History & Traditions

 In 1923 the Caldwell, NJ, Dominican Sisters purchased Elm Court, the Arthur Marks estate on West Market Street in Akron, OH.  The convent immediately became a day school for students in Grades one through 12.  As Dominican women committed “to praise, to bless, and to preach the truth of the Gospel,” they saw the active ministry of education as the best way of carrying out their dedication.  The Sisters of St. Dominic of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a congregation of strong and visionary women, created, nurtured, and sustained what we know today as Our Lady of the Elms School – educating girls through Grade 12 and boys in Pre-School through Kindergarten.  In 1999 the school was separately incorporated and became known as a sponsored or founded ministry of the Sisters.

On Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009, the Dominican Sisters of Peace were established after several years of planning and preparation to form a new congregation. The seven congregations who formed the Dominican Sisters of Peace were: the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine, KY; Dominican Sisters of Akron, OH; Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs, Columbus, OH; Dominican Sisters of Great Bend, KS; Dominican Sisters of Oxford, MI; Dominican Sisters of St. Mary’s, New Orleans and the Eucharistic Missionaries of St. Dominic, New Orleans, LA. In 2012, the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’ Ricci merged with the Dominican Sisters of Peace.

On Monday, November 25, 2024, students joined us for the Ceremony of Sponsorship Transition, a historic moment for Our Lady of the Elms School. We honored the Dominican Sisters of Peace and celebrated our new sponsorship with Dominican Veritas Ministries. The celebration began with a Mass of Thanksgiving, presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost.

School Motto

An Elms girl boldly discovers her way:  Kind. Confident. Resilient.

School Year Traditions

  • Grade 9 Blessing

  • Grade 9 Welcome Week

  • Elms Olympics

  • Spirit Week

  • Fall Fest

  • Homecoming

  • Class Retreats (Grades 7-12)

  • Grandparents Day (Lower School)

  • Junior Ring Ceremony

  • Deck the Halls

  • Foreign Language Songfest

  • Scholarship Tea

  • Fantasy Auction

  • Talent Show

  • Seasonal Sports Banquets

  • Prom

  • Awards Programs

  • Senior All Night Party

Hymn

Unto Thee, O Holy Mary, our voices now we raise;
through thee to our Creator
we bring our prayers and praise.
That God, with much compassion,
would shower on us grace;
to strengthen and to guide us
who run here the Great Race.
Dear Mary, throned in splendor
amid the starry realms,
bring light and honour to this place,
Our Lady of the Elms.

Here seeking an example, we turn our eyes to see
how grace received and cherished
brought Jesus forth from Thee.
May He in our lives, also, be manifest in love;
that all may come to treasure
the things that are Above.
Thus, freed from worldly fetters,
we glimpse the Holy Realm,
under the patronage of Our Lady of the Elms.