St. Thomas More Academy (Delaware)
| St. Thomas More Academy | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
133 Thomas More Drive , , 19962 United States | |
| Coordinates | 39°5′3″N 75°28′49″W / 39.08417°N 75.48028°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, coeducational |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1997 |
| Oversight | Diocese of Wilmington |
| Principal | Rachel Casey |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Team name | Ravens |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Director of Admissions | Cheston Boyd |
| Athletic Director | John Taylor |
| Website | http://www.saintmore.org |
St. Thomas More Academy is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Magnolia, Delaware. It is run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington.
Background
The story of St. Thomas More Academy dates back to 1952, when Holy Cross Parish opened Holy Cross Elementary School, the first Catholic School in Kent County, Delaware. In 1957, the parish opened Holy Cross High School (HCHS); both the elementary and the high school resided on the same campus on State Street in downtown Dover. HCHS prospered for many years, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. It was operated as a parish school by the Felician Sisters. In the 1980s, HCHS experienced problems with enrollment and finance. The Felician Sisters left the parish, and their convent then became the parish rectory. In 1987 HCHS was closed, amidst much protest. The former HCHS building was renamed the Donohoe Center (after beloved pastor Fr. John Donohoe) and became the Junior High School building of Holy Cross Elementary School, which it remains to this day.
After the dust settled following the contentious closing of HCHS in 1987, a dedicated group of lay men and women began to formulate plans for a new Catholic high school in Kent County. Their effort saw to the establishment of Thomas More Academy, Incorporated, and to the projection of a school program and budget. When, after some years, a gift of land provided the site for the school, the group commissioned a feasibility study, and embarked upon a fundraising campaign.
Fundraising efforts for the private, independent Catholic high school were rewarded with the generous response of individuals and foundations. More than $1.6 million was raised for the first of St. Thomas More Academy's buildings. It was not an easy task, and it required much faith, time and energy on the part of the project's dedicated men and women.
By the spring of 1997 it became clear to most that the enormous project of opening a high school of quality would require resources beyond those available to the founders of Thomas More Academy, Incorporated. A delegation met with the Bishop of the Diocese of Wilmington, Most. Rev. Michael Saltarelli, and presented a report on the "state of the school," in the hope that the bishop might find a way to be of help. The response by Bishop Saltarelli was immediate, enthusiastic, and generous: the Diocese took on the school, making it one of its own – a Diocesan high school.
In 1998 the school opened its doors. In 2001, STM had its first graduating class. A major building project, with the great support and generosity of the Diocese, saw the expansion of STMA in 2003; the Chapel, lobby, office suite, cafeteria, media center, and fine arts wing were added. In 2011, the school dedicated all of the various halls and wings of the school to patron saints of the many area parishes represented by students at the school. The school gymnasium was dedicated as the Bishop Michael A. Saltarelli Gymnasium. In the 2012-13 school year STMA celebrated its 15th anniversary.
Begun by the lay faithful and adopted by the Bishop of the Diocese, STMA provides a good example of collaboration between a bishop and his flock. Acknowledging the work done by the followers of the Academy, Bishop Saltarelli said, "I am grateful for the great gift they have made to the Church, making it possible for us to continue our holy mission to teach the Good News in such an important way."
The school opened in fall of 1998, and expanded its facilities in 2003. The name was changed from "Academy" to "Preparatory" in 2007. In fall 2011, the name was changed back to its founding name, "Saint Thomas More Academy".
Controversy
In 2005, the school requested two students to withdraw, and suspended another, after it was discovered that they had vandalized the school and posted pictures of the vandalism online. The school received a lot of criticism for this, and at the end the 2006 school year the school's principal, Dr. John Grant, was requested to step down by the Diocese.
Beginning in 2011, there had been tremendous turnover among administration at the high school starting with the departure of Mr. David McKenzie. Mr. McKenzie, a longtime Catholic educator who was knighted by St. John Paul II, had been principal at St. Thomas More Academy for five years before he left to take a position elsewhere. He was succeeded by the school chaplain, Fr. James Lentini, who filled the position on an interim basis for two years until he was appointed as the pastor to the Church of the Holy Cross in Dover and Immaculate Conception Parish in Marydel. Fr. Lentini was succeeded by Mrs. Julie Shively, a retired Air Force officer with little experience in Catholic education. Under Mrs. Shively's leadership, enrollment dropped from about 230 to well under 200, leading many to question the school's ability to remain open. Two weeks before the school year concluded it was announced that Mrs. Shively would no longer continue at St. Thomas More and would be replaced by Miss Rachel Casey, whom Shively had recently removed from her position as Dean of Students. She thought, however Miss Casey, who has spent her entire career of nine years at the school, holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware and is currently the fourth principal the school has had in six years.
