La Salle College High School

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La Salle College High School
Mottos: Virtus et Scientia (Character and Knowledge); Boys will be Boys, but La Salle Boys will be gentlemen.
Location
8605 Cheltenham Avenue, Wyndmoor
Springfield Twp
Montgomery Co,
PA, 19038
Information
President Brother Richard Kestler, FSC '60
Principal Joseph Marchese
Staff 135
Enrollment

1050
Type Private
Athletics conference Philadelphia Catholic League
Mascot Explorer
Color(s) Blue and Gold
Established 1858
Library

Tuition

 12,000 items

$14,600 (2008-09)
Homepage www.lschs.org

La Salle College High School founded in 1858 is an independent, Catholic, college preparatory school for boys located in Wyndmoor, a community in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, outside Philadelphia. The school is staffed by a lay faculty and the Christian Brothers. Its sports teams compete in the Philadelphia Catholic League, and are constantly are a force to be reckoned with.

Contents

[edit] Mission statement

La Salle College High School, a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young men of varied backgrounds, is conducted in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle. Through a broad and balanced, human and Christian education, La Salle College High School guides each student in the development of his unique God-given talents and fosters a commitment to academic excellence, service, and leadership.

[edit] History

La Salle College High School is a 145-year-old Roman Catholic college preparatory school enlivened by the 323-year tradition of Lasallian education developed by St. John Baptist De La Salle, founder of the Christian Brothers. De La Salle Christian Brothers have run La Salle since its birth.

La Salle has long had an important role in the life of Philadelphia and its metropolitan area, producing leaders in the Church, the community and the Nation. La Salle alumni have included such varied figures as a Secretary of the Navy, the cofounder of Cisco Systems, the Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, two members of the NBA Hall of Fame, a Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Commander of the United States Atlantic Surface Fleet, the CEOs or COOs of the American Red Cross, Verizon Communications, Rayovac, Air Products and Chemicals, and Dr. Pepper Company, the Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Force, the United States’ Chief Technical Negotiator of the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty, and countless priests and Brothers throughout the United States.

La Salle began at the St. Michael’s School at Second and Jefferson Streets in Philadelphia. The Christian Brothers opened a school there and taught their first classes on July 20, 1858. Initially known as the “ Select School,” it eventually took the name “ Christian Brothers Academy.” In 1863, the Academy became the college preparatory division of what was then La Salle College.

In 1867, La Salle moved to Juniper and Filbert Streets. Within a few years, greater space needs compelled a move to broader, greener space.

In 1882, the Brothers acquired the mansion of Michael Bouvier -- a prominent Philadelphia banker -- located on Broad Street near Girard Avenue.

La Salle’s odyssey continued in the twentieth century. As the city grew up around the school and space needs expanded, a decision was made to move to a new location inwhat was then unspoiled “country.” In 1929, La Salle opened a new campus in Belfield in the Wister Woods section of Philadelphia.

For its entire life up to 1960, La Salle College and La Salle High School shared the same campus. At the dawn of the 1960’s, the high school separated from the college and moved to its present campus on Cheltenham Avenue in Springfield Township, Montgomery County. The present school was built on the former Belcroft estate of Clarence E. Brown. With the move, La Salle had close proximity to the city and even more space to grow and develop.

In 1982, the geographic separation between the college and the high school became formal, as the two entities legally separated and the high school formed its own Board of Trustees with responsibility for the school’s direction.

In 1992, the school began construction on a new five-story addition to its academic wing. That wing added a new library information center (the McShain Library), a computer center, a media broadcast center, a faculty work center and lounge, instructional classrooms, a lecture hall and an art studio. Hearkening to La Salle’s earliest days, the twenty-first century edifice was christened “St. Michael Hall” in remembrance of the school’s roots at the St. Michael School. St. Michael Hall represented an actualization of the independent La Salle College High School, as it was the fruits of the eight million dollar “Legacy Campaign” -- La Salle’s first-ever capital campaign -- financed through contributions of La Salle alumni, friends, families and philanthropic and business sources.

Following up on the Legacy Campaign and the visible manifestation of its success in St. Michael Hall, La Salle initiated the “Forever La Salle Campaign” in 1998. That ten million dollar campaign, completed in 2002, focused on increasing the endowment of the school for financial aid, an expanded athletic and music facility and substantial additional support for the La Salle Annual Fund.

