Archbishop Wood Catholic High School

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Archbishop Wood High School
Seal of Archbishop Wood
Coronam, Fidelitas, Merebit
Location
655 York Road, Warminster, Pennsylvania, 18974
Information
President Dr. Frederick Ciao (2004-)
Principal Mrs. Mary M. Harkins (2005-)
Staff 85
Enrollment

1100+
Faculty 56
Type Private
Established 1964
Information 215.672.5050
Mascot The Viking
Homepage http://www.archwood.org/

Archbishop Wood Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Warminster, Pennsylvania. It is operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The school was built in 1964 in Warminster Township in Bucks County. The school is named after James Frederick Wood, a nineteenth century Philadelphia archbishop.

Contents

[edit] School Seal and Motto

The school seal is in the shape of a shield bearing a cross with green ivy and a gold crown superimposed. The symbolism of the seal and free translation of the motto:

Fidelity (the ivy) to Christian principles (the cross) will merit for students and the graduate the crown of everlasting life. Emblazoned below the shield is the school motto: "Coronam Fidelitas Merebit", meaning "Faithfulness Merits The Crown".

[edit] History

View of Archbishop Wood.
View of Archbishop Wood.

Archbishop Wood was founded and built in 1964 in Warminster Township, Pennsylvania as two separate but essentially identical buildings. The school was originally divided into Archbishop Wood High School For Boys and Archbishop Wood High School For Girls.

Though the original blueprints for the school included an auditorium to be built in the space between the separate buildings, budgetary constraints forced plans for the auditorium to be scrapped. By 1987, funding for the auditorium had been secured thanks to donations by the Archbishop Wood Alumni Association. The Sofia Friedman Auditorium was completed by 1989, coinciding with the joining of the two schools into Archbishop Wood Catholic High School, wherein the school became co-educational and the two buildings were united by means of the auditorium.

[edit] Academics

Archbishop Wood Catholic High School is well known throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for its excellence in academics. The school currently offers eleven Advanced Placement classes, and over 98% of students take the SATs each year. 75% of the graduating class attend a four-year college, while 19% attend a two-year college. Graduates frequently gain acceptance into some of the most prestigious schools nationwide, including Ivy League and Patriot League schools as well as service academies, and are awarded over $10 million in scholarships yearly.

Alma mater sheet music.
Alma mater sheet music.

[edit] Alma Mater

We salute you Alma Mater
Hail with pride our honored seal
And beneath our glowing colors
Pledge to you our faith and zeal.

With our banner's cross to guide us
Bringing wisdon to the world
Ever by our faithful striving
Will our colors stand unfurled...

Hail the Black, Green, and Gold
Of Archbishop Wood
May we bring to your banner renown
For in youth's loyal might
Serving God and the Right
Is Alma Mater's radiant crown,
Is Alma Mater's radiant crown.

[edit] Student Life

Archbishop Wood's mascot is the Viking. Students participate in a variety of co- and extracurricular activities from athletics to academic programs to student-run activities.

[edit] The Viking Voice (Newspaper)

The Viking Voice is Archbishop Wood's student newspaper. When the school was founded in 1965, the student newspaper was split into two divisions, one for the boys' school and another for the girls'. The newspaper was called "Crossroads" and "Wood Winds", respectively. When the two buildings were united and Archbishop Wood made co-educational in 1989, the newspaper was rechristened "The Viking Voice".

Individuals within the school have maintained an extensive physical archive of the newspapers dating back to 1967. In 2006, various alumni began a project to digitize the archives to preserve them for posterity. The digital archives can be accessed here. Though efforts have been made to enhance the standing of the newspaper, there has historically been little financial or institutional support for an expanded, comprehensive student-run newspaper infrastructure.

[edit] The Viking (Yearbook)

Prior to the school becoming co-educational, the boys' school yearbook was titled "Woodsman", and the girls' yearbook was titled "Embers."

[edit] Performing Arts Department

Archbishop Wood's performing arts department is widely recognized for its professionalism and talent. Two theatre productions are presented each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Performances consistently sell out in advance, performing for over 3,000 audience members as well as over 2,000 elementary school students in the week leading up to the performance weekend.

The Marching Unit, under the direction of Mr. Gary Zimmaro, competes at the highest level of its class, having recently won the 2007 Cavalcade of Bands Liberty A Class Championship in Hershey, PA. Recent awards also include a USSBA All-State Championship in 2001 and USSBA PA State Championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005. The Indoor Percussion Ensemble and Color Guard have shared in the Marching Unit's success, winning several TIA championships over the past five years.

