St. Augustine College Preparatory School

St. Augustine College Preparatory School
Veritas ∙ Unitas ∙ Caritas
Truth ∙ Unity ∙ Love
Address
611 Cedar Avenue
Richland, New Jersey (Atlantic County), 08350
Information
Type Private, All-Male
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
Order of Saint Augustine
Established 1959
Founder Bro. Franklin P. Cucinotta, OSA (1922-2008)
President Rev. Donald Reilly, OSA, PhD
Headmaster Rev. Francis J. Horn, OSA
Faculty 53.0 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 693[1]  (2009-10)
Average class size 15 students
Student to teacher ratio 13.1:1[1]
Campus suburban/rural
Campus size 118 acres (0.48 km2)
Campus type wooded; rural
Color(s) Navy and White[2]             
Slogan Enter as Boys to Learn; Exit as Men to Serve
Song Saint Augustine Alma Mater
Athletics 19 inter-scholastic sports
Athletics conference Cape-Atlantic League
Mascot The Hermit
Team name Hermits
Accreditation(s) Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[3]
Average SAT scores 1750
Newspaper 'Prep News'
Yearbook 'Austin Aires'
School fees $800[4]
Tuition $13,650[4]
Affiliation Order of Saint Augustine
Dean of Student Services Donald Casolaro
Disciplinarian Dennis Foreman
Admissions Director Linda Pine
Athletic Director Anthony Iaconelli
Website http://www.hermits.com
This article discusses the school in Richland, New Jersey. For other institution of the same name, see St. Augustine's (disambiguation)

St. Augustine College Preparatory School (locally, "St. Augustine [Prep]", and "St. Augustine's") is an all-boys Roman Catholic four-year high school located in the Richland section of Buena Vista Township, New Jersey, United States. Located on 118 acres (0.48 km2) of wooded property, it serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from across South Jersey under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.[5] The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1983.[3] St. Augustine was founded in 1959 by the Order of Saint Augustine as a minor seminary to help young men prepare for studies in the priesthood and religious life. The first class was a mixture of seminarians and day students.

As of the 2009-10 school year, the school had an enrollment of 693 students and 53.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.1.[1]

The school's graduating Class of 2010 had an average SAT score of 1750, and was offered $19 million in scholarships.

Contents

History

Established in September 1959, the school's first graduating class was in 1963, and its first Headmaster was Fr. Peter Toscani, OSA. There were 12 students in that class. Classes were first held in the Monastery, which was previously an estate named "Red Oaks". The first school building, Augustinian Hall, consisted of four classrooms, Rooms 1 through 4, and a gymnasium, which opened in 1960. The first expansion included the western wing of Augustinian Hall in 1967-68. The Spina Gymnasium was constructed in 1979-80 and the former gym was converted into classrooms and a chapel. The enrollment ranged between 150 to 210 students for many years.

The third expansion of facilities was the construction of the Edith Favretto Scarpa Arts and Sciences Building in 1998. The building houses most of the campus' computer labs, the media center, the library, and additional classrooms. Following that expansion, enrollment had grown from 235 to 550. A minor renovation which replaced the chapel with additional classrooms took place in 2000. The most recent addition to the school is The Louis and Josephine Buondonno Forum, or simply, "The Forum". Following the construction of the new building, enrollment had increased to a remarkable 650 students. In the Forum are the Rodio Gymnasium, the dining hall, The Navone Swimming Pool, weight room, wrestling room, and additional classrooms housing the school's science and health curricula. There is also a student loft next to the game room, which both overlook the main foyer, and are very popular spots for students.

On June 30, 2011, longtime school President Fr. Paul Galetto, OSA, was transferred from his position at Saint Augustine Prep. He was replaced by Fr. Donald Reilly, OSA, previously Prior Provincial of the Villanova province of the Augustinian Order, and previous Chairman of the school's Board of Directors. [6] [7]

Alma mater

In Richland's proud and peaceful glen,

Where friends and joy abound,

Stands Alma Mater; home of men,

A treasure nobly found.

Wherever we may chance to be,

Nearby or far from you,

We will not fail eternally

To sing our praises true.

O, Saint Augustine's mighty power

Of our triumphant youth!

Watch over us each hour,

With eyes of love and truth.

And when our days with you are done,

Still guide each grateful son!