[edit] School administration

A new administration began in July of 2005. The current President, Brother Richard Kestler, FSC, replaced Bro. Rene Sterner who had served as President for fourteen years and took a six month sabbatical in England to further his personal studies. The new Principal, Mr. Joseph Marchese, replaced Mr. Fred Assaf who became the Headmaster at Pace Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Bro. Richard Kestler is an alumnus of La Salle College High School (class of 1960) and has served at the school on three previous occasions. The new President and Principal together have over fifty years of administrative experience.

[edit] Curriculum

La Salle College High School offers sixteen Advanced Placement courses each year. 87% of La Salle AP students qualify for college credit. In 2003, forty-two students achieved AP Scholar status, twelve 'With Distinction,' and eleven 'With Honor.'

[edit] Technology

La Salle College High School is a certified Microsoft IT Academy. The school offers wireless network access through 802.11 b/g, so students can access the Internet on the many computers throughout the school or on their own laptops. All of the faculty and staff are supplied with laptops so they can take advantage of the same wireless network.

The school has a computer for every four students. [1]

La Salle is the only school to be twice featured for leadership in technology in The Philadelphia Inquirer (Spring 2003 and Winter 2000), most recently for integration of SMARTBoards with wireless networks. Former principal Fred Assaf was invited to write an article about La Salle's use of laptops, "They Find the Solution Right in Their Lap," which appeared in the September/October 2001 issue of Momentum, the journal of the National Catholic Educational Association.

La Salle is one of the few schools in the nation to let the students be the IT department. The Team is called the Lab Managers and it is a group of students that help the teachers, or classmates. The program is directed by Mr. Peter Sigmund, MCSE. The program also contains students who are Microsoft Certified Professionals. The current roster for 2008-2009 is located: http://www.lschs.org/page.cfm?p=866

[edit] Recent athletic accomplishments

 This section does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008)
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.
(Does not include accomplishments in 2004–5)

Over the past eleven years La Salle has won sixty-two League Championships (fifty-four Catholic League and eight interscholastic Hockey League). Thirteen separate sports earned championships over the past eight years: cross country, soccer, football, ice hockey, wrestling, indoor track, swimming, lacrosse, baseball, crew, golf, tennis, and outdoor track and field.[citations needed]

The Philadelphia Catholic League has recognized 114 La Salle athletes for outstanding performances; fifty-seven earned First Team All-Catholic honors, while thirty-one were listed as second team selections. Twenty-six were awarded honorable mention status.

In addition, La Salle swept the Fall season of the Catholic League, taking the championships in soccer, football, and cross country.

  • Football: Philadelphia Catholic League Champions in 1995, 1996, 1998, and 2006; Catholic League finals in 1999 and 2006, playoffs each year. In 2006, ranked as the #1 team in the Philadelphia area and also 9th in the state.
  • Cross Country: Philadelphia Catholic League Champions 2003-2007; Pennsylvania State Prep School Champions 2001-2005; ranked in the Top 10 in the Northeast US 2003-2007, with the highest ranking being 5th (2003).
  • Ice hockey: first School to have two varsity teams win league championships.
    • Varsity 1
      • Flyers Cup Championship Final: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
      • Flyers Cup Champions in 1996, 1998, 2008
      • PA State Champions in 1998, 2008
      • League Champions in 1999 and 2002
    • Varsity 2
      • Flyers Cup Champions in 1999
      • League Champions 1999 and 2001
  • Swimming: 2004 Eastern Prep School Champs, National Catholic Prep School Champs (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2004); twenty consecutive Philadelphia Catholic League Titles(up to 2007-2008)
  • Lacrosse: PA State Champions (2004, 2008), Eastern PA Champs 2004, PCL Championship 2004, League Champions in 12 of the past 14 years. PCL Championship (2006, 2008).
  • Tennis: PCL Titles in 2003 and 2004. League champions in nine of the past twelve years.
  • Golf: eight consecutive PCL Championships (1996–2003); second place in 2004, 1st in 2005, and 2007.
  • Track and field: indoor Track Titles in 1994, 1998 and 1999; outdoor Track Titles in 1998; second place in 1999 and 2006
  • Crew: League Champions in three of past ten years; City Champions in 1998; Varsity 4+ Philadelphia Catholic League Champions and Philadelphia City Champions in 2004.
  • Basketball: Catholic League Semifinalists (2000); Northern Division Champions in three of the last nine years.
  • Baseball: Northern Division Champions (2002 & 2003), Championship Finals (2002 & 2003), Championship (1994 & 2005).
  • Soccer: PCL Championship in 2000; three Championships in the last decade. League Championship Finals in 2003 and ranked first at times in the 2003 season. PCL Championship in 2005. PCL Champions in 2006
  • Wrestling: regular Season Champions in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Team title at league individual championship in 2003. The team also won the PCL title in 2007 over North Catholic.

