St. Joseph Hill Academy
Encyclopedia
St. Joseph Hill High School is a private all girls school in the Arrochar
neighborhood of Staten Island, New York. Located on a scenic 14 acres (56,656 m²) campus (which eponymously stands atop a hill, providing views of the Manhattan skyline), the school serves approximately 400 young women in the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades and is accompanied by a coeducational wing for students in pre-K through 8th. Founded and operated by the Daughters of Divine Charity
, the school is independent of the Archdiocese of New York. However, a majority of the school population is Roman Catholic.
The first secondary level classes of the Academy were begun in 1930, and the first official Commencement Exercises were held for six high school graduates in June 1934. At that time, the Academy was affiliated with the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. In 1938, the high school department of St. Joseph Hill Academy received its charter of recognition and full accreditation from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.
Since its foundation, multiple projects have been undertaken to provide for the ever-growing needs of the Academy. The rapid pace of the school’s growth was the prime factor which influenced Mother M. Fidelis Babos, then Provincial Superior of the Daughters of Divine Charity, to formulate plans for the erection of a new high school wing to be added to the already existing elementary school building, which had been dedicated in 1953.
Accordingly, on August 26, 1956, the groundbreaking ceremony took place for the erection of the present building. On March 23, 1957, Most Reverend Joseph M. Pernicone, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, laid the cornerstone. The formal dedication of the high school building took place on May 22, 1958, conducted by His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York.
A new construction project begun in 1999 was completed during the 2000-2001 school year. A new gymnasium, four additional high school classrooms and a distance-learning lab, to enhance our WITAC program, were added to our facilities.
The most recent addition to the institution was made in 2009 with the development of the annex building, Madonna Hall. The building was named after the Virgin Mary although its students joke that it is a reference to the musician. Drivers education classes are also held on campus in this building.
In September 2002, another of Hill's technology goals was realized - the installation and completion of a videoconferencing and distance learning center. Short-term, the school will use the center to bring guest-speakers, expert lecturers, and field trips to its students. Long-term, the school intends to form partnerships with other high schools as well as colleges and universities to both provide and receive content and instruction that would otherwise be unavailable to either Hill students or those of Hill's distance learning partners.
Since the beginning of these technological advances, students have been able to expand their knowledge outside of the classroom into other states and museums. Students are able to interact with experts on various subjects that bring them to museums with one of kind artifacts and unique sculptures that they would otherwise not be able to see. It is an easy process that connects students with people who are skilled in what they do. The distance learning lab has opened the eyes of many Hilltoppers to the theatre of Shakespeare to sculptures of World Religions.
ELECTIVES:
A.P. Art History, Accounting, Creative Writing, Introduction to Law, Sociology*, AP Psychology*, World Religions*, Theology*, Musical Theatre*/Opera*, *may also be taken for college credit.
Regents diploma with advanced designation is earned by scoring 65 or above on the following Regents Examinations: Math A
, Global Studies
, Living Environment, English
, American History, Math B
, Foreign Language
and Physical Setting (Chemistry
) and a minimum 22 credits. Students maintaining a 90% average in these exams will earn a Regents Diploma Advanced Designation with Honors.
and matching blazer
with a white shirt
, white stockings, and oxfords or saddle shoes. Postman blue pants are worn the winter, with a navy sweater. Black or navy knee-length coats are worn in the winter; and students may only accessorize in white, black, gray, and navy. Accessories are limited to 2 gold or silver posts (earrings), a simple cross (necklace) or religious medal, and a simple hair-tie. Only Juniors and Seniors may wear the school ring and use a moderate amount/shade of lipstick and blush. All other types of make-up/accessories are prohibited.
Department of Sanitation. They won first prize in the city and the award for the borough
of Staten Island
. The school's Trashbuster team cleaned up the Staten Island
beaches and Clove Lake Park, removed graffiti, and cleared litter in the neighborhood around the school on a regular basis. In addition, the girls planted bulbs and plants throughout the year. The $6,000 prize will be used for beautification and educational purposes.
