St. Raphael Academy

Saint Raphael Academy

St. Raphael Academy
Signum Fidei
Sign of Faith
Address
123 Walcott Street
Quality Hill
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, (Providence County), 02860
United States
Coordinates 41°52′37″N 71°22′36″W / 41.87694°N 71.37667°WCoordinates: 41°52′37″N 71°22′36″W / 41.87694°N 71.37667°W
Information
Type Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic,
De La Salle Christian Brothers
Established 1924
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 400 (Approx)
Color(s) Purple and Gold         
Athletics conference RIIL Division 1 North
Mascot Fighting Saint
Team name Saints
Accreditation New England Association of Schools and Colleges[1]
Yearbook Raphaelite
Tuition $11,750
Principal Daniel Richard
Vice Principal of Academics Judy Baxter
Vice Principal of Student Life Marc Thibault
Director of Advancement Denny Majewski
Athletic Director Ray Tanguay
Website http://www.saintrays.org

Saint Raphael Academy (known colloquially as Saint Ray's, or simply Saints) is a Roman Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. It was founded in the tradition of Saint John Baptist de Lasalle and rooted in the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.

History

In 1922, buoyed by the success of LaSalle Academy and with a deep conviction for the value of Catholic education, Bishop William Hickey commenced a campaign to raise funds for the expansion of LaSalle as well as the construction of two new Catholic high schools, one in Pawtucket and the other in Newport.

By 1924, Bishop Hickey had raised the required funds and worked with the De La Salle Christian Brothers to open the two new secondary schools.

The Pawtucket school was to be established in a large white mansion on Walcott Street that had been purchased from the prestigious Goff family for $95,000. An additional $60,000 was required to transform the residential building into appropriate classroom, library, and science lab space.

When Brother Anselm Moore, F.S.C., arrived in Pawtucket in late August 1924, work was just beginning on the transformation. Brother Anselm worked 12-hour days for weeks overseeing the construction and enrolling new students.

On September 10, 1924, the new Catholic high school on Walcott Street opened with 59 students, three faculty members, and an athletic director.

On December 12, 1924, 17 pastors, representing the parishes that had students enrolled at the new school, met with Bishop Hickey and agreed that the name of the new institution should be Saint Raphael Academy.

It did not take too long for the Academy to outgrow its facilities. Without a gymnasium or proper cafeteria space and faced with an overwhelming number of applications for admission, Brother Ambrose (principal from 1926?1932) met with Bishop Hickey and in 1927 signed a contract for the construction of a new school building.

On January 1, 1929, the "new Saint Raphael Academy" was opened, featuring a gymnasium, six classrooms, a science lab, and a Principal's Office. In March 1929, nearly 1,000 people joined Bishop Hickey at the blessing the new facility. By the time the new building opened, the student body had grown to one hundred sixty students overseen by eight faculty members.

By the 1970s, the enrollment at Catholic high schools had begun to decline and the condition of the Academy's facilities had deteriorated, forcing the tuition to rise.

In September 1975, Brother Jerome Corrigan, Principal, accepted 112 young women from St. Jean Baptiste Academy, which had closed the previous summer. In order to accommodate the added enrollment, Brother Jerome worked out a lease agreement to use the former Saint Joseph's Elementary School. The now coeducational Saint Raphael Academy had an enrollment of 550 students and tuition of $500 annually.

Enrollment continued to increase through the late 1970s, exceeding 700 students by the mid-1980s. The large number of students, along with the lack of space for computers and the arts, led Brother William Kemmemer, F.S.C., Principal, to launch the Academy's first capital campaign to fund the construction of an addition to the West Campus. Barbara Farley Hall opened in 1986, featuring a computer center, music room, art room, and classroom with athletic facilities in the basement.

With tuition rising to over $3,500 annually and enrollment beginning to slide, in 1996 Brother Thomas Casey, F.S.C., Principal, along with the Academy's School Board, determined that building an endowment for tuition assistance, funding new technology initiatives, and constructing new science labs needed to become an immediate priority in order to ensure the school's long-term survival.

The generosity of more than two hundred SAINTS alumni helped the Academy to raise over $5 million in pledges during its historic Creating a Future capital campaign. The infusion of much needed capital gave SAINTS the opportunity to greatly increase its technological capabilities, offer additional tuition assistance to families, provide funds for faculty enrichment opportunities, create a new Administration Center and the Healey Library Media Center, purchase the former Saint Joseph's Elementary School, landscape the West Campus, and reconstruct the science facilities.

In 2007, Alumni Hall was constructed on the site where once stood St. Joseph's Convent and the Father Barry CYO Center. In September 2007, St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, R.I. held the grand opening and dedication service for Alumni Hall, their new athletic and wellness center. Designed by Vision 3 Architects of Providence, R.I., Alumni Hall replaces the academy’s 80-year old gymnasium.

At the heart of the new facility is the gymnasium. It is the home court for the St. Raphael Saints basketball team, and has two overlapping practice courts, a full size volleyball court, and seating for 850 spectators.

The building also includes a 2,500-square-foot (230 m2) fitness and weight training room with over 30 pieces of equipment ranging from free weights to treadmills. Adjacent to the weight room is a “smart,” multi-purpose classroom for academic classes and team presentations. The lower level contains locker rooms, showers, faculty offices, a conference room, and a new training and treatment center.

The new center enhances the academy’s physical education program. Not only does Alumni Hall house competitive and intramural sports, it provides options for those who do not excel in group sports or regular gym class. The weight and fitness training area, with its combination of cardiovascular equipment, free weights and circuit machines, will be utilized as part of the academy’s educational program for all students.

Alumni

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to High schools and secondary schools.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ NEASC-CIS. "NEASC-Commission on Independent Schools". Retrieved 2009-07-28.

External links