Archbishop Wood Catholic High School

Archbishop Wood Catholic High School
Address
Map
655 York Road

Warminster
,
(Bucks County)
,
Pennsylvania
18974

United States
Coordinates40°12′33″N 75°5′56″W / 40.20917°N 75.09889°W / 40.20917; -75.09889
Information
TypePrivate, Coeducational
MottoCoronam Fidelitas Merebit
(Faithfulness Merits the Crown)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1964
PresidentGary Zimmaro
PrincipalCloe O’Grady
ChaplainRev. David O'Brien
Staff85
Faculty56
Grades9–12
Enrollment840[2] (2021)
Campus size32 acres (130,000 m2)
Color(s)Black, Green and Gold    
Athletics conferencePhiladelphia Catholic League
Team nameVikings
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
NewspaperThe Viking Voice
Tuition$10,500
AffiliationArchdiocese of Philadelphia
Websitewww.archwood.org

Archbishop Wood Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The school was founded in 1964 in Warminster Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It sits on thirty-two acre tract of land and maintains various athletic fields on its campus, as well as a daycare facility, and a home for retired diocesan priests. It is accredited by both the National Catholic Educational Association[3] and Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

School History

Construction began on the campus of Archbishop Wood High Schools in the spring of 1963.[4] It opened its doors to students in the fall of 1964, accepting freshman and sophomore transfers for the first years.[5] It was originally designated as two separate schools, identical in their structure and management, one of boys and girls respectively. Wood was given its named after Philadelphia's 19th-century Archbishop James Frederick Bryan Wood.[6] At its maximum capacity in 1978 it had 2456 students enrolled.

Archbishop Wood High School for boys was among a handful of schools that Buckminster Fuller gave speaking engagements at in 1975.[7]

As of 2016 the campus also includes a childcare center in the former convent which it runs as a joint venture with Nativity of Our Lord Parish, which it neighbors.[8]

Academics

Over 98% of Wood students take the SATs each year, with the average SAT score for its student body at 1200.[9] 75% of the graduating class attend a four-year college, while 19% attend a two-year college. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1 as of 2022.[10]

The school currently offers thirteen Advanced Placement courses available for college-level credit available to juniors and seniors. The school also offers its St. Thomas More Honors program to select students enrolled to assist in college preparation.[11]

Athletics

Archbishop Wood has been a member of the Philadelphia Catholic League since its opening in 1964. It offers various athletics including: Football, Boys & Girls Soccer, Boys & Girls Cross-Country, Field Hockey, Wrestling, Boys & Girls Basketball, Volleyball, Boys & Girls Indoor Track, Bowling, Baseball, Softball, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Boys & Girls Track, Boys & Girls Swimming, Tennis, Golf, and Club Hockey. Archbishop Wood also utilizes adjacent fields at Munro Park in Warminster and also at neighboring William Tennent High School.[12]

Since opening Wood has fielded various championship athletic teams. These Include:

  • Boys Soccer: 2004 (PCL), 2014 (PCL; District XII AAA)
  • Girls Soccer: 1995 (PCL), 2010 (PCL AA, District XII), 2011 (PCL AA)
  • Girls Volleyball: 2010 (PCL, District XII)
  • Football: 1974 (PCL, City), 1978 (PCL), 2008 (AAA), 2009 (PCL AAA, District 12 AAA), 2010 (PCL AAA, District 12 AAA), 2011 (PCL AAA, PIAA Class AAA State Champions), 2012 (PCL AAA, District 12 AAA)
  • Baseball: 1990 (PCL), 1993 (PCL), 2009b, 2010b (District 12 AAA)
  • Boys Swimming: 2011 (PCL, District XII)
  • Boys Cross Country: 1969 (PCL, City), 1979 (PCL), 1983 (PCL), 1984 (PCL), 1986 (PCL), 1987 (PCL), 1988 (PCL), 1990 (PCL), 1991 (PCL), 1995 (PCL)
  • Girls Cross Country: 1995 (PCL), 1996 (PCL), 1997 (PCL), 2010 (PCL, District XII), 2011 (PCL)
  • Ice Hockey: 2002
  • Girls Swimming: 2008 (PCL), 2011 (District XII)
  • Girls Basketball: 1982 (PCL), 2010 (PIAA AAA Class State Champions), 2011 (PCL, PIAA Class AAA State Champions), 2012 (PIAA AAA State Champions), 2017 (PIAA AAAAA State Champions)
  • Boys Basketball: 2017 (PIAA AAAAA State Champions)
  • Wrestling: 1980 (PCL, City), 1986 (PCL), 1988 (PCL), 2002 (PCL), 2018 (PCL, District XII)

Wood has also competed in the National High School Cheerleading Championship, finishing with a bronze medalist in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. State Finalist 20117, 2018. 2010 (PCL), 2011 States Medium Varsity Division, 2012 National High School Cheerleading Championship Bid Recipient Medium Varsity Division, Ranked 5th in the Nation at NHSCC, 2013 PIAA State Finalist ranked No. 7, 2013 District 12 Medium Champion, 2013 National Finalist Top 12.