• The St. Joseph Hill Academy School Song is sung at the end of every assembly and awards ceremony:
Come! Join and sing the praises of a school, We never can forget; Though we may wander far, She'll be our guiding star. Let's sing once again the story of the white and blue, Pledging our Alma Mater, ever to be true.
(Refrain)
All hail! St. Joseph Hill! Keep her standards flying high. Hail! St. Joseph Hill! May her glory never die. We pledge our loyalty, to her honor tried and true, For there'll never wave any flag quite as brave, As the white and the blue! Long after we have parted, when we leave these old familiar halls; We'll keep the memory, of days that used to be, And though time may bring its measures both of laughter and tears, We'll find our Alma Mater Standing through the years
(Refrain)
Arrochar, Staten Island
Arrochar is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. It is located directly inland of Fort Wadsworth and South Beach, on the east side of Hylan Boulevard south of the Staten Island Expressway; the community of Grasmere borders it on the west...
neighborhood of Staten Island, New York. Located on a scenic 14 acres (56,656 m²) campus (which eponymously stands atop a hill, providing views of the Manhattan skyline), the school serves approximately 400 young women in the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades and is accompanied by a coeducational wing for students in pre-K through 8th. Founded and operated by the Daughters of Divine Charity
Daughters of Divine Charity
The Daughters of Divine Charity are an order of Roman Catholic religious sisters with a mother house in Vienna.-History:Mother Franziska Lechner began her work in 1868 in Vienna, Austria by opening St. Mary's Homes for working girls during the European Industrial Revolution...
, the school is independent of the Archdiocese of New York. However, a majority of the school population is Roman Catholic.
History
The school began in March 1920, with the purchase of the 14 acres (56,656 m²) estate of Mr. William Knauth by Reverend Mother M. Kostka Bauer. In May of that year, the Daughters of Divine Charity arrived on Staten Island and in the fall inaugurated tutoring classes for a group of twenty-five children who had come to them during the summer. These classes led to the institution of the Academy. During the school's early years, it was also a boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
The first secondary level classes of the Academy were begun in 1930, and the first official Commencement Exercises were held for six high school graduates in June 1934. At that time, the Academy was affiliated with the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. In 1938, the high school department of St. Joseph Hill Academy received its charter of recognition and full accreditation from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.
Since its foundation, multiple projects have been undertaken to provide for the ever-growing needs of the Academy. The rapid pace of the school’s growth was the prime factor which influenced Mother M. Fidelis Babos, then Provincial Superior of the Daughters of Divine Charity, to formulate plans for the erection of a new high school wing to be added to the already existing elementary school building, which had been dedicated in 1953.
Accordingly, on August 26, 1956, the groundbreaking ceremony took place for the erection of the present building. On March 23, 1957, Most Reverend Joseph M. Pernicone, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, laid the cornerstone. The formal dedication of the high school building took place on May 22, 1958, conducted by His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York.
A new construction project begun in 1999 was completed during the 2000-2001 school year. A new gymnasium, four additional high school classrooms and a distance-learning lab, to enhance our WITAC program, were added to our facilities.
The most recent addition to the institution was made in 2009 with the development of the annex building, Madonna Hall. The building was named after the Virgin Mary although its students joke that it is a reference to the musician. Drivers education classes are also held on campus in this building.
Technology
In 1999, St. Joseph Hill Academy met the challenge of incorporating technology into education by designing and implementing the WITAC (Women Integrating Technology And Curriculum) program. The program requires that all students purchase laptops (from a common laptop service provider) for use in each of the major curriculum areas.In September 2002, another of Hill's technology goals was realized - the installation and completion of a videoconferencing and distance learning center. Short-term, the school will use the center to bring guest-speakers, expert lecturers, and field trips to its students. Long-term, the school intends to form partnerships with other high schools as well as colleges and universities to both provide and receive content and instruction that would otherwise be unavailable to either Hill students or those of Hill's distance learning partners.
