CONVENT OF MERCY (ALPHA) ACADEMY
AD VERUM et bonum – To the Good and the True – is the motto which has guided the Convent of Mercy (Alpha) Academy to becoming one of the most reputable and prestigious allgirls institution in Kingston.
On May 1, 1880, Jessie Ripoll and a single orphan girl named Mary walked up the path to Alpha cottage. Thus began the great work which would earn wide acclaim from the Jamaican Government, from the civic community, and from the poor who knew their children would find a home should their parents die and leave them orphans.
In 1894, Alpha cottage, which served as a home for the sisters and the orphans, was transformed into a high school for girls and became known as the Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha). Mother Mary Aquinas Kearns was officially named the first principal and the building was formally blessed and declared open on May 1, 1894.
The first students were Ethline and Ivy Hodge and Leah and Ella Johnson; by 1918, enrolment had reached 100. It served as a secondary institution for children of Kingston and St Andrew. The high school has borne various names, among them The Little Flower Academy, Alpha Academy and finally, Convent of Mercy (Alpha) Academy. An increase in enrollment and academic achievement brought recognition and approval to this institution, which qualified for assistance from the Government in 1939. Today, the institution caters to approximately 1,300 students, and boasts a teaching staff with qualifications raging from graduate training to master’s degrees.
In addition to exceptional achievements in extracurricular activities, especially sports, Alpha is very proud of its students’ academic performance, including: Stay tuned to see which school will be next on our radar. Our next stop may well be at your high school.