Campus

The school's Campus consists of five buildings set over 118 acres (0.48 km2) of wooded property. The principal educational facilities are:

Augustinian Hall

45 General Classrooms; Latin/French/Greek/Italian curriculums; Spina Memorial Gymnasium; Administrative Offices; Wireless Internet Access

The Louis & Josephine Buondonno Forum

Dining Hall; 15 General Classrooms; Greenhouse; Student Bookstore; Student Lounge/Recreational Room; Student Infirmary; Administrative/Business Offices/Office of the President; Chapel; Rodio Gymnasium; Navone Pool; Weight-lifting area; Wrestling arena; Ergometer Room; Wireless Internet Access

Edith Favretto Scarpa Arts & Sciences Building

35,000+ Volumes; Computer Workspaces; 3 General Classrooms; College Guidance Offices; Wireless Internet Access

Allegrini Monastery

Residence of the Order of Saint Augustine; Residence of Rev. Paul Galetto, OSA: President; Monastery Gardens

Greek Amphitheater

Teaching space for the school's language arts curriculum.

LaRosa Field

Turf Field; Provides playing space for the school's football, lacrosse & soccer teams

Athletic Fields

5 tennis courts; 1 lacrosse field; 2 practice football/mixed use fields; 2 baseball fields

Patron saint

The school is named in honor of the 4th century saint, St. Augustine of Hippo, one of a few Augustinian friar schools in the United States and others throughout the world with this same patron saint. Other English speaking Augustinian Schools with the same patron include one in San Diego and another in Reading (Massachusetts) ; Colegio San Agustin, Biñan and Colegio San Agustin, Makati in the Philippines; a school in Malta, Irish schools in Dungarvan and New Ross; and one in Sydney, Australia. The North American foundation of the order dates back to 1796.

Athletics

The Saint Augustine Prep Hermits compete in the National Division of the Cape-Atlantic League, an athletic conference consisting of both parochial and public high schools located in Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, and Gloucester County, New Jersey. However, The Hermits are set to start competing in the American Conference in each sport, as soon as the scheduling year comes around. The Cape-Atlantic League operates under the aegis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[8]

The school offers 18 inter-scholastic sports programs, including: football, soccer, cross country, basketball, swimming, ice hockey, wrestling, chess, baseball, golf, tennis, crew, lacrosse, volleyball, fencing, bowling, sailing, ultimate frisbee, rugby, and a new sport for the 2008-09 year, water polo. St. Augustine teams have recently competed in state championships in hockey, tennis, basketball, golf, swimming, soccer, wrestling, and crew.

The swim team has been dominant in South Jersey, has been in the top five swim teams in New Jersey, and in 04-05, was the 4th-ranked swim team in the nation. They won the 06-07 Non-Public A State Title with a 105-65 win against St. Joseph High School, as well as the 07-08 Non-Public A State Title with a 109-61 victory over Seton Hall Preparatory School.[9] The swim team has also produced many individual state champions, along with numerous relay state champions.

The crew team's Lightweight 8+ won both the Stotesbury Cup Regatta and the Scholastic Rowing Association of America Regatta (commonly referred to as the "Scholastic Nationals") in the 2006 spring season.[10][11] This is the first national title achieved by St. Augustine Prep.

The Ice Hockey team claimed the 2006-07 Non-Public State Title, defeating St. Peter's Preparatory School 3-1 on March 23, 2007[12], becoming the first ice hockey team in New Jersey history to go undefeated and untied, as well as becoming the first South Jersey school to win the state title in hockey. In the 07-08 season, the team again reached the state finals, but lost to Delbarton School 5-1. The 2010-11 team went to the state championship, losing in overtime by a score of 3-2 to Delbarton 3-2 at the Prudential Center, despite pulling into a 2-1 lead with minutes to go in the third period.[13]

The soccer team won the 2003 Boys Soccer - South Parochial A with a 2-0 win over Paul VI High School in the sectional final.[14] The team was declared State Champion in the 2003 NJSIAA Parochial A Boys' Soccer State Tournament jointly with Delbarton School.[15] The team was the Non-Public A Champion in the 2005 Boys Soccer Non-Public Finals, defeating Seton Hall Preparatory School 4-1.[16] The soccer team finished the season with a record and 25-1 and won the Non-Public A championship in 2010 with a 2-0 win over Pingry School, marking the program's fifth state title and their first since their 2005 win.[17]

