| Christopher Columbus High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 3000 SW Galloway Road (87th Avenue) Westchester, Miami, Florida, (Miami-Dade), 33165-3293 United States of America |
|
| Information | |
| School type | Private |
| Motto | ¡Adelante! |
| Patron saint(s) | Marcellin Champagnat |
| Established | 1958 |
| President | Br. Kevin Handibode, fms |
| Principal | Br. Michael Brady, fms |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Gender | All Male |
| Enrollment | 1,350 (2010) |
| Campus size | 24-acre (97,000 m2) |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color(s) | Royal Blue & White |
| Athletics conference | 6A |
| Mascot | Explorer |
| Rival | Belen Jesuit Preparatory School |
| Accreditation(s) | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Newspaper | 'The Log' |
| Yearbook | Adelante |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Catholic Order | Society of Mary (Marists) |
| School Hours | 8:00 AM to 2:15 (upper class men) PM 2:20 (lower class men) PM |
| Sister School | Our Lady of Lourdes Academy |
| Alias | C.C.H.S. |
| Website | www.columbushs.com |
Christopher Columbus High School is a Catholic, college preparatory, all-male high school set on a 24-acre (97,000 m2) campus in the Westchester neighborhood in Miami, Florida. It was established in 1958 by the Marist Brothers who also form part of school administration and faculty.[1] With just over 100 teachers and 1,350 students, the student teacher ratio is 14:1. Offering the full range of academics, sports and clubs, it was selected, for the fourth time in a row, as one of the "Top 50 Catholic High Schools" in the United States by the Catholic High School Honor Roll of 2008. The school is one of only two private schools in Florida that compete in sports at the 6A level; it has won five state championships in various sports and two all-sport title for boys' sports in its classification. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, and is funded through tuition. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. Columbus' sister school is Our Lady of Lourdes Academy.
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Christopher Columbus High School has come along way since ground was broken in 1958, in an area that was then surrounded by Everglades swamp land. The school was established by the Diocese of Miami at the request of Archbishop Coleman Carroll to continue the secondary education program at St. Theresa School in Coral Gables.
The school opened with just two and a half buildings and an enrollment of approximately 150 students. The Marist Brothers assumed the direction of the school in 1959. Columbus began to make a name for itself as a school that offered an exceptional academic program, along with excellent extracurricular and athletic programs. Throughout the years the school expanded, adding new buildings, facilities and programs. Presently the Columbus campus extends over 24 acres. In addition to the four major academic buildings, there is the Abraham Science Building, the Lawrence-Bell Media Center, the Howard Korth Music and Athletic Center and the Mas Technology Complex. Athletic facilities include varsity athletic fields, a baseball complex, outdoor basketball courts, tennis courts, a gymnasium, track, and weight room.
Today, Columbus has an enrollment of approximately 1,350 students and over 10,000 alumni, many of which hold prominent positions all over the world.
As a Catholic institution, students are offered the opportunity to go to confession and attend Mass and various Catholic retreats. Catholic religious education is part of everyday curriculum yet students are also exposed to the various world religions in their regular history classes. St. Brendan's Catholic Church adjoins the school campus and is available for those students who need to spend some time with God either in private prayer or daily Mass as desired.
Christopher Columbus High School aims to make Jesus Christ known and loved, as we prepare young men for higher education and their continuous challenge of harmonizing faith, culture, and life.
Christopher Columbus High School is committed to a comprehensive educational program in academics, spirituality, and physical development which will lead our students to the experience of personal faith and of their vocation as good Christians and virtuous citizens.
As a Catholic institution, the school does not discriminate on the basis of race or religion in its admissions process. The school is funded by tuition with significant discounts offered for 2nd and 3rd children enrolled in the school. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
In order to graduate, students require twenty-four credits and a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. They must also complete seventy-five hours of community service by the end of their senior year. The academics at Columbus are based on a phasing system: Phase 2 classes are for the academically challenged who require more time to absorb a given subject, Phase 3 classes are for average students, Phase 4 refers to honors classes for the academically gifted, and Phase 5 refers to Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which have a college-level format and where academically motivated students have the opportunity to gain college credit should they earn the proper score on the AP exam. Depending on a given phase of a class, a student will earn a certain amount of points, which are then weighted and averaged to generate a student's GPA, the average GPA being a 3.2. In fact, Columbus has more students taking AP classes than any other Catholic school in Dade County and their passing averages on AP exams are five times higher than the state and national averages.
The school’s college preparatory curriculum features a variety of instructional strategies and enrichment programs to serve a diverse learning community and enable students to achieve their full potential. Our standards-aligned courses are offered in ability group- ings to accommodate students’ learning styles and abilities. Smaller class sizes, coupled with sound educational practices which are assistive and supportive by design, and vari- ous summer and after school enrichment opportunities provide optimal opportunities for all of our students to succeed. The Advanced Placement, dual-enrollment and honors level classes offer our proficient young men opportunities to excel at an accelerated pace and possibly earn sophomore standing at many colleges upon completion of their high school years.
Columbus High School’s Mas Family Scholars Program is considered to be one of the most challenging academic programs in South Florida. Designed for the gifted, highly motivated student, the program balances AP, dual-enrollment and honors courses with enrichment activities, summer classes, a guest lecture series, internships and independent study projects.*Mas Family Scholars Program = Designed for gifted, highly motivated students.
