Immaculate Heart is a private, Catholic, middle school dedicated to the intellectual, spiritual, moral and social development of young women.
The mission of the school in partnership with parents is to foster academic excellence in an environment that encourages students to become women of great heart and right conscience through leadership, service and a commitment to Christian values. Immaculate Heart combines a mixture of the traditional and the innovative; discipline and freedom, work and celebration as well as concern for issues incorporating the mind and the heart to inspire creativity and life-long learning. Young women are challenged to think both objectively and critically to choose wisely, and to acquire those values and inner resources that characterize compassionate and contributing members of society.

Learning Expectations

Immaculate Heart Middle School strives to help each student to become:

List of 8 items.

  • A faith filled young woman who...

    • strives to become a woman of great heart and conscience has studied and applies Catholic Christian values to her daily life
    • respects the values of tolerance, justice, and the dignity of the human person
    • develops an ongoing personal relationship with God through prayer
  • A contributing member of society who...

    • realizes her intrinsic value as an individual with the ability to make a difference
    • volunteers her time and talents with others
    • seeks and serves in leadership roles in her school and community
    • appreciates and respects her family, community, country, and the democratic process
  • A self-directed lifelong learner who...

    • sets academic, social, spiritual goals and implements a course of action to achieve them
    • exhibits personal responsibility for actions and learning in her daily life
    • explores the diversity of other peoples and cultures
    • exhibits a passion for learning
  • A critical thinker who...

    • continually evaluates and adapts problem solving strategies
    • effectively integrates, synthesizes and applies knowledge from a variety of disciplines
    • connects learned academic skills to real life problem-solving
    • knows how to find information and evaluate its validity
  • An effective communicator who...

    • expresses ideas clearly and accurately using both oral and written means
    • actively participates through careful listening and meaningful questioning
    • develops patterns for organizing and analyzing information
    • is able to respectfully dialogue with peers and faculty
  • A health conscious student who...

    • knows that proper nutrition, physical fitness, and hygiene are essential to health and long-life well-being
    • exhibits the behaviors and choices that lead to optimal physical and psychological health
    • conducts herself in an ethical, socially responsible manner
  • An aesthetically conscious individual who...

    • develops an appreciation for a variety of artistic expressions, i.e., music, visual arts, performing arts and literature
    • engages in activities which develop an appreciation for culturally diverse forms of artistic expression
    • expresses an awareness about the importance of the arts in all areas of the curriculum
  • A technology enabled student who...

    • is prepared to adapt to technological advances in society and the workplace
    • applies knowledge of research, presentation skills and the electronic communication to complete assignments and projects
    • applies critical thinking skills to analyze and evaluate information presented through various media outlets

Curriculum

Immaculate Heart is a private, Catholic middle school for 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls. Dedicated to the intellectual, spiritual, moral and social development of young women, we foster academic excellence in an environment that encourages students to develop a deep concern for things of the heart as well as the mind. Immaculate Heart employs a committed and fully qualified faculty who are all experts in their field of study. Additionally, technology is integrated across the curriculum encouraging student engagement in all aspects of 21st Century learning.

On our beautiful campus in the Los Feliz foothills, we provide students with a foundation that prepares them for a successful transition into the rigorous college preparatory program of Immaculate Heart High School.

Browse Our Course Offerings

Academic Integrity

Immaculate Heart believes that academic integrity is closely allied to the development of self-esteem.  A young woman demonstrates her academic integrity when she produces her own original work, when she takes an exam without cheating, and when she acknowledges another’s ideas by identifying author and source. Therefore the Honor Code was created to help guide students to strive for excellence, to take pride in their work, and to develop a moral compass.

Honor Code

As a young woman of integrity,
I promise to uphold the values of our school community.
I pledge to be honorable in my work, speech and actions.

  • I will treat all members of the school community with respect.
  • I will not give, ask for, or receive help from my classmates on any assignment, test or quiz without the specific permission of my teacher.
  • I will not cheat on any test or quiz by giving information to or taking information from another student.
  • I will not pressure any of my classmates into telling me anything about a test or quiz before I take it, nor will I share information with them about any test or quiz that I have taken.
  • I will not plagiarize on any assignment by representing the words, ideas or work of another as my own.
  • I will not copy anyone’s homework and turn it in as my own, nor will I allow anyone to copy my homework.
  • I will treat all school property and the belongings of others with care and respect.
  • I will not take, damage or destroy any property that does not belong to me.
  • I will always take responsibility for my own actions, especially in relation to doing my work.

