Saint Sebastian's School
Encyclopedia
- Not to be confused with St. Sebastian School of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church in Queens County, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
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Saint Sebastian's School, also known colloquially as St. Seb's or Seb's, is an independent, all-boys Catholic secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
located in Needham, Massachusetts
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
on 26 acres (105,218.4 m²), in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
. The school instructs young men in grades seven through twelve. Founded in 1941 by William Cardinal O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell
William Henry O'Connell was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1907 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Early life:...
, Archbishop of Boston, the school is named after Saint Sebastian, the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
who survived an attempted execution by arrows. It is the only Catholic school in the Independent School League
Independent School League (Boston Area)
The Independent School League is composed of sixteen New England preparatory schools that compete athletically and academically. Founded in 1948, the ISL's sixteen member compete in eighteen sports in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference...
. Approximately 350 students are enrolled, with 25% receiving financial aid. Since 1991, and as of 2010, the School headmaster is Mr. William L. Burke III.
Academics
The School features a rigorous academic program focusing on the liberal arts and offers Spanish and Classics courses. Writing is emphasized with numerous courses in the English curriculum, with Freshmen (9th grade) students taking a special class to hone their skills. Public speaking is also emphasized, with each student required to deliver an annual speech during his class's weekly chapel meetings.The student:teacher ratio at St. Sebastian's is 7:1, and 60% of the faculty hold graduate degrees. The average class size is 11. The school offers 20 classes at the Advanced Placement level. Students are all assigned a faculty advisor and at the end of every acamedic quarter, awards for honors students are presented before the school community.
Athletics
St. Sebastian's has a competitive athletic program, with 11 varsity sports, and 35 teams in total. Its school colorsSchool colors
School colors are the colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification. Most schools have two colors, which are usually chosen to avoid conflicts with other schools with which the school competes in sports and other activities...
are red and black, and teams are known as the Arrows. Over the years the Arrows have had an intense rivalry with the Belmont Hill School
Belmont Hill School
Belmont Hill School is a prestigious independent boys school located on a campus in Belmont, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. The school enrolls approximately 440 students in grades 7-12, separated into the Middle School and the Upper School , and refers to these grades as "Forms" with a Roman...
. St. Sebastian's School is a member of the prestigious Independent School League
Independent School League (Boston Area)
The Independent School League is composed of sixteen New England preparatory schools that compete athletically and academically. Founded in 1948, the ISL's sixteen member compete in eighteen sports in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference...
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The school has one of the top ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
programs in the United States, dating to its founding in 1941. The school regularly produces picks in the NHL Entry Draft
NHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements...
, notably, four first round draft picks in its history, the most of any high school in the US. In June 2003 the school was tied for the most picks from a single high school, ever, at four. The team is now coached by Sean McCann, a former Harvard assistant coach and captain, and also a Hobey Baker finalist. St. Sebastian's has produced the most current NHL players of any high school, at four.
The campus rink, the Henry T. Lane Rink, is named in honor of Henry Lane who served the school for over 40 years, first as the Varsity Hockey coach and later the Athletic Director. Lane was also a graduate of St. Sebastian's in the class of 1949. It is a tough place to play for visiting teams due to the student section or "Henry's Corner".
St. Sebastian's has also had great success in recent years with lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
. The School's sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
team was also ranked seventh in the country in 2001. More recently, the varsity baseball team won the ISL championship in 2007, handing Roxbury Latin School
Roxbury Latin School
The Roxbury Latin School is the oldest school in continuous operation in North America. The school was founded in Roxbury, Massachusetts by the Rev. John Eliot under a charter received from King Charles I of England. Since its founding in 1645, it has educated boys on a continuous basis.Located...
MLB prospect Jack McGeary his only loss of the season. Furthermore, the St. Sebastian's varsity golf team achieved back to back undefeated seasons in addition to back to back ISL Championship Victories in 2009 and 2010.
