Holyoke Catholic High School

Holyoke Catholic High School

The new Holyoke Catholic High School in Chicopee, Mass.
Address
134 Springfield Street
Chicopee, Massachusetts, (Hampden County) 01013
United States
Coordinates 42°8′45″N 72°36′18″W / 42.14583°N 72.60500°W / 42.14583; -72.60500Coordinates: 42°8′45″N 72°36′18″W / 42.14583°N 72.60500°W / 42.14583; -72.60500
Information
Type Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic,
Sisters of St. Joseph
Established 1963
Principal Mrs. Maryann Linnehan
Faculty 24
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 275 (2014)
Average class size 18-24
Color(s) Green and Gold         
Slogan That All May Be One.
Team name Gaels
Accreditation New England Association of Schools and Colleges[1]
Average SAT scores 1690
Yearbook Unitas
Tuition $8,800
Alumni 7,400+
Academic Dean Cynthia Geiger
Athletic Director John M. Goda
Advancement Director & Alumni Relations Taylor Johnson
Website www.holyokecatholichigh.org

Holyoke Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.

Background

stone in remembrance of original location, Holyoke
present day Mara Hall at original location, Holyoke

In the early part of the 20th century many Roman Catholic churches started schools to educate children of their parish. Though the schools were relatively successful, they were small and it was difficult for small parish high schools to offer competitive athletic programs.

Monsignor Timothy J. Leary, headmaster and athletic director at St. Jerome High School in Holyoke, had the idea to bring parish teams together to play as one so they could compete against larger high schools. In the fall of 1947, the parish high schools of Holy Rosary, Sacred Heart, and St. Jerome played sports for the first time under the banner of Holyoke Catholic. “So that all may be one” was the motto for Holyoke Catholic.

The athletic partnership proved successful and in 1963 the Diocese of Springfield would officially merge the three parish high schools to form one school, Holyoke Catholic High School. Later, the high school Precious Blood Parish would also join Holyoke Catholic.

Holyoke Catholic High School, although composed of students from the four founding schools, began to serve an increasing number of students from throughout western Massachusetts. Neighboring cities and towns saw Holyoke Catholic as an option in education, and the school grew into a larger regional high school.

At first the school was located in the building at St. Jerome Parish in Holyoke. Soon, however, the school found the need to use other buildings in the neighboring area. Temporary trailers were also brought in to accommodate a student population from throughout western Massachusetts. After several decades of use, the buildings' condition had deteriorated, and the school was slated to be closed. However, a grassroots campaign to save the school was started and led by four alumni ( Jeffrey Trask, Michael Beauchemin, Jay Green, and Jay Bonci).[2] Eventually, a temporary location was found.[3] During the summer of 2002, the school moved to the site of the former St. Hyacinth Seminary in Granby, Massachusetts.[4] Holyoke Catholic stayed in Granby for six years. The campus, though large, was isolated, and the search for a more suitable permanent home continued.

In 2008, the Assumption Parish School property near Elms College on Springfield Street in Chicopee was selected and in this location a new school was constructed. As a part of the move, a partnership with Elms College involving the use of some Elms facilities and the opportunity for Holyoke Catholic upperclassmen to take courses at Elms.

Despite the moves to Granby and Chicopee, the school still uses St. Jerome Parish in Holyoke for its commencement ceremonies.

Board of Trustees

Mr. David J. O'Connor, Chair - Mr. Jeffrey A. Trask, Vice Chair - Mrs. Theresa Kitchell, Principal - Sr. M. Andrea Ciszewski,FSSJ, Superintendent - Mrs. Christine Duval - Mr. Skal Guidi - Sr. Carol Hebert, SSJ - Mr. Kevin Kervick - Mr. Gerald Korona - Mr. George Moreau - Mrs. Janice Peters - Sr. Mary Reap, IHM, Ph. D - Sr. Mary Shea,SSJ - Mrs. Lisa C. Siddall, Esq. -Mr. Michael Sobon - Mr. Charles Swider - Ms. Karen Turcotte - Mr. Michael Williams [5]

Athletics

Holyoke Catholic High School is part of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), an organization of 368 high schools which sponsor athletic activities in 33 sports.

The school's athletic mascot is a gael, a reflection on the school's Irish background. The school's colors are green and gold.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ NEASC-CIS. "NEASC-Commission on Independent Schools". Retrieved 2009-07-28.
  2. ↑ http://www.masslive.com/news/parchives/ho710cav.html
  3. ↑ The people make known their will Union-News (Springfield, MA) - Thursday, July 18, 2002 Author: MIKE BURKE, STAFF: Union-News (Springfield, Mass.)
  4. ↑ Holyoke Catholic to move to Granby - Former seminary to host school 3-5 years Union-News (Springfield, MA) - Wednesday, July 17, 2002 Author: DAVID REID; GONTER, STAFF: Union-News (Springfield, Mass.)
  5. ↑ http://www.gaels.org
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