The basketball team won the 2001 Parochial South B state championship, defeating McCorristin Catholic High School by 65-49 in the tournament final.[18] The basketball team won the 2002 Parochial South A, defeating Camden Catholic High School 50-45.[19] The team won again in 2004 with a 56-48 win over Camden Catholic High School.[20] The 2005 team lost to Christian Brothers Academy 49-43 in the final.[21] In 2010-11, the basketball team won their fourth Non-Public A championship by defeating Seton Hall Prep 71-60.[22]

The tennis team won the Non-Public, South A title in 2003 over Monsignor Donovan High School 4-1.[23] The team won the Non-Public, South A title again in 2005 and 2006, defeating Christian Brothers Academy 5-0 and 4-1, respectively.[24] The 2007 team won the Boys Tennis - Non-Public, South A state sectional championship with a pair of 5-0 wins over St. John Vianney High School in the semifinals and Christian Brothers Academy in the tournament final.[25] In 2007, the tennis team finished the year 10th on The Star-Ledger's top 20 list having won the Non-Public A State title in a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Delbarton School, winning their first state title after having been swept 5-0 by Delbarton in both of their previous state title games.[26]

The wrestling team won Non-Public B state titles in 2001 and 2003 over Gloucester Catholic High School and St. Mary's High School (New Jersey) of East Rutherford respectively. The 2001 title was the team's first since 1985.[27][28]

