| Santa Catalina School | |
|---|---|
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Veritas
Truth
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| Address | |
| 1500 Mark Thomas Drive Monterey, California, (Monterey County), 93940 United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1950 |
| Founder | Sister Margaret Thompson |
| Head of school | Sister Claire Barone |
| Grades | PK-12 |
| Enrollment | 536[1] (2010) |
| Campus size | 36 acres |
| Color(s) | Blue and Gold |
| Mascot | Cougar |
| Team name | Cougars |
| Accreditation(s) | Western Association of Schools and Colleges, California Association of Independent Schools |
| Publication | Mosaic (literary magazine) |
| Newspaper | 'The Lamplighter' |
| Yearbook | Catalinan |
| Endowment | $27 Million[2] |
| Head of Upper School | John Murphy |
| Lower School Division Head Grade 6-8 | Linda Mutty |
| Lower School Division Head PreK-Grade 5 | Christy Pollacci |
| Website | www.santacatalina.org |
Santa Catalina School is a private school in California founded by Sister Margaret Thompson and the Dominican Order in 1950. Situated on 36-acre hacienda-style campus, the Upper School is an all-girls boarding school which also accepts local students. The Lower School serves both boys and girls (Preschool through 8th grade). Students in both the Upper and Lower schools are required to wear uniforms. The school emphasizes building a sense of community that challenges its students mentally and spiritually.[1] Santa Catalina is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In addition, the school is associated with the National Association of Independent Schools, the Association of Boarding Schools, National Catholic Educational Association, and the National Coalition of Girls' Schools.
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The original Santa Catalina Convent was founded by Sister Marie Geomaere, a Dominican sister, in what is now downtown Monterey in 1850, when Monterey was the capital of California.[3] With the help of Rev. Joseph Alemany, Bishop of Monterey, she created the first Catholic school in California, excluding mission schools. Student were predominately daughters of local town residents and of nearby Spanish landowners and classes were taught in Castilian Spanish. In 1854 the school was moved to Benicia, the new state capital, where it was renamed St. Catherine's Academy.[4]
In 1950, Sister Margaret Thompson, Mother General of the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, California, decided to reestablish Santa Catalina in Monterey. After buying the 36-acre campus from a local cattle rancher, Col. Harold Mack, the school opened in the fall of 1950, with Sister Mary Kieran as the first principal.[4] When Sister Kieran died in 1965, Sister Carlotta became principal, a title she held for 35 years. As principal, Sister Carlotta's goal was to "educate the whole child...by guiding young people toward intellectual attainment and social, physical, and spiritual well-being."[4]
Boys were allowed to enroll in Preschool and Kindergarten at the request of Sister Jean, and Sister Carlotta encouraged male students to continue their education at the school through 8th grade.[4]
Sister Claire, after serving as Head of Upper School since 1982, became Head of School in 2002.[5] Sister Claire, Sister Christine and Sister Jean are the only Dominican nuns who still reside on campus. Sister Claire and Sister Christine both hold administrative positions but no longer teach.
There are 269 students in the Lower School, 60% of which are girls and 40% are boys.[1]
Class sizes are generally small, but vary by grade level as follows:[1]
| Grade Level | Students | Teachers | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 20 | 3 | 8:1 |
| Kindergarten | 24 | 2 | 12:1 |
| Grades 1 & 2 | 24 | 2 | 12:1 |
| Grades 3-5 | 24 | 1 teacher and 1 assistant | 12:1 |
| Grades 6 - 8 | 19 per section, 2 sections per grade | 1 teacher per subject | 5: 1 |
Tuition varies by grade level and the school offers need-based financial aid. Below is tuition and financial aid for the 2010-2011 school year.[6]
As of 2010, there are currently 240 girls enrolled at Santa Catalina: 111 of them are resident students and 129 are day students.[1] International students make up 12% of the student body. The average class size is 14 students and the student-teacher ratio is 7:1.[2]
Upper School tuition varies between resident and day students and both need and merit-based financial aid are offered.
