Christian Brothers Academy (Albany, New York)
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| Christian Brothers Academy | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Albany, New York | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Principal | David McGuire |
| Enrollment |
512 [1] |
| Faculty | 47 |
| Student:teacher ratio | 11:1 |
| Type | Private, All boys |
| Athletics | 13 interscholastic sports teams |
| Color(s) | Purple and Gold |
| Established | 1859 |
| Homepage | www.cbaalbany.org |
Christian Brothers Academy is Catholic college preparatory junior and senior high school for boys founded in 1859 by the De La Salle Christian Brothers (see Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools). Located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, the school is located in the town of Colonie near the Albany International Airport on a 126-acre campus built in 1998. The most prominent fields of competition are the schools' football, basketball, hockey, and drill team programs.
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[edit] History
In 1854, the Christian Brothers were invited to Albany by Bishop McCloskey, to open an orphan asylum for boys. To help support the asylum, the Brothers began a pay school in 1859 in which eighty boys enrolled. Stagecoaches carried the boys from downtown to the school’s rural location. After a few years, a separate building on Madison Avenue was secured. In 1869, the school was chartered by the University of the State of New York and a brass band was incorporated at the school. Over the next twenty years, the school outgrew its facilities several times. Each time, it relocated to a larger site. In 1882, the school moved to Lydius Street and in 1886, the Brothers purchased the former Normal College at 43 Lodge Street from the State Education Department. Classes were conducted in this building for the next fifty-one years.
In 1892 military training was introduced and the Civil War Zouave uniform was adopted for the cadets. Enrollment at Lodge Street followed a pattern of ups and downs. Since the lack of a suitable campus did not help attract students, the building itself became a liability.
In 1935, the Brothers realized that the dilapidated structure, nearly a century old, could no longer support the school's necessary new programs. They began a movement to secure property and funds to erect a new, modern building. Through the interest of influential friends and alumni, city and county officials in 1937 made available to the Brothers a plot of land. Popular response to the fund drive was immediate and generous. Bishop Gibbons and Mayor John Boyd Thatcher II urged all citizens of Albany to contribute. In 1937, accreditation as a military academy was granted by the United States government.
The De La Salle campus, featuring the Georgian Colonial school building, was opened in September, 1939 in time for the school's eightieth year. The gymnasium building was added in 1942, and the Brothers' Residence in 1951. The old "alm's house" building on the new University Heights campus, popularly called "the Armory", initially housed the Rifle Range in its basement and the upper floors served as an arms room and military classroom. In later years, a Biology laboratory was added to the lower floor. One unique feature of the lab was the inclusion of live animals, which were cared for by the students. Also in this building was “the cage”, which served as the locker room for the football and track programs.
Eventually, the De La Salle site was in need of updating and refurbishing. The University Heights Consortium made an attractive offer for the property and plans were made to move the school to the Town of Colonie. The new campus on Airline Drive incorporated current technological advancements into its design and structure. Four science labs, a technology center, as-well-as a Lecture Hall equipped with all the latest media tools, became available to faculty and students. CBA currently offers a college preparatory program for young men in grades 6 through 12 and slightly less than one-half of the boys come from the city of Albany.
[edit] Academics and Athletics
In the junior high school, students complete a curriculum centered on the core courses in English, social studies, math and science, as well as religion, foreign language, computer technology and physical education. The focus of the program is to provide students with the skills and inspiration necessary to pursue the college preparatory program of the high school.
The first assumption of the guidance department at is that individuals need help in getting timely information about personal characteristics, educational/occupational opportunities and adjusting to social requirements. This also assumes that the individual has an inner urge to better himself. The individual should progress in self-understanding and self-direction, becoming less dependent on professional aid.
In both the high school and junior high school, there is an honors course of study available to qualified students. In the junior high, honors students in the eighth grade will be permitted to study math and earth science, which are course offerings at the ninth grade level. The high school program allows students to take honors level courses in all of the core disciplines (math, science, social studies, English and foreign language) through a combination of Advanced Placement(AP) offerings and regularly scheduled courses.
The College Board offers the AP program to high schools as an opportunity for students to pursue advanced credit in specific disciplines. The school normally offers AP courses in United States History, European History, English, Biology, and Calculus. Students who wish to enroll in AP courses must meet all prerequisites for the Honors Program. Additionally, students enrolled in an AP course are required to sit for the AP exams scheduled in May, and to pay all necessary fees for the course.
The school believes that participation in athletics, both as a player and as a spectator, is an important part of the student's educational experience. Athletics teaches students the ability to think and function as a member of a team, in addition to sportsmanship, competition, the benefits of fitness, self-discipline, emotional maturity and a respect for others. Through athletics, the student will develop physically, emotionally and mentally. Students will be motivated to win, but the principles of good sportsmanship will always prevail and enhance the educational value of the endeavor. The school participates in the Big Ten Athletic Conference under the guidelines of Section II and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association. The sports teams are classified by Section II as an "Class AA" school.
The school is recognized in much of New York state for their excellent basketball team, as they have recently won the Section II, Class AA title in 2004, 2005, and 2006, while finishing as runners-up for the title in 2003 and 2007
Besides its recognition for a fine band and good athletics program, the school is accredited with having an exemplary drill team. The Wansboro Rifles, named after the first alumnus to die in battle, is a drill team enrolled in the New England league. However, recently the drill team to fall in prominence and leave competition.
[edit] Accreditation
The school is accredited by the New York State Board of Regents,National Gay Rights Commitee, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the high school JROTC program, and as an "Honor Unit With Distinction" by the United States Department of the Army.
