Chaminade High School

For other schools with this name, see Chaminade (disambiguation).

Chaminade High School
Address
340 Jackson Avenue Mineola , New York 11501-2441 United States
Coordinates	40°44′39″N 73°38′58″W
Information
Type	Private
Motto	Fortes in Unitate (Strength in Unity)
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic (Marianist)
Established	1930
President	Bro. Thomas Cleary S.M.
Principal	Bro. Joseph Bellizzi S.M.
Chaplain	Fr. Garret Long S.M.
Grades	9-12
Gender	Boys
Enrollment	1,748 (2013-2014)
Average class size	35-40 students
Student to teacher ratio	22:1
Color(s)	Crimson and Gold
Athletics	18 varsity sports
Athletics conference	CHSAA
Team name	Flyers
Accreditation	MSA
Publication	Skylight (literary magazine)
Newspaper	Tarmac
Yearbook	Crimson and Gold
Tuition	$8,495 (2013-2014)
Dean of Students	Robert Paul
Athletic Director	Donald Scarola
Website	chaminade-hs.org

Chaminade High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory high school for young men. Located in Mineola, New York, United States, the school was founded in 1930 by the Society of Mary (Marianists), an international Roman Catholic teaching order of priests and religious Brothers. The school is named after Father William Joseph Chaminade, S.M. (1761–1850), who founded the Marianist order in 1817, and who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000. The school continues to be operated by the Marianists and is independent of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre. The student body numbers over 1,700 and comes from Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties), neighboring New York City, and as far away as New Jersey. The administration and faculty consists of both Marianists and lay men and women.

Students follow a classic liberal arts curriculum, including four years each of English, Foreign Language (either French, German, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish), Mathematics, Religion, Science (Earth Science or Oceanography, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), and Social Studies, as well as one year each of Art, Music Appreciation, and Health. In senior year, students take an additional (advanced) year of either Art or Music Appreciation. Chaminade is known for its rigorous academic program, and average SAT scores are consistently well above the national average. Historically, 100% of Chaminade graduates are accepted into college, and each year over 99% of them chose to attend college. In 2014, all 399 graduates were accepted into college; the class of 2014 was awarded 1,390 scholarships, with 284 students being awarded one or more scholarship.

Chaminade has an extensive selection of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, with over 90% of the student body participating in at least one activity. Additionally, more than 50% of the student body participates on at least one interscholastic athletic team. The school's athletic teams are nicknamed the Flyers, honoring the fact that at the time of Chaminade's founding, Mineola and the surrounding communities of Long Island were part of what was then a "cradle of aviation", with such pioneering aviators as Charles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, and Amelia Earhart making world-record flights from nearby Roosevelt Field. In line with Chaminade's chosen nickname the school newspaper is, appropriately, called Tarmac, a term for airport pavement.

Religious identity

All students take four years of Religion, beginning with biblical and Salvation history (Freshman and Sophomore years), followed by Christian morality and ethics (Junior year), and Christian existentialism (Senior year). The entire student body gathers for Mass each month; additionally, the Gold Star Mass is celebrated every Fall to honor those Chaminade alumni who gave their lives in protection of the United States as members of the military services. Students have the opportunity for confession (the Sacrament of Reconciliation) every Tuesday and Thursday, while Eucharistic adoration is offered every Monday to students and faculty. A short prayer service is also offered every day, before each lunch period.

Athletics

The following are the varsity sports offered at Chaminade:

Fall Season: Crew; Cross-Country; Football; and Soccer

Winter Season: Basketball; Bowling; Ice Hockey; Indoor Track & Field; Riflery; Swimming and Diving; and Wrestling

Spring Season: Baseball; Crew; Golf; Lacrosse; Outdoor Track & Field; Tennis; and Volleyball

In 2002, 2006, 2007, and 2010, the soccer team was the New York State Catholic High Schools Champion.

Finances

In 1986, Father Philip Eichner, S.M. ('53), then the president of Chaminade, conceived of the idea of a permanent endowment fund to lower the cost of tuition at the school. The interest income generated from the principal would serve to partially defray the cost of the school's tuition. Together with Brother Gary Eck, S.M., the Director of Development at the time, Father Eichner envisioned the time when the school's tuition could be capped, if not eventually lowered. The fund is now known as the Torch Fund, and the Torch Fund's principal balance has grown dramatically over the years. For the 2013-2014 school year, interest from the Torch Fund covers $1,375 (14%) of the total tuition cost for each student, leaving the parent responsibility at $8,495.

Other

• Chaminade has developed extensive musical and theatrical performance groups over the years. The school has three concert bands (based on level of experience and performance), a string orchestra, a pep band (for sporting events), a jazz band, a bagpipe corps, junior and senior Glee Clubs, and a vocal chamber ensemble. The school produces two plays each year, a dramatic production in the Fall and a musical production in the Spring, utilizing young women from nearby schools for the female roles.

• Student publications at Chaminade include the school newspaper (Tarmac), the yearbook (Crimson and Gold), and the literary magazine (Skylight).

• The school's Robert C. Wright Speech and Debate Team (named in honor of alumnus and former Chairman of NBC Universal Robert C. Wright) regularly competes with the best high school speaking and debating teams in both the New York City Metropolitan area and nationwide, and has produced national champions in several events.

• Chaminade added a new Activities and Athletic Center (AAC) in 2007. The AAC main arena holds 1,500 for basketball games and 2,500 for Masses and non-athletic events. The facility also incorporates a 1/10 mile indoor track suspended over the main arena, a wrestling room, and a 200 seat auditorium. A new stadium for the main athletic field and an upgraded practice field were completed in 2014, in time for the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

• Chaminade is one of the only high schools in America (and the only public facility on Long Island) to own and operate a theater pipe organ. The Chaminade organ, housed in the school's 1,200 seat Darby Auditorium, is a Robert Morton console with ranks by Wurlitzer, Robert Morton, Austin, and Barton. It is composed of 3 manuals and 15 ranks.

Notable alumni

• Alfonse D'Amato, 1955, former three-term United States Senator from New York.
• Brian Dennehy, 1956, two-time Tony Award winning actor.
• Louis Gerstner, 1959, former Chairman and CEO of IBM; former Chairman of The Carlyle Group.
• Glenn Hughes, 1968, original singer with the group, "The Village People".
• Stephen Karopczyc, 1961, recipient of the Medal of Honor.
• George Kennedy, 1943, Academy Award winning actor.
• John Lannan, 2002, pitcher for the New York Mets MLB team, and formerly a pitcher for the Washington Nationals MLB team.
• Gene Larkin,1980, former MLB ballplayer for the Minnesota Twins, who had the hit that won the 1991 World Series.
• Bob McKillop, 1967, head coach of the Davidson College basketball team.
• William "Bill" O'Reilly, 1964 Fox News political commentator.
• Christopher Ruddy, 1983, founder and CEO of Newsmax Media
• Thomas Suozzi, 1980, business and political consultant; former County Executive of Nassau County, NY.
• Robert C. Wright, 1961, former Chairman and CEO of NBC Universal; former Vice Chairman of parent General Electric Company.

External links

• Chaminade High School
• Province of Meribah