Santa Catalina Lower School "encourage[s] each boy and girl to work effectively, to communicate articulately, [and] to approach life with a sense of purpose and competence" and prepares students for secondary schooling.[9]
Santa Catalina Upper School aims to "combine a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, modern educational technology, and solid Christian principles" to prepare its students for college and beyond.[3] The single-sex environment, Catholic background, and college preparatory courses are emphasized to "teach the importance of becoming leaders in our communities by serving others."[10] The school attempts to develop each girl's abilities and emphasizes balancing intellectual growth with spiritual awareness.[2] Santa Catalina also seeks diversity in order to enhance a student's sense of responsibility to her community and herself.[5]
Santa Catalina accepts students on the basis of academic achievement and personal qualification "without regard to race, creed, color, or national and ethnic origins."[5] The admissions office requires a questionnaire and writing sample, school transcript, teacher recommendations, parent statements, SSAT scores, an interview, and an optional personal recommendation. Non-native English speakers are required to take the TOEFL.[12] The acceptance rate is 66%.[13]
Academics are divided between the following departments: Art, Drama, English, Foreign Language (including French, Spanish, Latin, and Mandarin Chinese), History, Math, Music, Religion, and Science.[11]
Santa Catalina School offers 18 AP (Advanced Placement) and 13 Honors courses.[7]
The school has college counselor on campus who works closely with seniors and assists with students' college applications and SAT and ACT registration. In addition, the school has an online resource for students called Family Connection, which provides further college counseling. In addition, approximately 65 colleges and universities from within the United States and abroad send representatives to Catalina to discuss their schools with students throughout the academic year.[14] The average SAT score of students is 1732.[2] 100% of graduates attend college and within the past five years the most-attended colleges were UC Davis (20 students), UCLA (11 students), Boston University (11 students), New York University(9 students), and Loyola Marymount University (9 students).[7] Out of the 2010 graduating class, 6 students attend UCLA, 4 students attend UC Berkley, and 3 students went to UC Santa Barbara and University of the Redlands.[2]
From Kindergarten to Fifth Grade, students take courses in Art, Computer Studies, Language Arts, Math, Music, Physical Education, Religion, Science, and Social Science. Spanish classes are introduced in the 4th Grade. In grades 6 – 8, students take classes in Art, Computer Science, English, Foreign Language (Latin or Spanish), History, Math, Music, PE, Religion, and Science.[15]
Despite the school's religious background, the current administrators are lay people and not affiliated with a religious order.[16]
The Upper School is ranked among the top 20 boarding schools for faculty education because a high percentage of the faculty has advanced degrees.[2]
In 2003 a new outdoor aquatic center was completed, featuring a 25 yard by 30 meter pool that is connected to the gym's locker rooms.[17][18] This 10 lane pool is used for physical education classes and the Upper School swimming and diving and water polo teams.[19]
Located next to the pool, the gym houses basketball and volleyball courts, bleachers, and dressing room facilities. PE classes and Upper and Lower School basketball and volleyball teams use the facility. The gym overlooks the pool and a regulation size softball and soccer field, which is encircled by an all-weather track. In addition, the gym is adjacent to 6 regulation size tennis courts, including one lighted court with stadium seating.[19][20]
Resident students live in one of three dorms in either a single or double room, with faculty members living on each floor. Each room has a bed, desk, drawers, and lockable closet and there are common bathrooms for each floor.[3][19] The dorms also come equipped with wireless internet, laundry facilities, and vending machines.[7]
Thompson Dormitory—This dorm is used primarily for freshman and some sophomores, and also has faculty housing.[19]
Hills Hall—For juniors, seniors, and faculty.[19]
Greer Family Dormitory—This is the newest dorm and houses sophomores, juniors, and faculty.[19]
Originally the Upper School classroom building, this 70 year old building now houses the Upper School Admissions Office, Business Office, and Development Office.[2][19]
This building houses a 150 seat recital hall, a dance studio, and music studios for private lessons. The building is primarily used for student music lessons and recitals.[2][19]
The chapel is located in the center of campus and was built in 1954 as a donation from by Mrs. Marcia Ferrell Hart. San Francisco architect Germano Milano was commissioned to design the building. One of the most notable features is the chapel's stained glass windows.[21] Today the chapel is used for daily morning prayer offered for students and faculty, weekly masses for resident students, on campus faculty, and the public, as well as special events.[22]
This building includes the student health center and the dining hall.[19] The school uses Bon Appétit food services, who were the winners of the National Resource Defense Council's 2009 Growing Green Award for their commitment to sustainable food. Their menus often feature locally grown foods and leftovers are composted.[23]
Finished in 1967, the library holds about 34,000 volumes, 40 in-house periodicals, 500 media items, online databases, and 30 computers for students and teachers. It is used by both Upper and Lower Schools.[3][24]
The Performing Arts Center is a 500 seat, state of the art theater that is used for Lower School Spring and Christmas concerts, various recitals, and three Upper School performances every academic year.[19]
Upper School assembly is conducted every morning in this building. Desks are provided for every student and are arranged by class. There are also a limited number of lockers available for student use.[19]
Competitive sports are offered, but not required, for students in Grade 6 - 8. Teams compete by grade level with other public and private schools in the area.[25]
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|
| Volleyball | Basketball | Tennis |
| Soccer | Golf | |
| Flag Football | Track and Field |
Students can chose to participate in one sport per season. Teams compete in the Mission Trail Athletics League (MTAL) and the CIF / Central Coast Section (CCS). The Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Soccer, Water Polo, Lacrosse, Field Hockey, and Softball teams compete at both the Varsity and Junior Varsity Level.[26]
| Fall | Winter | Spring | Year Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volleyball | Basketball | Swimming and Diving | Equestrian |
| Tennis | Soccer | Track and Field | |
| Water Polo | Lacrosse | ||
| Field Hockey | Softball | ||
| Cross Country | |||
| Golf |
Students may also participate in theater or dance, rather than athletic teams, after school.
| Academic / School Support | Activism | Entertainment | Sports / Outdoors | Social | Student Government (All Students Are Elected to These Positions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Club de Espanol (Spanish Club) | Amnesty International | Accents (Advanced Dance Club) | Fencing Club | Back to Basics (cooking and sewing club) | Student / Faculty Senate |
| French Club | Community Service Club | ecco! (A Capella Group) | Fit Club | Dumbledore's Army (Harry Potter enthusiasts) | Resident Council |
| PEMDAS (Math Club and Peer Tutoring) | Operation Smile | Lamplighter (student newspaper issued 7 times a year) | Journey: Jump Outside Until Real Nature Experiences You (outdoor club) | Fashion Club | Day Student Council |
| Admission Tour Guides and Class Guides | Pax Christi | MOSAIC (literary magazine) | Scuba Club | Great Indulgences (art, literature, and film club) | Prefects |
| Big / Little Sisters (Seniors who help freshman ease into their first year) | R4: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Restore (Environmental Club) | Reverb (singing and songwriting club) | Geocachers | Knit Wits (knitting club) | |
| Catalinan (Yearbook) | Model UN / UN Student Alliance | Tokyo Drift (Japanese Club) | |||
| STAR (Student - Alumni Organization) |