St. Augustine High School (San Diego)
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| St. Augustine High School | |
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| Type | Augustinian, Private, Catholic, Single-Sex |
| Motto | "Unitas, Caritas, Veritas" |
| Established | 1922 |
| President | Edwin J. Hearn |
| Principal | Mr. James Horne |
| Faculty | 65 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 700 boys |
| Color(s) | Purple and Gold |
| Athletics | 13 sports |
| Mascot | Halo Joe |
| Campus | 2 acres |
| Website | www.sahs.org |
St. Augustine High School (locally called "Saints"), is is a private Catholic high school for young men under the direction of the Order of St. Augustine located in the North Park district of San Diego, California founded in 1922.
Named after Saint Augustine of Hippo, an early Christian theologian, St. Augustine teaches young men within the framework of the Catholic faith and in the Augustinian tradition. This culturally diverse school serves the communities of San Diego County and Tijuana, Mexico. The school also publicly states, "We open our doors to all boys we believe will benefit from our academic program."
History
Early history - 1920s to the 1950s
Creation
In 1922, John Cantwell, Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and San Diego, asked the Augustinians to come to San Diego to satisfy the need of a new boy's school in the southern part of the 80,000 square mile diocese. The Augustinians opened St. Augustine High School in a local parish church hall on September 18, 1922 with 19 students. The school moved to its current Nutmeg Street location in the year 1923.
Student affairs and expansion
Due to a need to accommodate a greater number of students, the school expanded multiple times in its early history, beginning with the construction of Sullivan Hall in 1947, adding 350 additional spots for additional students. In the 1950s the school constructed a new set of classrooms, erected a gymnasium, and added additional improvements to the monastery. However, despite these expansions, by 1959 the school suffered increased overcrowding problems. [citation needed]
In 1956, the school became the first private school admitted to the San Diego City League of Athletics.
Middle period - 1960s to the 1970s
During the 1960s and 1970s, the school committed to smaller class sizes, new curricular innovations, and honor programs. In September, 1978, PSA Flight 182 crashed and exploded several blocks (Nile and Dwight Streets) from the campus. The school shut down and became a triage and command and control center for those authorities who responded to the emergency posed by the crash, culminating in the utilization of the gymnasium as a makeshift morgue. The following year an arsonist burned down the school's library, which has since been rebuilt.
Into the modern era - 1980s to the present day
In the 1980s and 1990s, the school moved towards computerization and renovations occurred around the campus. The biggest change during this era was the creation of an on-campus parking lot and the closure of Bancroft Street, which previously divided the campus into two separate sections. In 1997, the school celebrated its 75th anniversary. The school continues to grow in the new millennium, and is embarking on an extensive building campaign which calls for most of the school being demolished and rebuilt to meet modern standards of building codes and architectural tastes. The school will also feature the latest in technology made readily available to its students and faculty.
On June 2, 2006, together with the San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders, the Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego Salvatore J. Cordileone, the school's President John Keller O.S.A., ASB President Alexander Guittard, and various members of the Augustinian and general school community, the school broke ground for the first phase of the school's building campaign. Work commenced in the summer of 2006 and is expected to last until Fall 2007 for the first phase. The second and third phases have been planned for the near future, with final completion of the project projected to fall within the early 2010s.
The first phase of the construction is approximately 60% completed. It consists of two main classroom buildings and a spacious underground parking garage. The first building is two stories tall, each floor containing about 5-6 classrooms. The second building is three stories tall, being virtually identical to the first building save for the placement of the new library within the third story. A sky bridge walkway connects the two buildings, and several stairwells as well as an elevator grant access to the parking garage.
Tuition
Tuition at St. Augustine for the 2006-07 year is $9500.[citation needed] However students can apply for tuition assistance, whether in the form of a grant or scholarship or by working for the school (at the Lunch Counter, Bookstore, Maintenance Office, or Library).
Student profiles
Demographics
The student body is comprised of White, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and African American students.