Dual-enrollment classes are offered through St Thomas University, Barry University and Florida International University . These classes enable the student to earn both high school and college credit for the course.
Begun in the 2005-2006 school year, the Mas Family Scholars Program is an accelerated program at Christopher Columbus High School. The program was started to provide select Columbus students with a challenging curriculum. In addition to having an advanced curriculum, the students in the program participate in extracurricular activities. Mas Scholars are encouraged to participate in sports and to encompass the ideal of the student athlete. Mas Scholars[2]
The Mas Family Scholars Program is an accelerated program of studies designed to enable highly motivated students to excel in academics. Students in the program participate in many enrichment opportunities and extracurricular activities. The program offers Columbus’ most challenging curriculum. In fact, the curriculum is considered to be one of the most challenging for high school boys in South Florida. Participants in the program are ensured to graduate with a minimum of 30 Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment college credits. The combination of the program’s curriculum and enrichment opportunities is designed to prepare students to be among the top candidates for admission into major colleges and universities.
The program is a continuing collaborative effort between Columbus and the Mas Family. Brothers Jorge, Juan, and Jose Mas, sons of the late Jorge Mas Canosa, are all proud Columbus graduates. The Brothers value the importance of a quality education and believe this program will give students an opportunity to compete at the highest levels in both college and life.
Program requirements :
Program benefits :
Christopher Columbus faculty consists of over 140 teachers, many of whom have taught at or been affiliated with this institution for many years. A vast technology system connects all the classrooms and provides teachers with the latest software and online grading system. Parent, student and teacher communication is facilitated by these online technologies. The racial/ethnic background of the students is 81% Hispanic, 15% White, 3% African-American, and 1% Asian/Pacific. The student-teacher ratio at Christopher Columbus High School is about 14:1. The 98 professional staff includes 13 reli- gious, 2 priests, and 83 laypersons; 2 librarians/media specialists and 9 counselors/ advisors; 45% hold an advanced degree; 60% have over 20 years of teaching experience, and half have been with the school well over 15 years.
Although the school is an all male institution, the social formation of the students includes girls from neighboring co-ed St. Brendan High School in after-school clubs. Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, the Catholic all-girls sister school to Columbus handles the cheerleading for the Columbus sports teams. Christopher Columbus High School also plays host to both Homecoming and Prom events each year for their students and their dates.
A wide variety of clubs are available for students. These include: Adelante (Yearbook), Chess Club, Close Up, Dominoes Club, Democratic Student Alliance, Drama Club, Fairchild Tropical Challenge, Film Club, French Club, French Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, Intramural Athletics, Key Club, Math Honor Society - Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society, Robotics Club, Salsa Club, Science Honors Society, Scuba Dive Club, Squires, Rho Kappa and History Club, Spanish Club, Spanish Honor Society, Speech and Debate, Squires Club, Student Activities Committee - S.A.C, Surf and Skate Club, The Log, Video Game Club, Retro Gamers Club, Weight Lifting, World Languages Club.
Columbus and its sister school, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, are the only private schools in Florida that compete at a 6A level.
Varsity level sports offered are: baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, hockey, soccer, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, swimming, diving, tennis, track and field, water polo and wrestling.
Junior varsity level sports include: baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, hockey, soccer, and lacrosse.
Freshman level sports offered are: baseball, basketball, football and volleyball.
In 2009, Christopher Columbus High School won the Dodge Sunshine Cup All-Sports Award for boys' athletics programs in Class 6A.[3] Columbus has produced five state champion and nine runner-up teams:
| Sport | Champion | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 2003[4] | 1973,[4] 2009[5] |
| Football | — | 1980, 1982[6] |
| Cross country | 1997, 2008,[7] 2009,[8] 2010 | 1962, 1997, 2005[7] |
| Tennis | 1987[9] | — |
| Track and field | — | 2009, 2010[10] |
2010 http://www.halfmiletiming.com/Datafiles/Spring2010/FHSAATrack10/4AResults/
Additionally, Columbus won the Miami Herald's All-Dade Boys' Major Sports Award in 2008[11] and 2009.[12]
Head football coach Chris Merritt was part of Team USA's coaching staff for the inaugural International Federation of American Football Junior World Championship in 2009.[13] One player from Columbus competed on the team,[14] which won the tournament.[15]
Christopher Columbus' baseball program was ranked the number one baseball team in America during the 2009-2010 year. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/high-school/team-rankings/2010/269656.html
Set on a beautifully landscaped 24 acres (97,000 m2)[1] campus in Miami, Florida, the school features seamless integration of cutting edge technology throughout all 8 academic buildings, including Smart Boards and LCD projectors in all classrooms, fully equipped science labs, a media center, and a state-of-the-art technology complex with a digital based library, computer labs, and a production studio. Outstanding athletic facilities include:
There are four main academic buildings that are supplemented with a media center that contains a technical resource center, an auditorium, a TV news studio, a chemistry laboratory, a concession stand, and several offices. The science building contains a physics and chemistry lab. The school also has several computer labs, gymnasium, a tennis complex, a baseball complex, a weight room, football field, and a concrete track which is used as a parking lot.
In 2008, Christopher Columbus High School opened the three-story "Mas Technology Complex", which contains administrative offices, computer labs, a large library, production studio, recording room, and a school store. .[16]