Holy Name High School (Reading, PA)
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| Holy Name High School | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| 955 East Wyomissing Boulevard Reading, PA 19611 |
|
| Information | |
| Affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| President | Rev. John Frink |
| Principal | Mr. Keith Laser |
| Enrollment |
approx. 500 |
| Motto | In Hoc Vinces |
| Established | 1964 |
| Information | (610) 374-8361 |
| Colors Mascot Athletic League(s) |
Navy Blue and White Blue Jay BCIAA, Berks I-C 2 (Football) |
| Homepage | http://www.gohnhs.org/ |
Founded in 1964, Holy Name High School is a four-year comprehensive coeducational Roman Catholic preparatory/secondary school located in Reading, Pennsylvania. It is approved and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the Diocese of Allentown. The school's athletic rivals include Wyomissing Area High School and Reading Central Catholic High School.
Contents |
[edit] History
Holy Name High School traces its inception to St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church located in Reading. Founded in 1752, St. Peter’s established its parish elementary school with the approval of Bishop Neumann in 1859. By 1911, the parish high school was established, with the first graduating class receiving their diplomas in 1914.
With the formation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown in 1961, Bishop Joseph McShea realized the demand for additional high school facilities in Berks County, as well as other parts of the Diocese. Subsequently, he inaugurated a massive building campaign which culminated in the construction of three new high schools: Bethlehem Catholic in Bethlehem, Marian High in Tamaqua, and Holy Name in Reading
The land on which Holy Name is situated is located in the 18th Ward of the City of Reading. Purchased from the Textile Machine Works, the original tract of land comprised 35.6 acres in all. It was bounded on the north by Joan Terrace, on the east by the Swartz Tract, on the south by East Wyomissing Boulevard and on the west by Parkside Drive South.
On Sunday, August 30, 1964, Holy Name High School was dedicated by His Excellency The Most Reverend Egidio Vagnozzi, D.D., Apostolic Delegate to the United States. The name of the school was chosen as a tribute to the Holy Name Societies of men in the Allentown Diocese, who, acting on behalf of the Bishop, campaigned for the funds with which to build the high school.
When Holy Name opened its doors in September of 1964 (St. Peter’s High School closed its doors permanently in June of 1964), the faculty included three Diocesan Priests, one Benedictine Priest, six Immaculate Heart Sisters, three Sisters of St. Francis, three Bernardine Sisters and seven Lay Teachers. The Reverend (now Monsignor) Richard J. Loeper, a native of Reading, was appointed the first Principal of Holy Name. The student body numbered 566, Grades 9 through 12. The first graduating class numbered 64.
In June of 1979, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales were invited by Bishop McShea to become part of the administration and staff of Holy Name High School, replacing the Diocesan priests currently on the staff.
In 1986, with the financial assistance of the Diocese of Allentown, through the Forward With Christ Program, an addition was constructed adjacent to the gymnasium. Included in this addition are a ticket booth for athletic and social events, a weight room and two storage rooms.
In 1987, a Multi-Media Communications Center, dedicated to Bishop Joseph McShea, the founding Bishop of the Allentown Diocese, was constructed on the second floor. Included in this center are facilities for video-taping programs, a closed circuit television station which is used for daily announcements and a variety of programs, including Channel One.
In March of 1995, it was announced that the Oblates would be leaving Holy Name High School and that Sister Joseph Eleanor Murphy, IHM, would be the new Principal.
As the result of a major capital campaign, a renovation and construction project was undertaken in the spring of 1997, which would be completed in several different phases over the next few years. The project resulted in a complete state-of-art computer wing, an enlarged library equipped with computers, a new administrative wing, a new auditorium with seating for approximately 800 guests, a weight room, a new television studio, a new athletic complex consisting of tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, field hockey field, a football field which also serves as a soccer field, and an all-weather track. In addition, the parking facilities doubled in size.
During the summer of 2003, Holy Name decided to adopt the President/Principal model of school administration. The Reverend Robert T. Finlan was named the school's first president and Mr. Keith Laser was appointed principal. In June of 2007, the Reverend John Frink became Holy Name's second president.
The school now has state of the art facilities. Four computer laboratories, SMART technology available in every classroom, a fiber optic cable connection to the Internet, four complete laboratories each with 30 computers, wireless Internet connection, and a wide variety of cutting-edge software applications are available all as tools for faculty and students.
[edit] Academics
Holy Name offers a core curriculum around English, Mathematics, Foreign Languages, Sciences, Social Studies, and Theology. In addition to the core requirements, Freshmen are required to take courses in Art Appreciation, Music Appreciation, and Physical Education. In addition to the core requirements, Sophomores are required to take a course in Health. Once the student attains Junior status, he or she may elect to take a Strength and Conditioning course in place of Physical Education, as well as courses in Computer Sciences and Business.
Advanced Placement courses are also available once the student is at least a Junior. Courses in English, Calculus, Statistics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Western European History are offered.
One of the most exciting academic programs offered is a partnership with Alvernia College, in which Holy Name offers Dual Credit classes that are approved by the appropriate academic department at Alvernia as being comparable to the same class offered on their campus. The credits are offered for a nominal fee. The Dual Credit program differs from Advanced Placement classes in that the students do not take qualifying exams to receive the credits. Graduates have been able to forgo as many as five college courses, allowing them to save on their college tuition.
Holy Name regularly graduates over 90% of its students to institutions of higher education. Recent graduates have been continuing their education at colleges and universities such as College of William and Mary, The University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, George Washington University, New York University, Notre Dame, Princeton University, Stanford University, Boston College, Drexel University, and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
[edit] Athletics
The Blue Jays field teams in the Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association, with the exception of the football team, and compete in the following sports:
- Football (competes in the Berks I-C Section 2)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Volleyball
- Golf
- Boys' and Girls' Tennis
- Track and Field
- Boys' and Girls' Soccer
- Cheerleading
- Softball
- Field Hockey
There are also intramural and club sports available.
[edit] Extracurriculars
Holy Name offers a variety of extracurricular activities for its students.
- Theater
- Art Club
- Model United Nations
- National Honor Society
- School Newspaper
- Robotics Club
- Life Club
- Spanish Club
- Student Council
- TAP Peer Listening
- School Yearbook: Vexillum
- Band and Orchestra
- Ski Club
- Environmental Club