Religious communities

From its founding 1964 Wood was staffed by various Catholic religious houses who resided on the property itself. While the school was split by sex the boys' school was staffed by priests and the girls' school by nuns. Over the years various religious communities have run the administration of the school itself, including the Fathers of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM),[13] Vincentian Fathers (CM),[14][15] Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales (OSFS),[16] Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), Sisters of Saint Joseph (SSJ),[17] Religious Sisters of Mercy (RSM),[18] and the Religious of the Assumption (RA).[19] The Belgian Missionhurst Friars who originally staffed the boys' school in 1964 were transfers from Brussels[20][21] and had previously been instrumental in the native resistance to the occupation of the country by Nazi Germany. The male religious orders left the school in 1991, the IHM sisters left the grounds in 2001.[22] Wood continues to have religious in its faculty proper, but is mainly staffed by laity.

Notable alumni

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ MSA-CSS. "MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools". Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  2. ^ "Embrace 'love, peace and thankfulness,' archbishop tells Wood HS community". Catholic Philly.
  3. ^ "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for ARCHBISHOP WOOD HIGH SCHOOL".
  4. ^ "The Catholic Standard and Times 8 March 1963 — Catholic Research Resources Alliance". thecatholicnewsarchive.org.
  5. ^ "The Catholic Standard and Times 14 May 1965 — Catholic Research Resources Alliance". thecatholicnewsarchive.org.
  6. ^ "Catholic News Service - Newsfeeds 4 August 1964 — Catholic Research Resources Alliance".
  7. ^ Buckminster Fuller, R. (1973). "Richard Buckminster Fuller Basic Biography".
  8. ^ "Parish and high school partner to open childcare center".
  9. ^ "Explore Archbishop Wood High School".
  10. ^ "Archbishop Wood High School (2022-23 Profile) | Warminster, PA". 4 April 2024.
  11. ^ "St. Thomas More Honors Program".
  12. ^ "Field Locations".
  13. ^ "Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 1845-1967". Lancaster, Pa., Dolphin Press. 1967.
  14. ^ Rybolt, John E. The Vincentians: A General History of the Congregation of the Mission: Volume 6 - Internationalization and Aggiornamento: 1878-1919. New City Press. ISBN 9781565486393.
  15. ^ "The Catholic Standard and Times 2 June 1967 — Catholic Research Resources Alliance".
  16. ^ "The Official Catholic Directory for the Year of Our Lord". 1989.
  17. ^ The Official Catholic Directory: Anno Domini 1999. National Register. May 1999. ISBN 9780872179875.
  18. ^ "The Official Catholic Directory for the Year of Our Lord". 1982.
  19. ^ "History and Mission".
  20. ^ "Joseph Jules Dewaele". 9 March 2021.
  21. ^ "b Priest Jubilarians -b - Arlington Catholic Herald".
  22. ^ "The official Catholic directory for the year of Our Lord". 1999.
  23. ^ "Andrew Allen Keeps Living Fast". JerseyMan Magazine. October 11, 2017.
  24. ^ Directory of Federal Court Guidelines. Wolters Kluwer. January 1996. ISBN 9781567062960.
  25. ^ "Short, Sad Life of Terri Schiavo". CBS News. 31 March 2005.
  26. ^ "SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Nation -- Pennsylvania school asks students to pray for alumna in right-to-die case". legacy.utsandiego.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  27. ^ "Irene Molloy". IMDb.
  28. ^ "Glen Christian Foster". www.fluehr.com.
  29. ^ Gabriella Sacidor (June 19, 2014). "Northeast Philadelphia Native Gets His Shot At The Big Leagues". CBS Philly. KYW-TV. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  30. ^ "Two Archbishop Wood Stars Commit To Penn State". 3 March 2014.
  31. ^ "Archbishop Wood graduate Anthony Russo set to play professional football in XFL". PhillyBurbs.
  32. ^ Gallen, Daniel (September 17, 2016). "Archbishop Wood's Mark Webb feels 'at home' with Georgia commitment". pennlive.
  33. ^ "Archbishop Wood basketball star Collin Gillespie signs with Villanova". NBCSports.com. NBC Sports. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  34. ^ Domowitch, Paul (29 April 2021). "Archbishop Wood's Kyle Pitts taken No. 4 by Falcons in NFL draft, becomes highest drafted tight end in league history". www.inquirer.com.
  35. ^ Josh Verlin (18 August 2023). "Crazy year puts Archbishop Wood product Andrew Funk in NBA range". City of Basketball Love.
  36. ^ "Jalil Bethea making history at Archbishop Wood High School". 6abc Philadelphia. 10 February 2024.