| Holy Spirit Preparatory School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 4449 Northside Drive Atlanta, Georgia, (Fulton County), 30327 United States |
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| Information | |
| Motto | Ministrare non Ministari (To Serve not to be Served) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1996 |
| President | Gareth N. Genner |
| Chairperson | Monsignor Edward J. Dillon |
| Chaplain | Fr. Jason Brooks |
| Staff | 153 |
| Grades | PK-12 |
| Athletics conference | 1 AAA |
| Mascot | cougar |
| Nickname | Cougars |
| Accreditation(s) | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools[1] |
| USNWR ranking | Top 50 Catholic High Schools in the USA |
| Newspaper | 'The Paraclete' |
| Affiliation | Independent Catholic School |
| Vice President | Jamie Arthur |
| Dean of Faculty | Helen Prieto |
| Website | http://www.holyspiritprep.org |
Holy Spirit Preparatory School is an independent, Roman Catholic preparatory school located in Atlanta, Georgia and was established in 1996, originally as the Donnellan School.[2] It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.
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The students in Kindergarten through 6th grade are located on a multi-acre site at 4820 Long Island Drive. The Preschool program is located at 4465 Northside Drive on the lower level of Holy Spirit Catholic Church adjacent to the 57,000 sq ft (5,300 m2) Upper School campus which opened in the fall of 2004.
Although an independent Catholic school it is closely tied to Holy Spirit Parish and the pastor of the parish serves as Board Chair of the school.[8] It is led by its president Gareth Genner.[3]
Holy Spirit Preparatory School offers a classical curriculum in both Greek and Latin, and instructs students in Catholic theology as well as typical college preparatory subjects and numerous electives.
An assigned faculty mentor, tutorial support, and a Philosophy department are distinguishing features of the program. Specialized academic offerings include Ethics, Genetics, Forensic Science, Lyceum, Anatomy & Physiology, Robotics, Theology, Canon Law, Constitutional Law, Aeronautics, Musical Theatre, One-Act Play, Radio Station; and Honors, AP, College Level, and College courses.[4]
The school's Classics department describes its program as being "designed around an awareness of the historical significance of the Greek and Latin languages as foundations for the Western intellectual tradition and the history of the Catholic Church."[5]
Upper School students are also required to complete community service and "school service" hours in order to graduate.[4]
The school offers a number of student athletics programs, including cross country running, soccer, archery, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, golf, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.[6]
Holy Spirit Preparatory School also field a football program. However, unlike any other sports at Holy Spirit Preparatory School which participate in the GISA AAA, the football team participate in GFC (Glory of Christ). In 2010, Holy Spirit Prep football team won the GFC Championship.
Holy Spirit Preparatory School has a house system. There are four houses, each named after Ecumenical Councils, and each house has its own mascot and color:
Holy Spirit's house system divides students randomly into four groups. There is competition between these houses in order to win a grand prize of going to Six Flags over Georgia at the end of the year. The house point system works by enforcing positive behavior, such as volunteering for service opportunities, holding the door, helping a teacher carry something, cleaning the teacher's boards, etc. However house points can also be deducted from a student for using negligent behavior. There are also House competitions (like field day) in which members of each house competes in events, whether sporting or academic in nature.[9]
Holy Spirit Prep has been repeatedly named as one of the top fifty Catholic high schools in the country by the National Catholic High School Honor Roll.[7][8] In 2009 the Lower School was named as a National School of Excellence by the US Department of Education [10][11]
The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools[9] and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and is a member of the Southern Association of Independent Schools and the Georgia Association of Independent Schools (GISA).
Holy Spirit College,[10] an outgrowth of the preparatory school, is a Georgia Non-Public Secondary Education Commission authorized degree-granting institution,[11] and it is accredited by the American Academy for Liberal Education.[12] Dr. Del Kiernan Lewis serves as Provost of the college and is advised by a Board of Visitors.[13]
The school was established as an independent Catholic school in 1995. In 1999, the Legion of Christ became associated with the Donnellan School. Friction between the administration and some teachers, and parents resulted in the termination of four staff and a number of resignations and student withdrawals. A new school, the Atlanta Academy, was founded by some of the individuals involved in the dispute, and many of those who had withdrawn from the Donnellan School enrolled there. The school is recognized by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and listed in the Official Catholic Directory as a lay sponsored Catholic school independent of any religious order or congregation.[14]
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