St. Ignatius College Preparatory
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the high school in San Francisco, California. For the similarly-named high school in Chicago, Illinois, see St. Ignatius College Prep.
| Saint Ignatius College Preparatory |
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| Motto | Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam "For the Greater Glory of God" |
| Established | 1855 |
| Type | Coeducational Jesuit Secondary School |
| President | Fr. Robert T. Walsh, S.J. |
| Faculty | 107 |
| Students | 1,400 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | San Francisco, CA United States |
| Campus | Urban |
| Mascot | Wildcats |
| Yearbook | The Ignatian |
| Newspaper | Inside SI |
| Website | www.siprep.org |
St. Ignatius College Preparatory, is a preparatory school in the Jesuit tradition serving the San Francisco Bay Area since 1855. Located in the Sunset District of San Francisco, St. Ignatius is one of the oldest secondary schools in the U.S. state of California. It is known also as S.I., or simply "The Prep" to San Franciscans.
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[edit] History
St. Ignatius was founded as a one-room schoolhouse on Market Street by Fr. Anthony Maraschi, a Jesuit priest, just after the California Gold Rush in 1855. Maraschi paid $11,000 for the property which was to become the original church and schoolhouse. The church opened on July 15, 1855, and three months later, on October 15, the school opened its doors to its first students.
SI was originally the high school division of what later became the University of San Francisco, but it has since split from the university and changed locations five times due to the growth of the student body and natural disaster. In 1880, SI moved its campus to a prime location on Van Ness Street in the heart of San Francisco, and by 1883, SI had become the largest Jesuit school in the nation. Within 26 years of the relocation, however, St. Ignatius would be completely destroyed. Though the school would survive the tremors of the 1906 earthquake, the subsequent fires destroyed the school and church, forcing SI to find a new location near Golden Gate Park.
In 1927, the high school and university formally separated. Two years later, SI relocated its campus once more to Stanyan Street. In 1969, SI's current campus opened its doors to students and has been educating the youth of the Bay Area ever since. Though originally founded as an all-boys school, SI became coeducational in 1989 and is now home to 1,400 students. SI celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005.
[edit] Academics
To prepare students for college, St. Ignatius requires coursework in English, mathematics, social science, physical science, foreign language, fine arts, physical education, and religious studies. St. Ignatius also provides more in-depth honors courses and Advanced Placement courses, which may be used for college credit with a passing score. In 2006, 541 SI students took 1,220 AP tests with a pass rate of 74.26 percent. SI ranks among the top three schools in Northern California and has ranked among the top 20 schools in the nation for its AP success.
The average SAT score for the St. Ignatius class of 2005 was 1209, which is well above the national and state averages of 1028 and 1020. Nearly every SI graduate attends college, with over 96% of its graduating class attending a 4-year institution, including many in the University of California system and the Ivy League. Since 1984, SI has been ranked as one of the nation’s top-60 prep schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
[edit] Student body
St. Ignatius attracts a diverse student body from all parts of the Bay Area, including the San Francisco city limits, Marin County, the East Bay, and San Francisco Peninsula. In 2005, the ethnic makeup of the student body was 57% White, 12% Filipino, 10% Asian, 10% Hispanic, 6% Black, and 5% other. In order to make it possible for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds to attend, SI offered $1.3 million of financial aid in 2005-06. Approximately 20% of the student body receives financial aid, with the average award totalling just over $5,000.
[edit] Campus Ministry
A major part of the development of the total person at St. Ignatius -mind, body, and heart- occurs through the Campus Ministry programs. Campus Ministry offers liturgical programs, from the Mass of the Holy Spirit, which begins the school year, to the Baccalaureate Liturgy, which concludes the senior's SI experience. Our program includes numerous opportunities for the sacraments, for spiritual direction, and for translating faith into action.
Student Retreats
Student retreats, with active student participation at all grade levels, are the heart of S.I.'s Campus Ministry program. The Frosh and Sophomores, participation is mandatory, while Juniors and Seniors are given strong encouragement to attend through exemptions from classes and teacher cooperation on missed assignments. Because the school believes so strongly in the value of these retreats, there is no additional cost to the students or their parents. We believe this is one of the things that makes S.I. unique, as it helps build a strong sense of community.
Frosh Day of Recollection
At S.I. we challenge our students to grow in personal and spiritual leadership which requires the development of a strong interior life -- an honest, open approach to self examination and the sharing of one's values and feelings with others. The Frosh Day of Recollection is held on campus and consists of a full day of spiritual, group sharing and community building activities, led by senior peer ministers, faculty and Campus Ministry Staff.
Sophomore Retreat - IGNITE Our sophomore students are given the opportunity for a day to reflect on their gifts that God has given them. It's a day were we look at how God has called each of us by name. Naming our fire that is burning inside. The retreat is held at the Headlands Institute in Point Bonita. A beautiful place where students are allowed to journal on the beach as they take in all of God's beauty around them. The day involves self examination, group discussion, and sharing of their own experiences. The retreat is lead by our Senior leadership team along with our faculty. The day begins at 8:30 in front of our school, and ends in the late afternoon, returning to school by 3:30. This retreat is mandatory. Students are excused from classes and activities, but must complete any assignments by arrangement with instructors. Sophomores have an opportunity to select a retreat date during orientation week.
