High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Academy of the Sacred Heart for Girls, founded in 1876, and Hardey Preparatory for Boys, founded in 1935, serve children in Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. Sacred Heart is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools. The Schools' low student/teacher ratio - 9:1 - reflects its commitment to providing a learning environment that is challenging and supportive to a variety of learners. The Schools' belief in the effectiveness of single sex classrooms - which children begin to experience in first grade - further illustrates its focus on each child as an individual.