Cardinal Gibbons High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

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Cardinal Gibbons High School
Motto	"Excelsior" (Latin: Ever Onward)
Established	1961
Type	Private
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
Principal	Paul D. Ott
Dean	Dean Mahon
Faculty	106
Students	1,450
Grades	9-12
Location	Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
District	Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami
Accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Colors	Red and White
Mascot	Chiefs
Yearbook	Excelsior
Newspaper	Insight
Campus	Urban, 26 acres
National ranking	U.S. Department of Education’s Excellence in Education Award
Website	www.cghsfl.org

Cardinal Gibbons High School, commonly known as Gibbons or CGHS, is a highly-reputed, well-known private, Roman Catholic high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. CGHS was established in 1961 and was named after James Cardinal Gibbons, the first Cardinal in the United States. CGHS is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as well as the recipient of the U.S. Department of Education’s Excellence in Education Award. CGHS has over 1,450 students from ninth to twelfth grade on its 26-acre campus in the residential area of Coral Ridge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. ^[1]

1 History
2 CGHS Today
3 Academic and Athletic Merits
4 Notable Alumni
5 External links
6 Notes and references

[edit] History

Cardinal Gibbons was established in September 1961, by Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll, who appointed Reverend Thomas A. Dennehy the first Supervising Principal, Sister Marie Schramko, principal of the Girls' Division and Reverend Henry Mirowski, principal of the Boys' Division. CGHS opened its doors to 176 freshmen and sophomores on a sand-strewn campus with two buildings. Expansion was the key word. In the following years, the addition of the eleventh and twelfth grades, an enlarged faculty, a field house, science wing, cafeteria, gym, and new classrooms led to the current ten buildings, parking lots, and an improved campus.

In 1972, the school became co-educational. On June 17th, 1973, Reverend Joseph Huck was appointed to succeed Reverend Thomas A. Dennehy as Supervising Principal. Since September of 1974, Reverend Joseph J. Kershner had been Supervising Principal. On Father Kershner’s retirement, December 2, 2002, Mr. Paul D. Ott was appointed Interim Principal. His appointment as principal became effective July 1, 2003.

[edit] CGHS Today

Today, CGHS has over 1,450 students and is highly-reputed for its academics in both Florida and the United States. Both students and parents repeatedly cite the school's "family-oriented" climate, rewards and incentives for students, and good teacher input as primary reasons for choosing the school.

In a campus-style setting are ten separate buildings, a gym that seats 1,337, American football and baseball fields, a quarter-mile track, and six tennis courts. There are 48 classrooms equipped with networked computers, a media center, computer lab, eight science labs, a music room, art and ceramic room and a chapel that seats 300. Currently, construction is being done on C-Wing, to add a second floor to the science laboratories as well as a second floor hallway connecting all academic buildings.

[edit] Academic and Athletic Merits

Cardinal Gibbons has been recognized in both Broward County and by the federal government for its academic and athletic achievements. In 1987, CGHS was the recipient of the U.S. Department of Education's Excellence in Education Award. Only 271 schools throughout the United States and its territories received this award. What made the honor special this year was that this was the first year that all schools were judged together. Prior to this, public and private schools were given awards separately.

Cardinal Gibbons fields 34 athletic teams and has won state titles in Girls' Volleyball, Boys' and Girls' Tennis, Baseball, Wrestling and Cheerleading. There have been individual State champions in cross-country, golf, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, wrestling, and pole vaulting.