Since the beginning of these technological advances, students have been able to expand their knowledge outside of the classroom into other states and museums. Students are able to interact with experts on various subjects that bring them to museums with one of kind artifacts and unique sculptures that they would otherwise not be able to see. It is an easy process that connects students with people who are skilled in what they do. The distance learning lab has opened the eyes of many Hilltoppers to the theatre of Shakespeare to sculptures of World Religions.
Academics
The course of studies at St. Joseph Hill Academy is primarily an academic one, designed to fulfill college entrance requirements. It conforms to the directives of the New York State Board of Regents. In accordance with a rigorous college preparatory course of studies, students are scheduled for and expected to earn a Regents diploma with advanced designation.- Religious Studies I,II,III,IV
- English I,II,III,IV, A.P. English (Literature); A.P. English (Language)
- Global Studies I & II, American History, Government/Economics, A.P European History, A.P. American History*, A.P. Government,/Economics
- Algebra or Alg/Geo, Geometry or Geometry/Alg 2, Algebra 2/Trig or Trig/PreCalculus, A.P. Calculus, Honors Calculus, PreCalulus/College Algebra*
- Biology, Chemistry, Physics, A.P. Biology, College Physics*, Forensic Science*/Archeology*, Anatomy & Physiology
- Modern Language I,II,III,IV (Spanish, French, Italian); College Spanish Conversation
- Music Appreciation
- Computer Applications
- Health and Physical Education
ELECTIVES:
A.P. Art History, Accounting, Creative Writing, Introduction to Law, Sociology*, AP Psychology*, World Religions*, Theology*, Musical Theatre*/Opera*, *may also be taken for college credit.
Regents diploma with advanced designation is earned by scoring 65 or above on the following Regents Examinations: Math A
Mathematics education in New York
New York State Math education in regards to both content and teaching method can vary depending on the type of school a person attends. Private school math education varies from school to school whereas New York has State wide public school requirements where standardized tests are used to...
, Global Studies
Global Studies
Global studies, in its broadest definition is the academic study of political, economic, social and cultural relationships of the world. Furthermore, it can also include the study of political and cultural processes, the impacts of globalisation, markets and communications. Global Studies...
, Living Environment, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, American History, Math B
Mathematics education in New York
New York State Math education in regards to both content and teaching method can vary depending on the type of school a person attends. Private school math education varies from school to school whereas New York has State wide public school requirements where standardized tests are used to...
, Foreign Language
Foreign language
A foreign language is a language indigenous to another country. It is also a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to, i.e. an English speaker living in Japan can say that Japanese is a foreign language to him or her...
and Physical Setting (Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
) and a minimum 22 credits. Students maintaining a 90% average in these exams will earn a Regents Diploma Advanced Designation with Honors.
Uniform
The school uniform has not changed much since its inception. Today, it consists of a postman blue skirtSkirt
A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped garment that hangs from the waist and covers all or part of the legs.In the western world, skirts are usually considered women's clothing. However, there are exceptions...
and matching blazer
Blazer
A blazer is a type of jacket. The term blazer occasionally is synonymous with boating jacket and sports jacket, two different garments. A blazer resembles a suit coat cut more casually — sometimes with flap-less patch pockets and metal buttons. A blazer's cloth is usually durable , because it is an...
with a white shirt
Shirt
A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for almost any garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers...
, white stockings, and oxfords or saddle shoes. Postman blue pants are worn the winter, with a navy sweater. Black or navy knee-length coats are worn in the winter; and students may only accessorize in white, black, gray, and navy. Accessories are limited to 2 gold or silver posts (earrings), a simple cross (necklace) or religious medal, and a simple hair-tie. Only Juniors and Seniors may wear the school ring and use a moderate amount/shade of lipstick and blush. All other types of make-up/accessories are prohibited.
