Saint Mary's High School (Colorado Springs)
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's High School is a private
, Roman Catholic high school
located in the Roman Catholic Diocese
of Colorado Springs. St. Mary's colors are Kelly green and white, and its mascot is the Pirate.
in the 1880s, and was founded in 1885 as Loretto Academy by the Sisters of Loretto
, with an initial enrollment of nine female students. Classes were held in local residences, moving numerous times to larger houses as enrollment grew.
In 1889, the Sisters built a school on Sierra Madre, between Kiowa and Bijou, with the fourth floor serving as their residence. In 1897, St. Mary's Catholic Parish built a new church next door to Loretto Academy. In 1902, Loretto Academy was renamed St. Mary's School. At this time enrollment had grown to 250 boys and girls in classes from first grade
through high school
.
1904 saw the first graduation class of St. Mary's School, with two graduates. St. Mary's Parish purchased the school in 1912. In 1950, a new school was built on the southeast corner of Sierra Madre and Kiowa for first through eighth grade
students, and the original building became the high school. A gym was built on the southeast corner of Sierra Madre and Bijou. Near the end of the 1950s, the school phased out the elementary grades to accommodate the larger number of students in the high school. In the late 1960s, the student population outgrew the current facilities, resulting in the building of the Catholic Education Center, which opened on February 2, 1972. Throughout this period the Sisters of Loretto continued to provide the teaching staff of the school.
In the mid 1970s, due to the national shortage of sisters, the teaching staff became predominantly professional educators. On February 11, 1987, with some controversy the Diocese announced the closure of St. Mary's High School due to mounting debt
. A group of parents formed the Committee for Catholic Secondary Education and reopened the school in fall 1987 as a Catholic high school not affiliated with the Diocese, though still renting the original school facilities.
In 1991 the Diocese informed the school they would be selling the school buildings, and a search for a new site was undertaken. The school moved to its current location at 2501 East Yampa Street on August 23, 1992. The site had sufficient room for significant expansion, and the campus was improved with the additions of a chapel
, additional classrooms, the Pirate Cove, stage, gym
nasium, art
and photography
labs, and fitness center. In 2006 the school opened a multi-million dollar sports facility on 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) in the Cragmor neighborhood near the main campus, named the Grace Center for Athletics and Community Service.
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....
located in the Roman Catholic Diocese
Roman Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs is a Roman Catholic diocese in Colorado. The diocese was founded on November 10, 1983.The bishops who have served the diocese are:*Richard Charles Patrick Hanifen...
of Colorado Springs. St. Mary's colors are Kelly green and white, and its mascot is the Pirate.
History
St. Mary's High School was originally envisioned by Father Robert ByrneRobert Byrne
Robert Eugene Byrne is a leading American chess player, a Grandmaster, and a chess author. He won the U.S. Championship in 1972, and was a World Chess Championship Candidate in 1974. Byrne represented the United States nine times in Chess Olympiads from 1952 to 1976 and won seven medals...
in the 1880s, and was founded in 1885 as Loretto Academy by the Sisters of Loretto
Sisters of Loretto
Sisters of Loretto or the Loretto Community is a Catholic religious institution, which, according to their mission statement, "strive[s] to bring the healing Spirit of God into our world" and is committed "to improving the conditions of those who suffer from injustice, oppression, and deprivation...
, with an initial enrollment of nine female students. Classes were held in local residences, moving numerous times to larger houses as enrollment grew.
In 1889, the Sisters built a school on Sierra Madre, between Kiowa and Bijou, with the fourth floor serving as their residence. In 1897, St. Mary's Catholic Parish built a new church next door to Loretto Academy. In 1902, Loretto Academy was renamed St. Mary's School. At this time enrollment had grown to 250 boys and girls in classes from first grade
First grade
First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten...
through 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....
.
1904 saw the first graduation class of St. Mary's School, with two graduates. St. Mary's Parish purchased the school in 1912. In 1950, a new school was built on the southeast corner of Sierra Madre and Kiowa for first through eighth grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
students, and the original building became the high school. A gym was built on the southeast corner of Sierra Madre and Bijou. Near the end of the 1950s, the school phased out the elementary grades to accommodate the larger number of students in the high school. In the late 1960s, the student population outgrew the current facilities, resulting in the building of the Catholic Education Center, which opened on February 2, 1972. Throughout this period the Sisters of Loretto continued to provide the teaching staff of the school.
In the mid 1970s, due to the national shortage of sisters, the teaching staff became predominantly professional educators. On February 11, 1987, with some controversy the Diocese announced the closure of St. Mary's High School due to mounting debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
. A group of parents formed the Committee for Catholic Secondary Education and reopened the school in fall 1987 as a Catholic high school not affiliated with the Diocese, though still renting the original school facilities.
In 1991 the Diocese informed the school they would be selling the school buildings, and a search for a new site was undertaken. The school moved to its current location at 2501 East Yampa Street on August 23, 1992. The site had sufficient room for significant expansion, and the campus was improved with the additions of a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, additional classrooms, the Pirate Cove, stage, gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium, art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
labs, and fitness center. In 2006 the school opened a multi-million dollar sports facility on 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) in the Cragmor neighborhood near the main campus, named the Grace Center for Athletics and Community Service.