Seattle Preparatory School
 | This article's factual accuracy is disputed. (May 2009) |
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Seattle Preparatory School, popularly known as Seattle Prep is a private Jesuit high school located on Capitol Hill, in Seattle. It is operated independent of the Jack Henning Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. It was founded in 1891 and has maintained a long history of academic excellence. The school regularly sends many of its students to Ivy League and 'Highly-Selective' universities every year. Seattle Prep uses the Jesuit motto "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" ("For the Greater Glory of God") in addition to its school motto "Virtus in Arduis" ("Virtue in Work"). Seattle Prep's long history, excellent academics, and strong athletics are all very well regarded.
| Seattle Preparatory School | |
|---|---|
| File:Seattle Prep.png | |
| Address | |
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2400 11th Avenue East , , 98102 | |
| Coordinates | 47°38′29″N 122°19′03″W / 47.641387°N 122.317531°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Coeducational High School |
| Motto | Virtus in Arduis (Virtue in Work) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1891 |
| CEEB code | 481160[1] |
| President | Kent Hickey |
| Dean | Michael Kelly (students) Ms. Kathy Tullis (academics) |
| Principal | Matthew Barmore |
| Faculty | 55 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 677 |
| Average class size | 19 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 11:1 |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color(s) | Blue and White |
| Fight song | "Hail to thee our fighting Panthers" |
| Athletics conference | Metro AAA League |
| Mascot | Panther |
| Nickname | Seattle Prep |
| Team name | Panthers |
| Accreditation | Northwest Association of Accredited Schools [2] |
| Newspaper | The Seattle Prep Panther |
| Tuition | $12,950 |
| Affiliation | Jesuit |
| Website | http://www.seaprep.org |
Early history
Seattle Prep was founded in 1891 by two Jesuits, Father Victor Garrand and Father Adrian Sweere, as the School of the Immaculate Conception. Its original location was St. Francis Hall at the corner of 6th Avenue and Spring Street in downtown Seattle, and the school offered both high-school and college-level classes. In 1898, the school changed its name to Seattle College and moved to First Hill, at which point the high school split off as Seattle College High School and moved to its present location. Seattle College High School changed its name to Seattle Preparatory School in 1933; Seattle College changed its name to Seattle University in 1948.
Curriculum
Seattle Prep has an innovative curriculum arrangement with Seattle University wherein students of Seattle Prep can qualify for admission to Seattle University after three years of education at Seattle Prep under the Matteo Ricci College program, named after the 16th Century Jesuit missionary to China Matteo Ricci. Students admitted to Seattle University under the Matteo Ricci College program can acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree after three more years, thus reducing the combined study requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree to six years, versus eight years in a traditional four year high school and a traditional four year college. Students can then elect a course load at Seattle University with electives which can qualify for a second bachelor's degree with an additional year of study (it is not uncommon for a student to acquire two bachelor's degrees through this program of study, such as one in the humanities and another in the sciences.) This unique curriculum arrangement is fully accredited and has received several awards, including recognition from the prestigious Academy for Educational Development as "one of the twelve most successful educational innovations" in America.
Not all Seattle Prep students elect or are able to pursue the Matteo Ricci program. Instead many pursue a traditional four year course of study at Seattle Prep and then pursue other arrangements (entrance into a four-year college, or a two-year college).
Seattle Prep emphasizes its curriculum for college preparation. Its literature and humanities courses are known as Collegio. Collegio combines the study of literature and social studies into a single interdisciplinary course. Art is taught in AAD (Artistic/Aesthetic Development) and freshman physical education is taught in PPD (Psychological-Physical Development).
A wide variety of extracurricular activities are offered at Seattle Prep including Chess Team, Mock Trial, Dance Team, Yearbook, Newspaper, ASB, Photography Club, OneVoice (a Gay/Straight Alliance), Global Justice Coalition, National Honors Society, Community Service Club, Philosophy Club, and Drama.
Admissions are based on grades, extracurricular activities, an entrance exam, reference letters, and essays, among other criteria.
Facts and figures
Facts and figures (as of 2008):
- Enrollment: 667
- Faculty: 55
- Faculty with advanced degrees: 90%
- Student/Teacher Ratio: 9.5:1
- Average Class Size: 19
- Percentage of College-Bound Graduates: 99%
- Tuition: 12,950
- Library Volumes: 20,000+
- Tuition Assistance: 1,000,000
Fight song
Hail to thee our fighting Panthers
As we cheer your rip and roar
As we tear our foes asunder
Our fighting blood yells
More, more, more
By our spirits we have proven
That the Panthers won't give in
So fight, fight, fight, for Adelphia
And the Blue and White will win [3]
Magis Christian Service
Seattle Prep has a 4-year requirement of various community service. The four year Magis Christian Service Program at Seattle Prep exposes students to many different forms of service including service to family (freshman), to school (sophomore), to the poor and marginalized (junior), and to leadership for justice (senior).