Most students live near and within typical driving distance of the school. The bulk of students live in San Diego and surrounding areas including La Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Point Loma, Downtown, and Beach areas. However some students have longer commutes from areas in the North (such as La Jolla, Del Mar, Valley Center, and Oceanside), the East (Poway, Escondido, and Lakeside), and the South (such as Chula Vista, Eastlake and Bonita) A select number students commute daily from Tijuana.
Most students are Roman Catholic; however, the school accommodates people of other faiths, including non-Christian ones.
ACADMECS
Curriculum
Saints offers courses in the following subjects:
- Religion
- Faith Survey
- Ethics I/II
- Old Testament
- New Testament
- "Comparative Religions"
- Religion in America
- Philosophy*
- Social Issues
- Social Sciences
- Psychology*
- Western Civilization*
- Economics*
- United States History*
- Civics and American Government*
- Speech
- Leadership
- Foreign Language
- Spanish*
- Latin
- French*
- English*
- Mathematics*
- Pre-Algebra
- Algebra I
- Geometry
- Algebra II
- Pre-Calculus*
- Calculus*
- Sciences
- Sports Medicine
- Physics*
- Biology*
- Anatomy and Physiology*
- Chemistry *
- Arts:
- Musical Instruments and Band
- Guitar Performance and Theory
- Painting, Drawing, and Mixed Media
- Ceramics
- Art History*
- Theater Arts
(* denotes that an advanced placement or honors equivalent version of the course is offered)
Scheduling
On the average weekday, there are six blocks with each block running 50 minutes.
On Wednesdays, the blocks are shorter in length—running 40 minutes—due to the celebration of Mass. Blocks are also only 40 minutes on Fridays because the school day is shorter.
Religious life
Daily role
Because the school is Catholic, religion plays a vital role in the daily life of a Saintsman. Students are required to take four years of religion. Almost all classes and assemblies begin with a prayer. Mass is said on a weekly basis, along with weekly confession and prayer hours. In addition, the school recently revived the traditional Catholic midday "Angelus" prayer, which the entire student body participates in immediately after lunch.
Retreats
Students experience several (including three mandatory) retreats at Saint Augustine. These retreats are:
- Freshman Overnight Retreat
- This retreat takes place over the first weekend in October, during which the entire Freshmen class are split into several groups where they discuss and learn about the Saints community and their place in it. The groups are led by a pair of either Junior and Senior "Big Brothers," one of whom opens their home for the evening prayer service for their group, before returning to Saints. The Freshmen spend the night in the gym and are dismissed on Sunday afternoon after mass and final activities.
- Sophomore Retreat
- This one-day retreat in Mission Bay continues the theme of helping the community, both in global and local capacities. In past years, the focus of this retreat has been on the plight of African children, followed along with a screening of Invisible Children, culminating with a talk given a refugee from an African nation.
- Junior Retreat
- This retreat is also a one-day event and focuses on building the relationship of the students in the class. Several activities build on the themes and the day finishes off with a mass.
The optional retreat for upperclassmen is the Kairos retreat.
Extracurricular activities
Athletics
Teams
The school supports numerous sports teams that are accredited by the CIF (SDS Division) such as:
In the past few years several club sports have been organized by the student body. These sports are either non-traditional sports or the sport club has not been credited by CIF. For example, the Roller Hockey team started as a club, and eventually the school applied for the CIF Roller Hockey division. Some of the club sports include:
Intramurals
The student body actively participates in Intramural sports. Teams are organized by homeroom and generally teams of one grade play the same grade and gradually move to play other grades. The final games of Intermurals are generally popular with the students and the school extends the lunch period to accommodate the finals. They are headed by the intramural coordinator, Mr Vasal. Alongside him, Deacon Hardick ("Deke"), assists in organizing and coaching all intramural sports. He is noted for his favorite catch-phrase: "SAINTS INTRAMURALS ARE FANTASTIC!!!!" The current intermural sports include
Recent performance
The 2004-2005 sports season was a very successful year for the school, with the school's golf team winning the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) titles for the State of California; and the school's basketball team reaching the State CIF finals as well; eventually blowing a lead in the fourth quarter.
