March 6, 2027. The Ursuline Academy Bach Contest, founded in 1960 by Sr. Elizabeth Marie Landry, OSU, began with piano and now includes a strings division. It is open to all students in the greater New Orleans area.

Registration for the 2027 Bach Contest is due by February 20, 2027. If you have any questions, please email bach@uanola.org.

Tickets will go on sale here on Tuesday, December 1, 2026. Enjoy a fun-filled evening in support of Ursuline Academy's mission to educate and empower young women. Your presence helps sustain and grow the programs, people, and campus that have made Ursuline Academy extraordinary for 300 years. 

Because our school does not participate in the free and reduced lunch program, we use this confidential survey to report household income information. This count allows our local school district to provide services to any of our students who are struggling academically, regardless of family income. Please complete one survey per child by October 23, 2026.

Volunteering is about so much more than checking off a task. It’s about modeling our core value of Serviam, meaning "I will serve." It is showing your child that her school matters, building relationships with other families, supporting our teachers, and investing in a community that will shape her for years to come.

If you are volunteering to complete a Work Study obligation for the 2026-2027 school year, please be reminded that the deadline to submit all hours is March 31, 2027. For questions regarding Work Study, please contact business@uanola.org.

Lions on the Loose is a fee-based, after-school enrichment program offered to our Toddler 3-4th Grade students. Ursuline partners with vendors to offer a variety of class choices for our students, allowing them the opportunity to try out new things conveniently after school hours and on campus! 

Registration is through our partners. Click below for information about our Fall 2026 partner offerings.

Each week, a designated student will take home an 11" resin statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor along with an intention card. Each intention card will be collected and remembered in prayer by our community. Students will be able to keep Our Lady in their home from Friday through Tuesday, returning her to school on Wednesday. 

In the spirit of community, we would love to pray for the special intentions of our Ursuline family. Prayer intentions can be submitted through this form. Please note that during our Academy Masses, we mention the names of families who have lost loved ones. If you have recently lost a loved one and would like your family name to be mentioned during Mass, please complete this form.

Sophomores and Juniors will take the PSAT on the morning of Wednesday, October 28. For Juniors, this is the qualifying test for the National Merit program. Students will receive information about the test, including creating a College Board account, the format of the test, and how to access prep materials. 

Parents, please make sure that your student is at school on time on Wednesday, October 28, and has a charged computer. If a student misses the test, she will be able to make it up on October 29 or 30, but the test can't be taken past those dates. Students will receive their scores electronically, so it is very important that they create a College Board account in advance of taking the exam. 

General questions can be sent to Dean of Academics, Jennie Guidry, jguidry@uanola.org, and questions regarding College Board Accommodations can be sent to students' counselor, Tracy Buccino, tbuccino@uanola.org. 

Sophomores and Juniors will be able to leave following the exam (approximately 11 a.m. for standard time and Noon for extended time). Please note this is a regular full day of school for 8th and 9th graders.

We’re excited to share that on Wednesday, October 28, Ursuline Academy Seniors will take part in Career Shadow Day, a chance to step into the working world and learn firsthand from professionals in our community.

Would you be willing to open your workplace to an Ursuline Senior? We are seeking shadow sites from 9 a.m.-Noon. Your experience and insight could help a young woman discover a passion, explore a career path, or simply see what a day in your field really looks like.

If you’re interested in hosting an Urusline Senior and sharing your expertise, please complete the brief form below.

On Wednesday, October 28, our 8th and 9th-grade students will attend a one-and-a-half-hour presentation from the Sudden Impact Program, sponsored by University Medical Center New Orleans and LCMC Health.

Before the Impact is a supplemental program designed for middle and early high school students that builds on the nationally recognized Sudden Impact program typically offered to our sophomores. The presentation helps students better understand the effects of alcohol, the influence of peer pressure, and the importance of making safe and healthy decisions. Trauma medical professionals and law enforcement will also discuss ways to reduce the risk of injury or death related to motor vehicle accidents.

Our goal in offering this program is to provide students with age-appropriate information that encourages thoughtful decision-making and healthy choices.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact dmcallister@uanola.org.

Please join us on Wednesday, November 11, for High School Grandfriends' Day! We will begin with Mass at 1:30 p.m. in the National Votive Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, followed by refreshments and dismissal in Lion's Den and Legacy Dining Hall.

For the safety and well-being of our school community, an RSVP is required by Friday, November 6. Your response ensures we can prepare appropriately and provide a safe, welcoming experience for all.

Chapel is a holy time for our Lower School (K-4th) and Middle School (5th-7th) students to reflect on our school's mission and theme in a creative and relatable way. Chapel Services are student-led and planned. The 4th Grade class is sponsoring and leading the October Chapel Service, a living rosary, in coordination with the Chapel committee. Parents and Grandfriends are welcome to attend!

During Fall Fest, Lower School (K-4th) students will play games in the Wellness Center Gym from 1-1:50 p.m., then go to their classroom for treats or a class party. Middle School (5th-7th) students will play games and enjoy treats together in the Wellness Center Gym from 2-3 p.m. Treats and snacks will be provided by class parents. 

K-7th grade parents are welcome to join their student(s) for Fall Fest activities. Parents should enter through the Date Door and sign in with Ms. Kimberly Wimberly in the main office. Please be reminded that visitors will not be allowed to visit classrooms.

Our little ghosts, goblins, and princesses are getting ready for a magical morning of costumes, trick-or-treating, pumpkins, crafts, and LOTS of fun!

Come to school dressed in your potty- friendly Halloween costume! Our little ghosts, goblins, and princesses need a guardian to join them for our trick-or-treating adventure! Families will begin in their child’s classroom before heading out around campus at staggered times. Siblings can choose which class they’d like to trick-or-treat with!

Afterward, families can keep the fun going in the Sacred Heart Courtyard with a pumpkin patch, crafts, festive activities, and family fun!

Don’t forget the treats! Each child should bring one bag of individually wrapped, store-bought Halloween treats or age-appropriate trinkets by Friday, October 23. Also remember Ursuline is a Nut-Free School!

A letter with all the information can be located on Brightwheel.