St. Mary Academy - Bay View
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| St. Mary Academy - Bay View | |
| Established | 1874 |
| School type | private, all-girls, college preparatory |
| Religious affiliation | Catholic |
| Principal(s) | Colleen Gribbin (High School) S. Norma Fleming (Elementary School) |
| Location | Riverside, Rhode Island, United States of America |
| Campus | approx. 20 acres of land with regulation size softball field, soccer field, tennis courts, recreation area, 4 buildings, 2 parking lots |
| Enrollment | 1110+ (total) |
| Faculty | 56 (High School) 18 (Middle School) 24 (Elementary School) |
| Athletics | 15 sports, 11 teams |
| Color(s) | Navy, Varsity Gold |
| Mascot | The Bengal |
Founded in 1874 by the Religious Sisters of Mercy, St. Mary Academy - Bay View is an all-girls Catholic School grades k-12 located in Riverside, Rhode Island.
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[edit] History
St. Mary Academy-Bay View was founded in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy. The single-sex education was based on the teachings of The Religious Sisters of Mercy. Founder, Catherine McAuley, believed that "There is nothing more conducive to the good of society than the education of women." In the spring of 1991, the United States Department of Education recognized St. Mary Academy-Bay View as a Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence. St. Mary Academy-Bay View was renewed as a Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence in 2002. St. Mary Academy-Bay View's brother school is Bishop Hendricken High School, an all boys school.
[edit] The School
[edit] Mission
We maintain that the Bay View community continues the pursuit of truth and excellence through intellectual and spiritual integrity; that the quality of excellence and honesty permeate the person and communal dimesions of the community in its eduactional, governing, and managerial labors.
We affirm a special focus for the empowerment of women. We value their potential role as leaders who will contribute to the alleviation of society's ills. We educate them to be receptive of their full potential, to develop their potential without fear of failure and to embrace struggle as integral to the process of development.
We value opportunities for expression and development of aesthetics and creative arts. We assert that the larger world and our own activities be viewed holistically, fostering unity, interdependence and mutuality of all beings; and that following from this we reach out to the neighborhood and local and global community.
[edit] Campus
The St. Mary Academy-Bay View campus is twenty acres found on Pawtucket Avenue in Riverside, Rhode Island. There are four buildings, St. Joseph's Hall, Mercy Hall, McAuley Hall, and the Athletic Wellness Center. The Narragansett Bay can be seen on parts of the campus.
[edit] Traditions
- Newcomers' Welcome- the last day of spirit week. Each class dresses in their assigned colors (high school: blue, green, pink, and red; middle school: orange, purple, and yellow). Seniors wear clothing that they tye-died at a previous party. Out of respect and tradition, only seniors wear tie-dye. For seniors, the day often begins with a tailgate very early in the morning. The upper-classmen put on skits that poke fun at the freshman.
- College Bowl- has come to be known as Bengal Bowl. Originally students were allowed to wear a sweatshirt/t-shirt from any college, however, the attire is now St. Mary Academy-Bay View. Each class puts together a bowl team which compete against each other and finally against a team of faculty.
[edit] Sports
In recent years, St. Mary Academy-Bay View has experienced great success in athletics. In 2006, the varsity basketball team won the Division I State Championship for the first time. It was also the basketball team's second consecutive year winning the Central Division Championship. The basketball team returned to the state championship in 2007, however lost by one point to LaSalle Academy. In 2005, the hockey team won the State Championship in only its fourth year of competition with a near perfect record. In 2006, the hockey team was the State Runner-Up, starting a Rivalry with Woonsocket school Mount St. Charles that will continue for years to come. In 2004, the swim team won the Division I State Championship. The swim team was the State Runner-Up in 2005 and 2006. They were Division I State Champions again in 2007. The cross country team was fourth in the state in 2004, and continued its season into the New England Championships for the first time in many years.
[edit] Manhattan at the Bay
Since 1983, the Bay View Players of St. Mary Academy-Bay View have been performing a cabaret show at the school's annual Manhattan at the Bay event. The show is the main attraction for this fundraising event that generates around $100,000, all of which goes directly to the school. Over 150 St. Mary Academy-Bay View students participate in the performance as singers, dancers or members of the technical crew. A small number of male students from local high schools supplement the cast. The show is directed by the school's Fine Arts faculty and supported by a small army of parent volunteers. The result is a high caliber performance featuring exceptional ensemble, solo and dance numbers; students help build the sets and run the lighting and sound during the show. Manhattan at the Bay includes nine performances of the cabaret over one weekend at the end of April. In addition, classrooms throughout the school are set up with various themes and provide food, drinks and other entertainment.
The Manhattan at the Bay cabaret production has contributed to St. Mary Academy-Bay View's reputation as one of the top theatre programs in the state. The Bay View Players have received numerous awards at the state Drama Festival over the years. They have performed at the Providence Performing Arts Center, the now-defunct Warwick Musical Theatre, and the American School in Paris. The St. Mary Academy-Bay View chorale has also received considerable recognition: the group has performed in Italy and appeared as the backing choir for shows at the Providence Performing Arts Center, including the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and for singers Judy Collins and Clay Aiken.
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Danielle Lacourse ('04) - 1st Runner-Up at Miss USA 2007 representing Rhode Island.
- Elisabeth Hasselbeck ('95) - Co- host of ABC's The View.
- Maureen McKenna Goldberg ('69) - Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
- Lt. Col. Martha McSally ('84) - first woman to fly a solo combat mission, highest ranking woman in the United States Air Force, won suit against the Department of Defense after she was required to wear a burka while stationed in Saudi Arabia
- Eileen S. Naughton - Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