[edit] Alma Mater

Hail La Salle we praise thee

Honor and tribute true

Great and bright your splendor

Banner of gold and blue

Loyal Sons we'll ever be

High we'll hold your memory

Hail La Salle our Alma Mater

Hail all Hail!

[edit] Notable alumni

Source: [2]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Alumni Hall of Fame

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ La Salle College High School: Technology
  2. ^ La Salle College High School: Notable Alumni
Name Year Comments
J. Burrwood Daly 1890 US Congressman from Pennsylvania
Howard R. Leary 1935 Commissioner (1963–70), Philadelphia Police Department
Hon. August B. Cifelli 1943 justice, Supreme Court of Michigan
Paul Arizin 1946 member, Basketball Hall of Fame
Francis J. Ryan 1949 retired president and Chief Operating Officer, Air Products & Chemicals
Maj. Gen. William F. Burns 1950 Commanding Officer (Retired), U.S. Army
William de Pasquale 1951 concertmaster, Philadelphia Orchestra
Tom Gola 1951 Member, Basketball Hall of Fame
Thomas J. Lynch 1958 past president, Union League of Philadelphia
John E. Glaser 1958 president, Stutz Candy Co., Inc.
Thomas F. Pyle, Jr. 1958 retired president and Chief Operating Officer, Rayovac Corporation
Michael McCafferty 1960 founder Landmark National Bank
John F. Lehman, Jr., Ph.D. 1960 Secretary of the Navy (1981–87) and Member of the 9/11 Commission
Charles E. Dunleavy, Jr. 1961 president, GMAC Commercial Holding Corporation
Daniel J. Whelan 1963 retired president and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Communications Inc.
Chris Matthews 1963 television commentator on Hardball, syndicated columnist — San Francisco Examiner
Jim Matthews NA Candidate for PA Lt. Governor
John M. Kilduff 1964 retired president and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Pepper Company
Leo G. Frangipane, MD 1965 best-selling author, More True Blue Tales
Rear Adm. John B. Foley III 1965 Commanding Officer (Retired), U.S. Navy
Brother Michael J. McGinniss, F.S.C., Ph.D. 1965 president La Salle University
Charles A. Genuardi 1966 president, Genuardi Super Markets, Inc.
Karl M. Kyriss 1968 president and Chief Operating Officer, AQUA PA
Leonard Bosack 1969 founder, Cisco Systems
Brig. Gen. Joseph J. McMenamin 1970 Assistant Division Commander, 2nd Marine Division
Walter L. Updegrave 1970 senior editor Money Magazine; best-selling author, Investing for the Financially Challenged
Mark Juliano 1972 Chief Operating Officer, Trump Entertainment Resorts
A. Frank Donaghue 1972 former Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross
Steve Javie 1972 NBA referee
Michael T. Kennedy 1972 president and Chief Executive Officer; Radnor Holdings Corporation
Hon. George T. Kenney, Jr. 1975 Pennsylvania State Representative, R – Philadelphia County
Hugh Panaro 1982 leading Broadway actor: Les Misérables
Hon. Michael J. Stack, III 1982 Pennsylvania State Senator, D – Philadelphia County
Inspector Carl W. Holmes, Jr. 1983 Commanding Officer, Philadelphia Police Academy
1st. Lt. Travis J. Manion 1999 1st Lieutenant Officer in U.S. Marine Corps, Killed in Iraq, April 2007 while abating insurgent ambush.