On September 8, 1905, six Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul belonging to the Province of Baltimore, at the invitation of the Redemptorist Fathers, opened the first parochial school was located on this island Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and originally called St. Vincent de Paul and La Candelaria before having its present name, Academy of the Immaculate Conception. In that year the enrollment was 360 students, significantly increasing every year, so there were other buildings to get more space than the original next to the former Casino de Mayagüez, at that time Mendez Vigo Street. In 1906 Sister Mary Padden had organized at the Academy the forerunner of school canteens in Puerto Rico. Only taught primary grades. In 1908 he opened a two-year business course and developing the Academy continued until 1918, when the building was completely destroyed by an earthquake. In September 1921 he was re-opened in a temporary wooden structure. In 1922 he began a full high school course of four years. In 1926 the Academy was accredited by the Education Commission of Puerto Rico. In 1957 he inaugurated the new building on Calle de Diego. During the sixties the Immaculate Conception Academy had an enrollment of 1,300 students, 400 of them at the top, and a faculty that consisted of 14 sisters, 32 teachers, a principal and a school principal. In 1966 it officially adopted the Knight as the emblem and the blue and white colors represent the Academy. In 1968 the Director-Pastor began construction of the new building, and immediately Sister Zoe, the Principal, worked hard for the Accreditation of MSA for the AIC In March 1969the Visiting Committee of the Middle States Association came to the Academy and finally it was accredited. The first graduating class in this building was the Cowboys in 1969 class. In the early seventies he built the gymnasium physical education. In 1975 it was the departure of the Sisters in the United States after 70 years working for the AIC. This caused great sorrow at the Academy and for the whole community. The high school celebrated 50 years of service, while the 75th anniversary of the Redemptorist Fathers. In 1986, the Director-Pastor Andrew Spacht, C.Ss.R., construction began on the annex building would place seventh and eighth grades. In 1987 he also initiated improvements in physical facilities for sports. In January 1994 the Director Rev. Fr. Dr. Antonio Hernandez, C.Ss.R., began building the new elementary school, and it opened in September 1995 under its purview. Students' organizations include: National Honor Society, Clubs and Student Council. The 2019-20 earthquakes in the south of Puerto Rico caused damage to the school.
Accreditation
The Academy of the Immaculate Conception as an educational institution is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. It is also accredited by the state since 1926. The institution is entitled to a license renewed authorization due to the fact that is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. This license, renewed authorization is granted by the Licensing Office of the General Council of Education. The Association of Private Education of PR, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools Diocese of Mayagüez, and the "Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ". The institution participates in the project D.O.A.S. of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
