St. Mary Academy – Bay View
| St. Mary Academy - Bay View | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 3070 Pawtucket Avenue Riverside (East Providence), Rhode Island, 02915  United States |
|
| Coordinates | 41°47′25″N 71°21′50″W / 41.79028°N 71.36389°WCoordinates: 41°47′25″N 71°21′50″W / 41.79028°N 71.36389°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, all-girls, college preparatory |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1874 |
| President | S. Elizabeth McAuliffe |
| Asst. Principal | Cecelia Pate |
| Faculty | 56 (High School) 18 (Middle School) 24 (Elementary) |
| Grades | PK–12 |
| Enrollment | 1110+ (2008) |
| Campus size | 20 acres (81,000 m2) |
| Color(s) | Navy Blue and Vegas Gold |
| Slogan | "Nothing is more beneficial to society than the education of women." - Catherine McAuley |
| Sports | 15 sports, 11 teams |
| Mascot | Bengal Tiger |
| Team name | the Bay View Bengals |
| Accreditation(s) | New England Association of Schools and Colleges[1] |
| Publication | Zoë (Literary Magazine) |
| Yearbook | 'The McAuleyan' |
| Athletic Director | Cindy Neal |
| Website | http://stmaryacademy-bayview.org |
St. Mary Academy – Bay View is an all-girls Catholic School grades k-12 located in Riverside, Rhode Island. It was founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1874. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.
Contents |
[edit] History
St. Mary Academy-Bay View was founded in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy.
Bay View, welcoming all learners regardless of faith or tradition, continues to uphold the philosophy of the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, whose special concern was the education of young women. This academic community also believes that the content of Christian education includes the message revealed by God as proclaimed by the Catholic Church, unity with the Holy Spirit, and service to those who are experiencing any human need.
The faculty attempts to develop intellectual strength, social consciousness, personal responsibility, and spiritual awareness in each student. As the young woman matures, she is encouraged to assume more responsibility for her own educational development and to channel her energies in ways that will contribute to the humanization of society.
The school fosters communication with parents in an effort to encourage the total development of the student and to help the family address the problems of young people in today’s world. The cooperation of parents is essential to this endeavor. St. Mary Academy-Bay View strives to provide programs that will excite and challenge students of the 21st century as women who can shape their own lives and who will exert leadership in their professions and in the world in which they live.
In the spring of 1991, the United States Department of Education recognized St. Mary Academy-Bay View as a Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence and the school was renewed as a Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence in 2002.[2]
[edit] Campus
The St. Mary Academy-Bay View campus is 20 acres (81,000 m2) found on Pawtucket Avenue in Riverside, Rhode Island. There are four buildings: St. Joseph's Hall, Mercy Hall, McAuley Hall, and the Athletic Wellness Center.
[edit] Traditions
- College Bowl- has come to be known as Bengal Bowl. Originally students were given the freedom to wear a sweatshirt/t-shirt from any college; Now, however, that freedom has been taken away. They are required to wear uniform clothes, as they do every other day of the year. Each class puts together a bowl team which compete against each other and finally against a team of faculty.
- Starting this year (2011), instead of Bengal Bowl, BVA Minute will take place when Bengal Bowl had previously taken place.
[edit] Spirit Week
Spirit Week takes place in late September/early October and throughout the week, the middle and high school wear accessories of their class color and participate in various fun activities.
The Walkathon is the main annual fundraiser in which everyone in the school walks (obviously) to raise money. In the past, this money used to go towards students in need to financial assistance and scholarships, but as of 2010, the money will go towards everyone in the school for various school supplies and materials. While the elementary schoolers walk around campus, middle and high schoolers walk on a nearby bike path and on sidewalks. Students usually try to get cars to honk.
- Note: The Walkathon was not held in 2011.
Newcomers' Welcome is the last day of spirit week. Each class dresses in their assigned colors (high school: blue, green, pink, and red; middle school: purple, yellow, and orange). Seniors wear clothing that they tye-died at a previous party. Out of respect and tradition, only seniors wear tie-dye. For seniors, the day often begins with a tailgate very early in the morning. The upper-classmen put on skits.
[edit] Athletics
2004: Division I Swim, State Champions; Cross Country, 4th in State
2005: Women's Hockey, State Champions
2006: Division I Basketball, State Champions
2007: Division I Swim, State Champions; Division I Basketball, State Runner-up; Division I Softball, State Champions; Division II Soccer, State Champions
[edit] Manhattan at the Bay
Since 1983, the Bay View Players of St. Mary Academy-Bay View have been performing a cabaret show at the school's annual Manhattan at the Bay event. The show is the main attraction for this fundraising event that generates around $100,000, all of which goes directly to the school. Over 150 St. Mary Academy-Bay View students participate in the performance as singers, dancers or members of the technical crew. A small number of male students from local high schools supplement the cast. The show is directed by the school's Fine Arts faculty and supported by parent volunteers. Students help build the sets and run the lighting and sound during the show. Manhattan at the Bay includes ten performances of the cabaret over one weekend at the end of April. In addition, classrooms throughout the school are set up with various themes and provide food, drinks and other entertainment.
The Manhattan at the Bay cabaret production has contributed to St. Mary Academy-Bay View's reputation as one of the top theatre programs in the state. The Bay View Players have received numerous awards at the state Drama Festival over the years. They have performed at the Providence Performing Arts Center, the now-defunct Warwick Musical Theatre, and the American School in Paris. The St. Mary Academy-Bay View chorale has also received considerable recognition: the group has performed in Italy and appeared as the backing choir for shows at the Providence Performing Arts Center, including the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and for singers Judy Collins and Clay Aiken.
In 2008, Manhattan at the Bay and the Bay View Players Cabaret celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Cabaret.
Over the past 14 years, the Bay View Players have been invited to apply for the International High School Theatre and Music Festival (the Edinburgh Festival Fringe) in Scotland. In 2008, they applied and were accepted to perform in this festival. Because of economic constraints, the Players were unable to attend the Festival.
[edit] Notable alumnae
- Francesca Simone ('03), Miss Rhode Island 2008
- Danielle Lacourse ('04), Miss Rhode Island USA 2007, 1st Runner-Up at Miss USA 2007
- Elisabeth Hasselbeck ('95), Survivor (U.S. TV series) contestant;a co-host of ABC's The View.
- Maureen McKenna Goldberg ('69), Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
- Lt. Col. Martha McSally ('84), US Air Force pilot, first woman to fly a solo combat mission, highest ranking woman in the United States Air Force. She won suit against the Department of Defense after she was required to wear a burka while stationed in Saudi Arabia.
- Eileen S. Naughton, Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
[edit] Bay View in Fiction
Bay View was referred to on the show, Brotherhood (2006 TV series), when a character's daughter attended, "St. Mary's Academy at the Bay View." The portion of the show which occurred at "St. Mary's Academy at the Bay View" was filmed at Bay View.
