Bishop Blanchet High School

Bishop Blanchet High School

Fons sapientiae verbum Dei
The fount of knowledge is the word of God.
Address
8200 Wallingford Avenue North
Seattle, Washington, (King County), 98103
United States
Coordinates 47°41′21″N 122°20′08″W / 47.68930°N 122.33551°WCoordinates: 47°41′21″N 122°20′08″W / 47.68930°N 122.33551°W
Information
Type Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
Established 1954
Oversight Archdiocese of Seattle
President Antonio DeSapio
Dean

Lou Ella McGauhey

Sean Gaskill
Principal Shela Kries
Chaplain Fr. Armando Guzman
Faculty 73
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 938 (2013)
Average class size 24
Student to teacher ratio 12:1
Color(s) Green and Gold         
Slogan Tradition of Faith, Scholarship and Service.
Athletics conference Metropolitan (3A)
Mascot Braves
Team name Braves
Rivals Seattle Prep, Odea, Holy Names
Accreditation Northwest Accreditation Commission[1]
Publication Voices (Literary Magazine)
Newspaper Miter
Yearbook Pallium
Website Official Website

Bishop Blanchet High School is a coed Catholic high school located just north of Green Lake in Seattle, Washington, United States. The school was founded in 1954 by the Archdiocese of Seattle, and named for the first bishop of the diocese, A.M.A. Blanchet (1797-1887). Originally named Blanchet High School, in 1999 the title Bishop was added to make the school easily identified as Catholic.[2]

According to school records, Bishop Blanchet has 938 students, 79% of whom are Catholic. The school employs 73 teachers (including one Dominican sister), 69 of them full-time.[3] Most students come from Archdiocesan elementary schools, representing a broad geographic area. Strongly committed to providing an academically excellent education with careful attention to the development of the whole person, Bishop Blanchet is first and foremost a community of sharing and prayer. Outreach through service to the larger community is the key expression of their Catholic identity.

Academics

The school has a nationally recognized academic program. They have an internationally acclaimed German program taught by a four-time state German Teacher of the Year. 97% of students take 3 or more years of Mathematics, and 95% take 4 years. 86% of students take 3 or more years of science. Approximately 50% of students attend Honors or Advanced Placement classes. Bishop Blanchet offers Honors or Advanced Placement classes in Language Arts 1, 2, 3, and 4, Geometry, Advanced Algebra, Trig, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, United States History, Political Science, Studio Art, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. 12 AP courses are offered as well as 12 honors courses. To graduate a student must have 52 credits including: 2 Art, 2 Business, 8 English, 6 Math, 4 PE, 8 Theology, 4 Science, 6 Social Studies, 4 Language, and 8 Elective.

Approximately 99% of Bishop Blanchet graduates continue on to higher education. Bishop Blanchet's class of 2009 was awarded over $14 million in scholarships and financial aid to colleges and universities all over the nation. Fifty seven percent of the class of 2009 received scholarships.[4]

History

According to the School's website[5] "Bishop Gerald Shaughnessy understood the demands that would come with post-war living, he began to acquire property for a proposed high school. Coming to Seattle as Coadjutor-Bishop, the Most Rev. Thomas A. Connolly,D.D., J.C.D., soon realized the inadequacy of previous plans due to the increased development over the entire area. Wisely, he set about acquiring sufficient property for four new parishes, while adding to the property already proposed for the high school. This goal done, for over a year Archbishop Connolly devoted himself to the task of planning the new school. Construction began in February of 1954. However, unforeseen difficulties developed in the summer, and the South Wing could not be occupied in September 1954 as planned. Fr. Joseph Agius, O.P., Pastor of Blessed Sacrament, with the priests, sisters, and parishioners, graciously and unselfishly made provisions to house the first class from September, 1954, to May, 1955, when the 231 freshmen boys and girls moved to the South Wing of the new building. During the summer, construction moved ahead and the new building was available for use during the scholastic year, 1955-56."

Between 1992 and 2006, Bishop Blanchet High School conducted capital campaigns to accomplish renovations and bring new facilities to their campus. Those renovations included additional stations for physical education classes; practice and game facilities; updated and new classrooms, rehearsal and production space for the Performing Arts program; labs for the science department; facilities to accept wheelchair-bound students; a new chapel; and updated technology facilities and hardware.[5]

The School underwent a technology upgrade over the summer of 2013 to accommodate their 1 to 1 iPad Program. This included school wide Wi-Fi connectivity and a new technology learning center in the library.

Athletics

Bishop Blanchet High School has a world class athletics program. All Freshman and Sophomores take a PE class, though one semester can be waived. Blanchet holds 163 League Championships, offers 17 interscholastic sports on 35 teams, and has 2/3 of the student body involved in Athletics. A complete list of offered sports and information can be found on the school's website.

Arts

More than 50% of students engage in performing and visual arts and music during the school year. Blanchet's drama program has been nationally recognized as one of the best programs in the Pacific Northwest. Many band, choir, drama and visual arts courses are available for students. Blanchet Drama alumni have gone to Broadway and television and many other prestigious positions in professional theatrics. The Drama department has a state of the art "black box" theater in the school where the fall play, one acts, improv, classes and rehearsals take place. In the spring Blanchet performs a musical at the Moore Theater which has over 50 students involved. In 2008, Bishop Blanchet High School's Drama Program was awarded "The Top High School Theatre Program in the Northwest" by Stage Directions Magazine.[6] Over eighty percent of students take part in "co-curricular activities".

The Miter

Bishop Blanchet's student newspaper, The Miter, is published every month during the school year. It is open to freelance reporters and Miter staff (through the Journalism class). Mr. Chris Grasseschi serves as the moderator. They publish all of their articles on the newspaper's website.[7]

Extracurricular activities

Blanchet students are encouraged to take part in sports, clubs, and activities by the Vice Principal of Student Activities, Mr. Chuck Bocian. Every single student at Blanchet partakes in some kind of extracurricular activity. Popular activities include cross country, football, basketball, track, soccer, swimming, lacrosse, baseball, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Diversity Club, Freshmen Welcome and Retreat, Kairos (retreat), International Thespian Society, drama activities, Chamber Orchestra, Community Orchestra, Pep Band, Jazz Band, Jazz Choir, Chess Club, Knowledge Bowl, Speech and Debate Club, French Club, Japanese Club, Spanish Club, German Club, and the reigning state champion volleyball team.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ NAAS. "Northwest Association of Accredited Schools". Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  2. ↑ Smith, Craig (1999-11-23). "Prep Beat -- Blanchet High Adds `Bishop' To Name". The Seattle Times.
  3. ↑ BBHS Admissions Brochure
  4. ↑ "Bishop Blanchet Profile". Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "School History". Bishop Blanchet High School. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Five Five-Star Theatre Programs". Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  7. ↑ "The Miter". Bishop Blanchet High School. Retrieved June 2, 2014. (school newspaper)