Awards
St. Joseph Hill Academy High School was recognized for Academic Excellence by the National Catholic High School Honor Roll. Hilltoppers won the 2006 Golden Apple Award sponsored by the New York CityNew York City
New 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...
Department of Sanitation. They won first prize in the city and the award for the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. The school's Trashbuster team cleaned up the Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
beaches and Clove Lake Park, removed graffiti, and cleared litter in the neighborhood around the school on a regular basis. In addition, the girls planted bulbs and plants throughout the year. The $6,000 prize will be used for beautification and educational purposes.
Trivia
- The school mascot is the koalaKoalaThe koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
, a costumed version of which parades at games and pep rallies under the guise of "Kiki". Students, however, are more commonly known as Hilltoppers. - The school motto is Summum Bonum - Latin for "the highest good."
- A daughter of June HavocJune HavocJune Havoc was a Canadian-born American actress, dancer, writer, and theater director. Havoc was a child Vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother. She later acted on Broadway and in Hollywood and stage directed . She last appeared on television in 1990 on General Hospital...
, and thus niece of Gypsy Rose LeeGypsy Rose LeeGypsy Rose Lee was an American burlesque entertainer famous for her striptease act. She was also an actress, author, and playwright whose 1957 memoir was made into the stage musical and film Gypsy.-Early life:...
, was a boarder at the school during the mid-20th century. - The school's award-winning forensics team has been coached by Sister Raimonde Bartus, F.D.C. for nearly five decades. In 2002, she was inducted into the National Forensic LeagueNational Forensic LeagueThe National Forensic League is a non-partisan, non-profit educational honor society established to encourage and motivate American high school students to participate in and become proficient in the forensic arts: debate, public speaking and interpretation. NFL is the America's oldest and largest...
Hall of Fame. * For the past twenty-five years, St. Joseph Hill, students have co-coordinated the annual Superdance with brother school Monsignor Farrell High SchoolMonsignor Farrell High SchoolMonsignor Farrell High School is a Catholic secondary school located in the Oakwood section of Staten Island, New York. Opened in 1961, the school was named in honor of Monsignor Joseph Farrell, a prominent Catholic priest, as well as a religious, political and community leader on Staten Island.The...
. The Superdance, a 12-hour event held every March for the Muscular Dystrophy AssociationMuscular Dystrophy AssociationThe Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
, is the nation's leading student fundraiser for the disease. The 2009 dance alone raised $220,226. Executives of the student committee appear yearly on Jerry LewisJerry LewisJerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
' Labor DayLabor DayLabor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
telethon to present the check. - St. Joseph Hill Academy received its name from the statue of St. Joseph at the top of the campus hill.
- The hilltop campus was designed by Frederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law OlmstedFrederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, famous for designing 355 school and university campuses and renowned for his landscape designs for Central ParkCentral ParkCentral Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, Prospect ParkProspect Park (Brooklyn)Prospect Park is a 585-acre public park in the New York City borough of Brooklyn located between Park Slope, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Kensington, Windsor Terrace and Flatbush Avenue, Grand Army Plaza and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden...
, and Riverside ParkRiverside Park (Manhattan)Riverside Park is a scenic waterfront public park on the Upper West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The park consists of a narrow four-mile strip of land between the Hudson River and the gently...
to name a few.
• The St. Joseph Hill Academy School Song is sung at the end of every assembly and awards ceremony:
Come! Join and sing the praises of a school, We never can forget; Though we may wander far, She'll be our guiding star. Let's sing once again the story of the white and blue, Pledging our Alma Mater, ever to be true.
(Refrain)
All hail! St. Joseph Hill! Keep her standards flying high. Hail! St. Joseph Hill! May her glory never die. We pledge our loyalty, to her honor tried and true, For there'll never wave any flag quite as brave, As the white and the blue! Long after we have parted, when we leave these old familiar halls; We'll keep the memory, of days that used to be, And though time may bring its measures both of laughter and tears, We'll find our Alma Mater Standing through the years
(Refrain)