The 2005-2006 also proved to be an excellent year for Saints Athletics. Football coach Jerome Ralph led the football team; including UCLA bound quarterback, Chris Forcier and Nebraska bound receiver Menelik Holt to the first San Diego Section championship in thirty years. Furthermore, Brendan Johnston, led the Saintsmen to the CIF title in soccer. He has managed to pull off this feat three times in his short tenure as Head Soccer Coach.
The 2006-2007 season was a productive year for the football team as well. They were led to a second straight CIF title under the leadership of Jerome Ralph. Saints defeated Point Loma High School in the finals for the second year in a row.
Visual and performing arts
In areas other than sports, the school supports numerous art disciplines including the dramatic, musical, and fine arts. Students artwork is prominently displayed throughout the campus. Student bands are popular and play at "8th Grade Visitation," some rally days, and at the Annual Saints/OLP Talent Show.
Theatre arts
The school is known for the successful theatrical productions put on by the students, and is recognized as a chapter of the International Thespian Society. Girls from the neighboring Catholic girls school, Academy of Our Lady of Peace, audition for the female roles.
Recently, the school revived its annual musical with Oliver!. As of late, theatrical successes include such musicals as Fiddler on the Roof, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story. Plays produced include Arsenic and Old Lace, Macbeth, "M*A*S*H" and Dracula. The "Saints Players," as they name themselves, are also planning a production of the hit The Music Man. Saints also hosts the "Flying Ferrets," an improv team.
Music programs
The band program has also been improved with the last few years, and the band continues to perform and march in local parades such as the annual North Park Toyland Parade, KGB Skyshow, parades in Little Italy, and Bonita Fest. They perform at open houses for the school, fundraisers, sports events. Saints is also developing a drumline program. In addition, a select few members of the band are part of the "32nd Street Jazz Band".
Publications
The school is also active in journalism and the literary arts with two school-wide publications: The Augustinian and Santos. The Augustinian, published 5-6 times per year, is the school newspaper. Santos, published once yearly, features Saints students' artwork of all aspects.
Club and Special Groups
Like any high school, Saints has a wide variety of student clubs and associations. St. Augustine H.S. has or has had such clubs as:
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Recent faculty changes
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Teaching selection policy
Until recently, most teachers and administrators of the school were of the Augustinian Order, serving the community either as priests, or deacons, or brothers. The lay teachers who have been incorporated into the faculty of St. Augustine High School in recent years tend to be Catholic males.[original research?] The school also hires non-Catholic and female teachers, and for the first time in the 2006-2007 school year there is a lay president, Mr. Edward Hearn, at the position of President of St. Augustine High School. The current convention holds that the school administrators are not required to be Augustinian, as evidenced by the relative decrease in the number of Augustinians on the faculty to one member.
Recent departures
Some of the teachers to leave in recent years include: Father John Sanders O.S.A (deceased), Brother Steve McKenna O.S.A. (deceased), Rick Stewart (deceased), Michael Molino, Robert Spence, Darcy Carr, Raul Aguila, Dean Covalt, Laurent Gelibert, Mandi Urban, Thomas Bryant, Nurse Betty Murasky, Thomas Conti, John Owens, Paul Loringer, Andrew Marchi, Lawrence Lewis, and Fr. John Keller O.S.A. (who is currently on sabbatical).
In addition, there have been several teachers who have moved to other Augustinian preparatory schools, including Anthony Sabatino and Rev. Harry Neely, OSA; both currently work at Villanova Preparatory School in Ojai, California. Mr. Sabatino is headmaster there.