Extracurricular activities
St. Sebastian's has 6 student publications and 32 different clubs and activities.The school newspaper, The Walrus, is published monthly. The school's debate team competes among private secondary schools in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. Other student groups manage The Arrow, the school yearbook, as well as The Quiver, a creative literary magazine, and The St. Sebastian's Journal, a collection of student-written scholarly essays. Other students run the school's closed-circuit television network, perform community service (The Arrow Club and Labels Are For Jars), perform in dramatic productions, compete in such activities as chess, robotics, support students of color (MPA), and advocate against destructive decisions such as drug and alcohol abuse (SADD).
The Guild of St. Irene
The Guild is the school's association for the mothers of students, rather like the PTAParent-Teacher Association
In the U.S. a parent-teacher association or Parent-Teacher-Student Association is a formal organization composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a public or private school. Most public and private K-8 schools in the U.S. have a PTA, a...
. Founded in 1949, the Guild works for the enhancement of St. Sebastian’s School through social events, fund-raising, and volunteer activities. It is named after St. Irene, who befriended and healed St. Sebastian.
Traditions
- Red & Black Day: A field day in which the student body is split into two teams (Red and Black). During the day these teams compete in competitive events like tug-o-war, flag football, wiffleball, frisbee golf, and Jenga. This day promotes school spirit and unity through healthy competition.
- Painting The Hills: On the day before St. Sebastian's homecoming, students paint the numbers and nicknames of the varsity football and soccer players on the hills that overlook the respective fields.
- Unity Day: The Friday after the first quarter ends, students participate in "fishbowl" activities, talk in groups consisting of students in different grades, and listen to some alumni. This day promotes the act of coming together, and becoming more united, especially with students of different races, social backgrounds, interests, and religions.
Sports
- Tony BarrosTony BarrosTony Barros is a Cape Verdean American basketball player with the Cape Verde national basketball team and formerly at the University of Massachusetts Boston. A cousin of former NBA player Dana Barros, Tony Barros helped Cape Verde finishing third in the FIBA Africa Championship 2007...
, player for the Cape VerdeCape VerdeThe Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
national basketball team - Rick DiPietroRick DiPietroRick DiPietro, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League . He was the first overall selection by the Islanders in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft....
, goalie for the New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
hockey team - Mike GrierMike GrierMichael James Grier is a retired professional ice hockey winger who most recently played for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . He has also played professionally for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, and San Jose Sharks...
, right wing for the Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
hockey team - Joe HulbigJoe HulbigJoseph Allan Hulbig is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He played left wing. He was selected in the first round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, 13th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers...
, former National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
forward and Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
first round draft pick - Mike MorrisMike Morris (ice hockey)Mike Morris is a retired American professional ice hockey forward. He was drafted in the first round, twenty-seventh overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks, one of two NHL first round draft choices in history to attend Northeastern University .Morris was a star player at...
, former professional ice hockey player and San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
first round draft pick - Mike Smith, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher - Noah WelchNoah WelchNoah Paul Welch is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for HV71 in the Swedish elite league Elitserien while under contract to the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, defenseman for the Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
team - Brian Boyle (ice hockey)Brian Boyle (ice hockey)Brian Paul Boyle is a professional ice hockey forward for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. He attended St. Sebastian's School in Needham, Massachusetts for high school before moving on to Boston College....
ice hockey forward for the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... - Richard PitinoRichard PitinoRichard Pitino is an assistant coach for the Louisville. He is the son of Louisville's head coach, Rick Pitino.After attending St. Sebastian's School in Needham, MA, Richard Pitino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history at Providence College in 2005...
assistant men's basketball coach at the University of FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. - Doug Rogers draft pick of New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. - Matt Perry infielder for the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
- Carl CorazziniCarl CorazziniCarl Robert Corazzini is an American ice hockey player who plays for the Straubing Tigers in DEL, Germany. He played previously for Pelicans in SM-Liiga, Finland in 2009/10. In the same year he went to ERC Ingolstadt, DEL....
former National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
forward - Matt Duffy draft pick of Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
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