Administration

List of 3 members.

  • Photo of Gina Bonino Finer

    Gina Bonino Finer 

    Middle School Principal, Director of Admissions (IHMS)
    University of California, Davis - BS
    Grand Canyon University - MA
  • Photo of Michelle Gonzalez

    Michelle Gonzalez 

    Assistant Principal, MS Admissions, Director of Academic Counseling
    California State Polytechnic University, Pomona - BS
    University of La Verne - MA
  • Photo of Laura Whisler

    Laura Whisler 

    Middle School Office Manager
    University of Missouri - St. Louis - BA

Faculty

List of 17 members.

  • Photo of Liya Gedayan

    Liya Gedayan 

    Science & Technology - 7th & 8th
    California State University, Northridge - BS
    University of Phoenix - MS
  • Photo of Lynn Gilmour

    Lynn Gilmour 

    Academic Counselor - 8th
    Pepperdine University - BA
    California State University, Northridge - MS
  • Photo of Michelle Gonzalez

    Michelle Gonzalez 

    Assistant Principal, MS Admissions, Director of Academic Counseling
    California State Polytechnic University, Pomona - BS
    University of La Verne - MA
  • Photo of Eleanor Howell

    Eleanor Howell 

    Academic Counselor - 6th
    San Diego State University - BA
    California Lutheran University - MS
  • Photo of Suzanne Keogh

    Suzanne Keogh 

    Academic Counselor - 7th
    Loyola Marymount University - BA
    Mount St. Mary's University - MS
  • Photo of Greg Koppenhaver

    Greg Koppenhaver 

    Chorus (IHHS) - Music - 7th & 8th
    Loyola Marymount University - BA
  • Photo of Elisabeth McInnes

    Elisabeth McInnes 

    Middle School Athletic Director
    San Diego State University - BS
    Concordia University - MEd
  • Photo of Sabrina O'Reilly

    Sabrina O'Reilly 

    English & Literature - 6th
    Loyola Marymount University - BA
    Loyola Marymount University - MA
  • Photo of Merritt Pavichevich

    Merritt Pavichevich 

    English & Literature - 7th & 8th
    Indiana University-Purdue University - BS
  • Photo of Sarah Piper

    Sarah Piper 

    Social Studies - 7th & 8th
    California State University, Long Beach - BA
  • Photo of Carolyn Polchow

    Carolyn Polchow 

    Theology & Campus Ministry - 7th & 8th
    San Diego State University - BA
    Mount St. Mary's University - MS
  • Photo of Maribel Romo

    Maribel Romo 

    English - 7th, Spanish & French - 8th
    University of California, Berkeley - BA
  • Photo of Brian Smith

    Brian Smith 

    Physical Education & Math - 6th, 7th & 8th
  • Photo of Jennifer Stern

    Jennifer Stern 

    Visual Arts - 6th, 7th & 8th
    California State University, Northridge - BA
  • Photo of Sarah Tooke

    Sarah Tooke 

    Social Studies, Theology & Campus Ministry - 6th
    Oxford University - BA
    University of Southern California - MBA
  • Photo of Thalia Valenzuela

    Thalia Valenzuela 

    Math / Science & Technology - 6th
    University of California, San Diego - BA
    Loyola Marymount University - MA
  • Photo of Rodney Villanueva

    Rodney Villanueva 

    Math - 7th & 8th
    California State University, Northridge - BA

Immaculate Heart High School & Middle School

5515 Franklin Avenue • Los Angeles, California 90028
phone: (323) 461-3651 • fax: (323) 462-0610
A Catholic, independent college preparatory school for girls in grades 6 through 12, Immaculate Heart has been located on a beautiful hillside property in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles since our founding by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1906. We celebrate more than a century of nurturing the spiritual, intellectual, social and moral development of students as they distinguish themselves as women of great heart and right conscience.