School spirit
School support
The school receives many donations from both organizations and private individuals. In addition, the school's Booster Club is an all-around fund raising organization that contributes to all aspects of campus needs. During the school year, the Boosters donate for scholarships, sports programs, arts programs, and capital improvement fund. The Booster Club prides itself in working with school administration to determine priorities in funding that benefit the entire school. The Booster Club raises money throughout the year, but its yearly "Big One" is a major event for the school and occasionally throughout the years finds itself on the Society Pages of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Traditions
- Mass on Wednesdays (Originally Friday)
- Spirit Wear on Fridays (Originally Thursdays)
- Senior Parking Lot (During the 2006-2007 School Year, it was demolished to allow for the construction of a new underground parking lot)
- Freshmen Welcome Week
- Freshmen must wear beanies during Freshman Welcome Week
- Costume Day
- Freshmen bringing Lunch for their Senior Partner
- The recitation of the Alma Mater
- Turkey Trot
- Block 1 Donations (Generally for the Hogar Infantil Orphanage during canned foor drives)
- Freshmen and Sophomores must sit in the gym's bleachers during mass and assemblies. Juniors and Seniors are allowed to sit on the gym floor in chairs.
- Seniors are allowed Spirit-Dress Mondays, in addition to Fridays where the whole school is allowed Spirit Dress.
- Seniors are allowed Off-Campus Lunch privileges, and can drive to local restaurants for lunch instead of remaining on campus.
- Seniors have some late-start days.
- All School Field Trips
- Freshmen: USS Midway in San Diego Harbor
- Sophomores: San Diego Zoo
- Juniors: Balboa Park and Museums
- Seniors: No Official Trip
- Senior Trip to Grad Nite at Disneyland Park, part of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim
- This is by invitation, and subject to the behavior of the previous class to visit. A more well-known incident involved several students and the commandeering of rafts to Tom Sawyer Island.
Alma Mater
The Saints Alma Mater closely resembles the Alma Mater of Villanova, an Augustinian university in Pennsylvania which also closely resembles the Alma Mater of Villanova Preparatory School, an Augustinian college preparatory school in Ventura Country, California:
When the twilight shadows gather
Out upon the campus green,
When the blue and purple night
Comes stealing on the scene,
Loyal sons of Saint Augustine
Sing a hymn of praise
To our dear old Alma Mater
And our High School days.
Saint Augustine, Saint Augustine
When we leave your sheltering walls
We will leave an echo ringing
Through your treasured halls.
We will leave an echo ringing
In the twilight cold,
While our memories are singing
"Purple and the Gold."
It is sung after many sporting events by both the crowd and participating team. The most usual occasion is after a Saints football game.
Rivalries
St. Augustine is one of four Catholic high schools in the San Diego area, leading to a natural state of heightened competition between the St. Augustine and the other Catholic schools in the region: University of San Diego High School, now known as Cathedral Catholic High School, and Marian Catholic High School, which became Mater Dei High School. (The fourth, the Academy of Our Lady of Peace is an all-girls school and has long been considered as a sister school to Saints).
The rivalry is most prevalent between Saints and Cathedral and has spanned many years. Since the early 1970s, a yearly Charity Bowl, first hosted at Jack Murphy Stadium (Qualcomm Stadium) and now at Southwestern College Stadium, has been the highlight of the rivalry. It was momentous in its first year during the 1970s, in part for its guest host, Bob Hope.
After Nutmeg St.
College matriculation
Saints is also known for its steady 100% graduation rate.
Top students regularly matriculate to various prestigious institutions such as Stanford University, Yale University, Boston College, Cornell University, Harvard University, University of Notre Dame, several colleges of the University of California system, Gonzaga University, Georgetown University and Villanova University among others. Furthermore, many students attend schools abroad, especially in Mexico.
Notable alumni
- Former mayor of San Diego, Roger Hedgecock
- Late National Football League player Darrell Russell
- Ex NBA player Jelani McCoy
- University of Michigan Quarterback, Jason Forcier
- Former City Councilman, Ralph Inzunza
- Soap Opera Star, John Castellanos
- University of Nebraska Jordan Kongdon