York Catholic High School

York Catholic High School
Maria Impende Juvamen
O Mary, bestow your aid
Address
601 East Springettsbury Avenue
York, Pennsylvania, (York County), 17403
 United States
Information
Type Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
Principal George E. Andrews, Jr
Grades 7-12
Enrollment 688 [1]  (2009)
Average class size 22
Student to teacher ratio 15:1
Color(s) Green and Gold         
Mascot Leprechaun
Team name Fighting Irish
Accreditation(s) Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[2]
Publication The Looking Glass (literary magazine)
Newspaper 'Spectator'
Yearbook 'Rosa Mystica'
Website

York Catholic High School is a Catholic high school located in York, Pennsylvania, USA, and operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg for boys and girls in the 7th through 12th grades.

Its mission: "York Catholic bases both its curriculum and extra-curricular activities on the Gospel values of Jesus as articulated in the Roman Catholic tradition. They strive to provide a safe, family-oriented environment that will encourage sound academics and respect for self and others. They encourage and challenge all students to develop a mature, faith-filled and moral vision of themselves and their world by nurturing the spiritual, social, intellectual, emotional and physical needs." [1]

Contents

Campus

York Catholic High School is located at 601 East Springettsbury Avenue in downtown York. The campus and athletic fields stretch north and westward, stopping at Vander and Sampson Avenues. The school is located next to the York City Ice Arena, as well as various other locales downtown.

The School is composed of a main classroom building reaching three floors in height, as well as The Brady Science Hall wing primarily used by the junior high students (grades 7-8). While many of the core junior high classes are in this area, students in all grades can have classes in the wing or in the main building.[1]

They are also the home to the three time state championship and one time runner-up girls basketball team (2005-2009). However, it is their boys basketball team that has put YCHS on the map with five state championships and a state championship runner-up. The 1987 team was undefeated. Their last appearance in a state championship game came in 2005 when they lost in the AA finals to Beaver Falls.

Academics

The School teaches college preparatory and advanced placement curricula. This is evident in the seniors’ SAT scores, which are consistently higher than state and national averages. [1] In addition, York Catholic’s high level of academic excellence has repeatedly earned the school merit from the Middle States Association. Middle States is an institution that accredits secondary schools and colleges which meet “prescribed qualitative standards of the Middle States Association within the terms of the school's own stated philosophy and objectives.” [3]

The following are a few academic statistics from the York Catholic website:

Many parents of current and past students have praised York Catholic on the quality of its academics. Widely-recognized greatschools.net is host to many accolades by various YCHS parents. In October 2005, one parent commented that “[York Catholic has a] high college attendance ratio, even for a private school. Discipline and 'esprit de corps' has worked wonders for kids who otherwise might have been left behind in the more managed environment of a public school. Staff have an attitude of not giving up on anyone.” [4]

Religious Orientation and Spiritual Life

Although Catholicism is not a requirement for admission to the school, York Catholic’s curriculum encourages the Christian faith, as well as teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, while following guidelines from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[1] York Catholic’s desire to foster Catholic values prompts the school to "create an environment that develops personal integrity, respect for one another, reverence for God, and stewardship for our world." [1]

The following are a few religious statistics from the York Catholic website:

Students are also required to perform community service as part of their service requirement. This is to help foster habits of performing service to others through volunteer work. Students are to perform either 12 or 16 hours of community service per year depending on their grade.[1]

Student Activities and Athletics

Listed below are various extra-curricular student activities and athletic sports offered by York Catholic, according to its website:

Senior High Level

Activities

Athletics

Junior High Level

Activities

Athletics (In addition to Parish CYO Programs)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "York Catholic Home Page." York Catholic High School. Accessed 18 March 2008 [1].
  2. ^ MSA-CSS. "MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools". http://www.css-msa.org/search.php?MODE=VIEW(PA483)&org=CSS. Retrieved 2009-05-23. 
  3. ^ "Commission on Secondary Schools." Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Last Edited March 08, 2007. Accessed March 18, 2008 [2].
  4. ^ "Parent Reviews of York Catholic High School." greatschools. Accessed March 18, 2008. [3].