[edit] Past Shows

Year Marching Unit Show (placement) Indoor Percussion Unit Show Fall Theatre Show Spring Theatre Show
1998-1999 Legacy / Harlem Nocturne / Land of Make Believe (3rd, Cavalcade) N/A N/A 42nd Street
1999-2000 Sing A New Song / Be Ye Glad / Make His Glorious Praise Known (3rd, Cavalcade) Latin Grooves Beauty and the Beast Grease
2000-2001 The Shape of Things to Come (David Arkenstone) (2nd, USSBA 2A) Survivor Scrooge Guys and Dolls
2001-2002 The Music of Riverdance (1st, USSBA 2A) The Music of Riverdance Peter Pan Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
2002-2003 The Music of Aaron Copland (13th, USSBA 2 Open) Appalachian Spring (1st, TIA Novice) Annie My Fair Lady
2003-2004 The Music of Karl Jenkins (3rd, USSBA 2 Open) The Music of Karl Jenkins Oliver The Music Man
2004-2005 Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba (4th, USSBA 2A) The Music of Buddy Rich Honk! Footloose
2005-2006 The Machine (6th, USSBA 2A) Shapes and Colors in Three Movements (Key Poulan) Aladdin The Wizard of Oz
2006-2007 The Music of Michael McDonald (2nd, Cavalcade) Sticks on Styx Beauty and the Beast High School Musical
2007-2008 Cirque du Soleil: Quidam (1st, Cavalcade (Liberty A)) Cirque du Soleil: Quidam (1st, TIA Open Concert) A Christmas Carol Seussical the Musical

[edit] Student Council

The Student Council consists of a president, three vice presidents, two executive board members from each graduating class, and a representative from each homeroom.

[edit] Graduating Class Accomplishments

[edit] Class of 2005

The class of 2005 was notable for, among other accomplishments, successfully defending the Boys Football Philadelphia Catholic League Championship Blue Division by beating West Philadelphia Catholic High School for the second year in a row. The football team would go on to dominate the PCL small enrollment division again in the 2005-2006 school year, winning the PCL blue title for the third straight year.

Boys Soccer beat St. Joseph's Preparatory school in November 2004 to win its first PCL title under Head Coach Joseph Krantz.

The Viking Voice Newspaper achieved previously unseen heights, as over thirty student writers became involved. In all, five editions were released in the 2004-2005 school year totaling 64 pages (a figure more than double that of the previous three years combined) of news content in issues larger than previously produced at the school.

[edit] Athletics

Archbishop Wood has a proud athletic tradition with numerous Philadelphia Catholic League Champions.

The Championship teams are:

  • Boys Soccer: 2004
  • Football: 1974, 1978, 2003b, 2004b, 2005b (b - Blue Division Champions. Small Enrollment)
  • Baseball: 1990, 1993
  • Boys Cross Country (Under the Direction of John Paul Sharp, 1974-2002, d. Oct. 22, 2003)
    • 1969 (Varsity: Steve Landis, John Gall)
    • 1979 (Varsity: Martin Loscalzo, Leo Resinksi, Tom Tolarski, Kevin Chern, Ed Boscola)
    • 1983 (Varsity: Bob Winkler, Tom Brewer, John Meighan, Bob Devlin, Mike Leib, Mike Haney, Kevin Thompson, Joe Rueger)
    • 1984 (Varsity: Bob Winkler, Mike Ewing, Mike Leib, Mike Haney, Greg Penko, Joe Rueger)
    • 1986 (Varsity: Mike Ewing, Brian Moroney, Curt Burkholder, Dave Penko, Brett Amberson, Gordon Hornig, Andy Waldron, Dennis Daniluk)
    • 1987 (Varsity: Mike Ewing, Brian Moroney, Brett Amberson, Curt Burkholder, Michael Vivian)
    • 1988 (Varsity: Brett Amberson, Chris Wiegand, David Crowley, Michael Vivian, Rob Templeton)
    • 1990 (Varsity: Brian McCafferty, Jason Switzer, Doug Menzak, Keith Clements, Dennis Monahan, Mike Coyne, Joe Bryson, Jim McShane)
    • 1991 (Varsity: Brian McCafferty, Jason Switzer, Keith Clements, Dennis Monahan, Mike Coyne, Jim McShane, Chris Kennedy, Brian Rodowicz)
    • 1995 (Varsity: Geoff Angelone, David Polis, Chris Haas, Nick Pagano, Brian McVan, Tom Waldron, Mike Kochanski, Dan Pavlik)
  • Ice Hockey: 2002
  • Girls Swimming: 2008

[edit] Faculty

[edit] William Masterson Retires

With the conclusion of the first semester of the 2005-2006 school year, William Masterson officially retired, moving with his wife to the Delaware beach. Masterson was the last remaining faculty member who had taught at Archbishop Wood since it opened in 1964, making him one of the longest serving teachers in the Philadelphia archdiocese. In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Masterson served as the school's Alumni Director.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] See also

[edit] External links