The football team won the NJSIAA Non-Public Group I state sectional championships in 1995.[29]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ a b c d St. Augustine College Preparatory School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 11, 2011.
  2. ^ Christian Brothers Academy, Shore Conference. Accessed March 11, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Saint Augustine Preparatory School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools. Accessed September 3, 2011.
  4. ^ a b Tuition - Fees, St. Augustine College Preparatory School. Accessed December 30, 2011.
  5. ^ School Directory, Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. Accessed September 3, 2011.
  6. ^ Funderburk, Kristi. "Ouster longtime Prep leader stuns school". The Daily Journal. http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20110528/NEWS01/105280311/Ouster-longtime-Prep-leader-stuns-school?odyssey=tab|topnews. Retrieved 30 May 2011. 
  7. ^ D'Amico, Diane. "The Rev. Donald F. Reilly elected new president of St. Augustine Prep". Press of Atlantic City. http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/the-rev-donald-f-reilly-elected-new-president-of-st/article_4a24f510-9c44-11e0-b9f5-001cc4c03286.html. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 
  8. ^ League Memberships – 2011-2012, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 30, 2011.
  9. ^ 2007 Boys Team Swimming - Non-Public - A, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  10. ^ Race #105, Boy's Lightweight Eight, Stotesbury Cup 2006, May 20, 2006.
  11. ^ Drexel Crew Signs Coxswain for 2007-08 Season, Drexel University, accessed April 7, 2007. "Matyas, a stand-out coxswain at St. Augustine Preparatory School in Richland, N.J., guided the lightweight varsity eight to gold medal performances at the New Jersey State Championships, the Philadelphia City Championships, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, and the High School Scholastic Nationals."
  12. ^ 2007 Ice Hockey Tournament - Non-Public, NJSIAA, accessed March 24, 2007.
  13. ^ Staff. "Delbarton tops St. Augustine in Non-Public hockey final", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 14, 2011. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Peter McMullen scored his second goal of the game with less than five minutes left in overtime, giving Delbarton a 3-2 victory over St. Augustine on Sunday at the Prudential Center in Newark, securing the school's fourth consecutive NJSIAA State Non-Public hockey championship. St. Augustine trailed by 1-0 with less than nine minutes left in regulation, but took a brief, 2-1 lead on goals by Roman Ammirato and Anthony Siderio."
  14. ^ 2003 Boys Soccer - South Parochial A, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  15. ^ 2003 NJSIAA Parochial A Boys' Soccer State Tournament, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  16. ^ 2005 Boys Soccer - Non-Public Finals, NJSIAA, accessed June 11, 2007.
  17. ^ Orlando, Chris. "St. Augustine 2, Pingry 0", The Star-Ledger, November 16, 2010. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Hurff converted the lone opportunity he had early in the first half and Palmieri added a big insurance goal late in the second as St. Augustine, No. 8 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, earned a 2-0 victory over top-ranked Pingry in the championship game of the NJSIAA/The Sports Authority Stores Non-Public A tournament amid steady rain before 500 at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. The championship was the fifth overall for St. Augustine (25-1) and first since it defeated Seton Hall Prep for the Non-Public A title in 2005."
  18. ^ 2001 - Parochial South B, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  19. ^ 2002 Boys Basketball - Parochial South A, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  20. ^ 2004 Boys Basketball - Parochial South A, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  21. ^ 2005 Boys Basketball - Non-Public, South A, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  22. ^ Minnick, Kevin. "Boys’ Basketball: Morton, St. Augustine overpower Seton Hall Prep", Courier Post, March 12, 2011. Accessed July 17, 2011. "In his first appearance on the game’s biggest stage, Isaiah Morton delivered an MVP performance.... The dynamic senior collected a game-high 30 points and fueled his team’s competitive fire as the Hermits defeated Seton Hall Prep 71-60 in the Non-Public A state final Saturday at Poland Spring Arena.... It’s the first state title for St. Augustine (28-2) since 2004 and the fourth in school history."
  23. ^ 2003 Boys Team Tennis - Parochial South A, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  24. ^ 2005 Boys Team Tennis - Non-Public, South A, NJSIAA, accessed May 11, 2007.
  25. ^ 2007 Boys Tennis - Non-Public, South A, NJSIAA. Accessed July 22, 2007.
  26. ^ Smith, Michael. "St. Aug. wins state boys tennis title", The Press of Atlantic City, May 25, 2007. Accessed July 17, 2011. "Since St. Augustine began its tennis program 12 years ago, coach Sam Miles has been dreaming of a state title. The previous two years, the Hermits fell to five-time defending champions Delbarton in the Non-Public A state championship, 5-0. both times. But this time around, the Hermits relied on their singles players, who rallied to lead the Prep over Delbarton 3-2 to win the school's first tennis state title."
  27. ^ Staff. "HERMITS WRESTLERS HANG ON TO TAKE CROWN THE LEAD CHANGED FIVE TIMES BETWEEN THE HERMITS AND GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC BEFORE ST. AUGUSTINE PREVAILED.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 18, 2001. Accessed June 2, 2011. "Taylor held on to Gloucester Catholic's Mike Stites long enough to record a 7-3 decision in a hard-fought heavyweight bout yesterday as St. Augustine defeated Gloucester Catholic, 34-28, to win the NJSIAA State Parochial B team... It was the first Parochial championship for St. Augustine since 1985."
  28. ^ Weinberg, David. "HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING / DUAL CHAMPIONS / ABSEGAMI, ST. AUGUSTINE WIN STATE WRESTLING TEAM TITLES / MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: HERMITS EARN SECOND TITLE IN THREE YEARS", The Press of Atlantic City, February 23, 2003. Accessed June 2, 2011. "St. Augustine Prep's wrestling team made good on its preseason prediction Saturday at the Parochial B state championship meet. The Hermits won the title, using a strong start and some key victories later to earn a 48-27 victory over St. Mary's of Rutherford at Sovereign Bank Arena."
  29. ^ Goldberg, Jeff. NJSIAA Football Playoff Champions, NJSIAA. Accessed December 29, 2011.
  30. ^ Narducci, Marc. "Babalola Sparks St. Augustine Past Bishop Eustace", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 7, 2000. Accessed May 10, 2011. "St. Augustine's Olu Babalola has had trouble starting lately, but there has been no problem with his finishes."
  31. ^ Langi, Rob. "St. Augustine trio to row for USA", Courier Post, July 21, 2005. Accessed March 10, 2011. "That opportunity has presented itself for three recent St. Augustine Prep School graduates. Neil McPeak, Jimmy Germano and Adam Jones have been selected to the US Rowing Junior National Team that will take part in the Junior World Rowing Championships in Brandenburg, Germany in August."
  32. ^ Staff. "St. Augustine Prep graduate Mensah-Bonsu signs 10-day contract with Spurs", The Press of Atlantic City, February 26, 2009. Accessed March 10, 2011. "The Spurs signed forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu, a 2002 St. Augustine Prep graduate, to a 10-day contract. Mensah-Bonsu played one minute but did not score Wednesday against Portland."
  33. ^ McGarry, Michael. "St. Augustine Prep coach Paul Rodio gets 700th career win as Hermits top No. 7 Shawnee", The Press of Atlantic City, February 14, 2010. Accessed March 10, 2011.
  34. ^ Garcia, Julian. "Nova Landa St. Augustine Big Man", Daily News (New York), September 30, 1998. Accessed May 10, 2011. "Andrew Sullivan, a 6-7, 210-pound forward out of Richland (N.J.) St. Augustine Prep, announced yesterday that he will play basketball for Villanova next season."

External links