Junior Retreat - FULLY ALIVE In Junior year, the S.I. student is given the opportunity to expand their awareness of their world through an intense community experience in an overnight retreat held at El Retiro Retreat Center in Los Altos. The retreat begins with self examination, then transitions into a look at our community, ending with a look at each students commitment to building the Kingdom of God. It is when we are Fully Alive that we then can begin to build the Kingdom of God. The day involves self examination, group discussion, and sharing of their own experiences.
The retreat is lead by our Senior leadership team along with our faculty. The day begins at 8:15 a.m. in front of our school and continues to the next day, returning to school by 4:30 p.m. Students are excused from classes and activities, but must complete any assignments by arrangement with instructors. Juniors have an opportunity to select a retreat date during orientation week.
Senior Retreat - KAIROS
The Kairos Retreat Program has been in existence since 1965. It was originally adapted from the Christian Awakening Program designed by a team of priests, religious, and lay people. They planned and worked on the program for one year under the direction of Rev. Douglas L. Brown of the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y.. Kairos was modeled after the Cursillo retreat but adapted for teenagers. In 1968, it was been adopted by St. Xavier High School in Louisville through the ministry of Brother Bill Riegel (who worked with the Brooklyn Program), Brother Martin Moran of the Diocese of Richmond, and from Brothers Gerard Boylan, Richard Angarola and Edward Driscoll.
Since the Cursillo movement has roots in Ignatian spirituality, many Jesuits schools eventually incoporated the program into their retreat programs. From St. Xavier in Louisville the program was adapted for Jesuit high schools by faculty from St. Ignatius High School in Chicago, IL including our own Rita Dollard- O'Malley, SI's Director of Adult Spirituality. Several modifications particular to SI's program have been made over the years. It is the opinion of the facilitators of the Kairos program at SI that these changes promote the faith and life of the students at our school and have emerged from the experience of implementing this program. Moreover, more specific Ignatian language and themes have been highlighted in the SI program. Furthermore, student leadership and training has developed extensively since an adaptation of the program was first attempted at SI.
[edit] Athletics
Sports are a major component of student life at St. Ignatius with approximately 860 students competing on 65 teams in 26 sports, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, water polo, swimming, lacrosse, tennis, cross country, golf, crew, and track and field. The Wildcats generally participate in the Western Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) in the Central Coast Section of California, though for some sports, teams belong to other leagues. Its athletics are highly ranked: the lacrosse team has consistently won the state championship and its men's rowing team ranked 1st in the nation in 2006, making it their 2nd year in a row. In addition, the crew competed in the world-renowned Henley Royal Regatta in England, where St. Ignatius won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup in 2006. The SI Football team reached new accolades when they won the 2006 WCAL Championship for the first time since 1967. The team later went on to win the CCS Championship, setting a new bar for SI Football.[citation needed]
- See also: St. Ignatius-Sacred Heart rivalry
St. Ignatius' traditional rival is Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, also located in San Francisco. The SI-SH rivalry began with a rugby game on St. Patrick's Day in 1893 and is the oldest high school rivalry west of the Mississippi. SI and SH compete against each other in football, basketball, and baseball for the Bruce-Mahoney Trophy, which is named after two SI and SH alumni who died in World War II. St. Ignatius leads the series 42-18 and has won the trophy for the past nine years.
Wildcat teams practice and compete in state of the art facilities on campus and in the surrounding area. J. B. Murphy Field and Jack Wilsey Track are used by the football, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey and track & field teams. J.B. Murphy Field recently underwent a multimullion dollar renovation and now features a field turf surface. SI offers two gymnasiums for basketball and volleyball, four tennis courts, and the Herbst Natatorium for the swimming & diving program and water polo teams. The rowing and baseball teams compete off-campus at San Francisco's Lake Merced and Daly City's Marchbanks Field, respectively.
[edit] Fight song
The St. Ignatius Fight Song was written by Fenton O'Toole '34:
- To the Red and Blue we'll all be true,
- We'll wave her banner to the sky.
- We'll fight for you, oh Red and Blue,
- We'll fight for Saint Ignatius High!
- And victory will be our goal—
- For we will reach it, if we try.
- So let us fight — with all our might —
- We're gonna fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!
[edit] Notable alumni
Notable alumni of St. Ignatius College Preparatory include:
- Daniel J. Callaghan, 1907, Navy Rear Admiral, Medal of Honor in WWII for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal aboard his flagship U.S.S. San Francisco (CA-38). (Died during action)
- Leo T. McCarthy, 1948, former California Lt. Governor
- Gordon Getty, 1951, Billionaire & Businessman
- Jerry Brown, 1955, Mayor of Oakland (CA), former California Governor
- Mike Nevin, 1961, San Mateo County politician
- Paul Otellini, 1968 President of Intel Corp, Semi Conductor Giant
- Bob Sarlatte, 1968, Comedian
- Peter Casey, 1969 Producer of Cheers, Frasier, Writer on The Jeffersons
- Dan Fouts, 1969, NFL Hall of Famer
- Mark A. Terry, M.D. 1971, Noted cornea surgeon
- Kevin Shelley, 1973, former California Secretary of State
- Luke Brugnara, 1981, real estate/las vegas casino tycoon
- Al Madrigal, 1989, Comedian
- Sean Elsbernd, 1993, San Francisco Supervisor
- Sebastian Bea, 1995, Silver Medalist, Mens Heavyweight Coxless Pair, 2000 Sydney Olympics
- Igor Olshansky, 2000, Defensive Lineman for San Diego Chargers
- Kareem Guilbeaux, 2001, Former San Jose State basketball player; KSJS 90.5 FM radio personality.
- Rebecca Julia Brown, 2010, actress from School of Rock
