John S. Burke Catholic High School, referred to locally as Burke or Burke Catholic, is a private

Private school

Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...

, Roman Catholic high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 in Goshen, New York

Goshen (village), New York

Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...

. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...

. It is the only Catholic high school located in Orange County

Orange County, New York

Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...

. The school's colors are blue and white, with their sports team the Burke Eagles carrying on those colors. Occasionally, silver is added to the school's colors. The motto is "Non Vox Sed Votum", Latin for "Not Words But Deeds".
Monsignor James Byrnes has been the principal of John S. Burke Catholic since 2001, and one of his main accomplishments was bringing the arts to the school. In May 2008, connecting acres of land to the school were bought by the Archdiocese. These acres will be used for larger sport fields and an auditorium. The school has been in the midst of a contract struggle for many months, and the Archdiocese has recently announced that it is ceasing funding of John S. Burke Catholic High School. Currently, a struggle between Alumni and students versus the administration has erupted over controversy due to lay-offs of particular teachers.

Background

Burke Catholic was established in 1899. The school was staffed by the Sisters of Charity

Sisters of Charity

Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity as part of their name. The rule of Saint Vincent for the Daughters of Charity has been adopted and adapted by at least sixty founders of religious orders around the world in the subsequent centuries....

. The school was renamed for John Stephen Burke, a local philanthropist, in 1964.

Student life

Students are required to wear uniforms on a daily basis. The freshmen and sophomore classes all wear maroon sweaters; the boys wear maroon ties and the girls with grey and maroon plaid skirts. The juniors and seniors wear navy blue sweaters, with the boys with navy blue ties and the girls with grey skirts. The seniors also have the privilege to wear a senior vest.

Some extracurricular activities that students can participate in are the Drama Club, Social Awareness, Computer Club, Yearbook, and others. Many students also take part in the available sport programs. Most recently, in February 2010, the Burke Catholic Eagles were crowned New York State Class B Champions (NYSPHAA) with a 62-52 victory over Potsdam.

Throughout the year, commonly during spring break, optional trips are organized by various teachers. These have included Greece/Italy, Canada, France, England/Scotland, and others including a trip to the Dominican Republic to help those in impoverished conditions.

Demographics

In the 2008-2009 school year, there is a total of 598 students attending Burke. There are 196 freshmen, 176 sophomores, 114 juniors, and 156 seniors. 88.2% of the student population are Caucasian, 5.01% are Black, 4.34% are Hispanic, 2% are Asian/Pacific Islander, and 0.5% are American Indian/Alaskan.

Contract Struggle

Since August 31, 2007, the teachers at Burke Catholic have been operating without a contract. Their union, the Lay Faculty Association, and the Archdiocese of New York have been negotiating for over a year with no results. Teachers picketed throughout the 2007-2008 school year and a sick-out was held on January 10, 2008. Though as of late there have not been any picketing or sick-outs, the teachers are still operating without a contract.

Operating Independently of the Archdiocese

On January 27, 2009, it was announced that the Archdiocese of New York would cease funding of all Catholic high schools, including John S. Burke Catholic High School. While some believe that this is a move to break up the union, the Archdiocese says this action stems from a desire for a more efficient operation of the schools and financial difficulties.

Lay-Off Controversy

In late April 2010, it was announced that a long-time teacher and girl's basketball coach would not have his contract renewed for the 2010-2011 school year; subsequently it was revealed that other teachers would not have their contracts renewed. Organized protests and pickets resulted. A representative for the five affected faculty members accused the school of "vindictive" actions aimed at the teachers' union, while the school cited a drop in enrollment and tuition as the reason for layoffs.

External links

• School Website
• Football Website