Physical structure
In the 1950s, McDonnell Hall was added to the existing Adelphia Hall, and in the 1960s, Peyton Hall was added across the parking lot from McDonnell and Adelphia Halls. The McHugh Gymnasium was built in front of Adelphia Hall and opened in 1983, a result of the school's first major fundraising campaign. Funds from this campaign were used to remodel the third floor of Adelphia Hall for improved science facilities. During this time the library, which then became known as Loyola Library, was moved to Peyton Hall.
There were several major additions to Seattle Prep in the late 1990s. A new underground parking garage was built to replace the old parking lot, which was replaced by a grass quad. In addition, St. Ignatius Hall was erected across from Peyton and McDonnell Halls.
In 2007, the PACCAR Commons were completed, including new office space where reception desks and a sick room would be included. As of March 2007, construction was completed on the Thomas Healy, S.J. Theater and Classrooms. This was the first major renovation since the addition of St. Ignatius Hall. The theater, which also serves the school as a location where liturgies/masses to be held, features an orchestra pit. This orchestra pit runs on hydraulics, moving up and down for various uses, including the transportation of heavy equipment. The workout rooms and locker rooms were also altered in this remodel. The space below the theater is used for classroom space for the arts classes, a sacristy (to be used for liturgies and masses), and weight/workout rooms.
In 2008, specific sections of the pathways around the campus plaza were redone. Additionally, electronic doors were installed on several major entrances to accommodate for students needing assistance opening doors.
The Seattle Prepatory School mascot is the panther.
Notable alumni
Prominent alumni of Seattle Prep include:
- Greg Nickels (former mayor of Seattle)[4]
- Mike McGavick, (Former CEO of Safeco and Former Republican candidate for the United States Senate)[5]
- Don Kardong (Olympic Marathoner) [citation needed]
- Tom Gorman (Professional tennis player) [citation needed]
- Martell Webster (Profession basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers)[6]
- Spencer Hawes (Professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings[7]
- Bryce Fisher (Professional football player for the Tennessee Titans)[8]
- John Marchione (Mayor of Redmond, Washington)[citation needed]
- Kris Dales (Artist)[citation needed]
Seattle Prep Activities
Seattle Prep has a rich athletic tradition and has won numerous league, and state titles in many different men's and women's sports[9]. By size, Prep is a lower-end 2A class school, but plays up in 3A classification. In 2006 the men's basketball team, led by current Sacramento Kings player Spencer Hawes, won the 3A state championship. Prep has also won in the state title 2000; the women won in 2002. Prep's volleyball team won three straight state titles from 2001 - 2003.
Seattle Prep won Mock Trial State in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Competing in the National High School Mock Trial Championship tournament, Seattle Prep has placed 6th (2003), 16th (2004, 2007), 8th (2008) and, most recently, 3rd at the 2009 tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. At the 2009 tournament Prep accumulated more total points than any other team.
Seattle Prep's Junior Varsity team was the runner-up at the 2008 State Competition following a Prep v. Prep championship round.
Prep men's cross country team won the title in 1966 (led by future 4th place finisher in the Montreal Olympics marathon Don Kardong), 1972 and 2000. Under current head coach Dr. John "Doc" Robertson, Prep's men's cross country teams have finished as one of the top four 3A teams for every year but one since 1996. During that span, Prep never placed lower than second in the Metro League. 2006 saw Prep gain its first All-American in cross country, Max O'Donoghue-McDonald, who placed 15th at the Footlocker Nationals meet. Max also broke a longstanding Lower Woodland course record, clocking 15:22 for the 5 kilometer distance. Also in 2006, Prep won its first women's Metro League team title.
In 1998, Seattle Prep junior Patrick Fowler set the national high school 100-yard-breaststroke record in a time of 53.66[10][11]. As of March 1, 2009, this record still stands.
References
- ^ "High School Code Lookup". Vanderbilt University. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
- ^ NAAS. "Northwest Association of Accredited Schools". Retrieved 2009-07-29.
- ^ "Prep Mission and Fight Song". Seattle Preparatory School Winter Sports. 2007. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
- ^ "ABOUT MAYOR GREGORY J. NICKELS". City of Seattle. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
- ^ William, Arthur Atkins. "Business Biographies: Mike McGavick". Answers.com. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
- ^ http://www.nba.com/playerfile/martell_webster/
- ^ http://www.nba.com/playerfile/spencer_hawes/
- ^ http://www.nfl.com/players/brycefisher/profile?id=FIS192130
- ^ Washington Interscholastic Activities Association -- School History Page
- ^ Swimming World Magazine -- High School National Records
- ^ Washington Interscholastic Activities Association -- Individual History Page
