Cathedral High School (Springfield, Massachusetts)

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Cathedral High School is a Roman Catholic college-preparatory High School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Opened in 1883 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph behind the diocese's Saint Michael's Cathedral, its current facility has been at 260 Surrey Road since 1959 in one of the city's residential neighborhoods. It is one of four Catholic High Schools within the Springfield Roman Catholic Diocese.

1 History
2 Campus
3 Students and faculty
4 Curriculum
- 4.1 Sports
- 4.2 Clubs
5 External links

[edit] History

In 1882, the diocese's Bishop Patrick O'Reilly sought a teaching staff for a high school in response to the growing number of Catholic immigrants in the area. Responding to the call, ten nuns from Flushing, New York came to Springfield to start up the school. In the years to follow, an old convent behind Saint Michael's Cathedral was converted to classrooms. As the needs of students grew, the diocese sought new accommodation for the students. A 30 acre (121,000 m²) farm on Surrey and Wendover Roads in Springfield was purchased and a new school was built. It opened in 1959.

During the past thirty years, Cathedral has suffered from a decline in enrolment due to a waning population in the area and by increases in fees. Despite these and other problems, Cathedral maintains a reputation in the Greater Springfield area for academic excellence and success.

In 2002 the school was reacredited by New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

The school also altered its format in 2003 adding the position of president to the school. Under this form, fiscal and business matters were handled by a president, while school operations and academics were handled by the principal. In the past, the principal attended to both. In 2005 the position was eliminated with its duties split between the principal and diocese.

[edit] Campus

The school's current Surrey Road campus is in Springfield's East Forest Park Neighbourhood on a green and hilly plot of land. The school is divided into four main sections. Most of the classrooms are in building which, from the air, is shaped like a boxy eight. Two courtyards are in the open spaces formed by the eight. A chapel takes up part of the first floor in one of the courtyards. The school offices are near the main entrance, and the cafeteria extends toward the athletic fields.

Protruding north from the main building is the science wing. Because of the hills the school into which is built, the science wings second and third floors are just above the main building's second and third floors. The auditorium abuts the main building. It is the largest high school auditorium in the area. On a lower grade than the rest of the school, is the gymnasium. A parking lot, playing fields, and a pond are behind the school.

[edit] Students and faculty

Throughout its history, Cathedral has predominantly served the students of Springfield. However, many of its student have hailed from the suburbs of the city and some as far away as Sunderland, Palmer, and Connecticut. Being a Catholic school, a majority of its student have been Catholic. However, that has never been a requirement for admission. As of 2005, the school had approximately 785 students.

The school has about 67 faculty members and administrators. Most of the faculty have a master's degree. Many have taught at the school for 20+ years. Due to a decline in available nuns and priests, the school only has three nuns who maintain full-time positions in the school. Nearly all of the teachers are full-time.

In recent years, the school has maintained an approximate 19:1 student/teacher ratio. Some classes, particularly those which are compulsory, have a larger ratio. Others, particularly electives, have a smaller ratio.

In 2004, the school welcomed its first lay principal in its over one hundred twenty-year history. With this all of Cathedral's academic leadership, including vice-principal, guidance director, business manager, librarians, and all department heads were members of the laity.

[edit] Curriculum

Cathedral has science, English, fine arts & business, history, foreign language, religion, and mathematics departments.

The school offers courses that cater to all grades in most of the academic departments. Within their respective departments, Cathedral offers classes in earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, journalism, computer literacy, art (painting, drawing, and sculpture), United States History, World History, sociology, Spanish, French, Latin, scripture, world religions, algebra, geometry, calculus, and statistics. Many of these classes and others are available as college prep or honors. Advanced Placements are available in English, Calculus, Statistics, US History, Biology, Chemistry, and Latin.

[edit] Sports

Cathedral has a number of sports teams. Throughout the school's history most if not all of the teams have won Western Massachusetts and state titles. Cathedral's team name is the Panthers. It is often portrayed as purple, one of the school's colors, as are the team uniforms.

Excluding both Hockey and Football, all sports have both boys and girls teams. Football, soccer, basketball, and baseball all have freshman, junior varsity, and varsity teams. The others have JV and varsity teams. The school is perhaps best known for its Ice Hockey team. The Panthers have the only Div. 1 hockey program in the Western portion of MA. The school recently saw an 18 year old undefeated winning streak against all Western Mass hockey teams fall in 2004 to Longmeadow High School, after winning the Division 1 state championship just the year before in 2003. Long-time head coach Dave Fenton recently yielded his responsibilities as head coach of the Panthers to rival Longmeadow Head Coach Brian Foley, who was once an assistant under Fenton.

[edit] Clubs

Cathedral's clubs include several service groups, which organize events for the school and community. Some groups direct their efforts in volunteering (e.g. at soup kitchen) or planning religious events, others organize dances and fundraisers. One such group is the school's Saint Thomas Aquinas chapter of the National Honor Society.

Other groups include yearbook, the school newspaper, the Cathedral Chronicle, photography, language clubs, choir/band, lighting and sound, Red Cross, Amnesty International, pro-life clubs, adventure club, drama, and Model Senate.