Hudson Catholic Regional High School
Encyclopedia
Hudson Catholic Regional High School is a regional four year co-educational University-preparatory school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...

 Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

 high school
Secondary education in the United States
In most jurisdictions, secondary education in the United States refers to the last six or seven years of statutory formal education. Secondary education is generally split between junior high school or middle school, usually beginning with sixth or seventh grade , and high school, beginning with...

 in Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...

, in Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...

, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The school was established in 1964 by the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...

, and currently serves around 400 young men and 75 young women in grades 9 through 12. The high school is conducted by the De La Salle Christian Brothers
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...

 of the Baltimore District.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the high school had 539 students and 27.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...

 basis), the school had a student–teacher ratio of 19.7.

History

In 1958, Archbishop Thomas Boland announced a campaign to build additional high schools throughout the four counties of the Archdiocese of Newark. To help achieve this goal, he requested the De La Salle Christian Brothers to administer Hudson Catholic Regional High School for boys, one of seven such high schools owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Catholic teaching and values are integrated into each educational activity, program, curricular and extra-curricular program at Hudson Catholic.

The Bergen Avenue location of the school was formerly the site of the Jersey City Armory. In the eighteenth century the site was the home of Jane Tuers, a member of the Van Rypen family and an American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...

 heroine. Today the adjacent area is known as McGinley Square
McGinley Square
McGinley Square is in Jersey City, New Jersey, located near the middle of the city, south of Journal Square. The square itself is at the intersection of two of the city's major thoroughfares, Montgomery Street , and Bergen Avenue .The area was named after Monsignor Roger...

.

While the school was under construction in 1964, St. Patrick's Parish hosted Hudson Catholic's first class of 143 students. In the following year, students moved into the partially completed school building. On April 20, 1968, Bishop Martin Stanton officiated at the laying of the cornerstone and the blessing of the school facilities. In June of that year, Archbishop Boland presided at the school's first commencement ceremonies and presented diplomas to 109 graduates.

2008 proposed closing

On April 11, 2008, Hudson Catholic announced that the school was to close on June 30, 2008, due to declining enrollment and a rising deficit. A campaign was started to save Hudson Catholic Regional High School led by current students, alumni, faculty, and the surrounding community. On May 7, 2008, it was announced at a meeting that $500,000 was raised and the school would stay open.

The Brothers of the Christian Schools

From the time of its founding in 1964, Hudson Catholic has been staffed by De La Salle Christian Brothers, a religious congregation of men in the Catholic Church who are devoted exclusively to the education of young people. The Brothers of the Christian Schools, as St. John Baptist de la Salle's followers came to be known, live in a prayerful community in a residence on campus. The "FSC" designation after the name of Brothers (as listed in the directory) is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase for Brothers of the Christian Schools. They take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. They are not priests, since St. La Salle wanted them to consider teaching as their only vocation in life and as an indication of their commitment to young people. Nine Brothers currently serve the young men of Hudson.

The proper form of address is "Brother [followed by the Brother's first name]." In 1900, Pope Leo XIII declared St. La Salle the "Patron Saint of all Teachers." It is a singular honor bestowed on this community of men.

Academics

Students who attend Hudson Catholic are required to take four years of both Religion and English, in addition to three years of Science, History and Mathematics. Only two years are required for a Modern Language and Physical Education. However students do take more than the required years of the school's set academic requirements. The average class size is 26 students.

The school year is divided into two semesters, each having two quarterly marking periods. Mid-terms are administered at the conclusion of the first semester in late January and Finals are administered at the conclusion of the second semester in early June.

Faculty

75% of the Hudson Catholic faculty have Masters Degrees, while one member possesses a Doctorate and two others a PhD. The 43 teaching faculty members share 49 Masters Degrees and three members of the faculty are also adjunct professors at area colleges.

De La Salle Scholars Program

The De La Salle Scholars Program is a comprehensive and integrated 4-year program intended to provide a scholarly, liberal education. The requirements are designed to meet the special needs of the academically gifted student. Accelerated content, in-depth study, small group discussion, interdisciplinary approaches and experimental learning opportunities are integral parts of the Scholars Program.

Student Participants


De La Salle Scholars are a select group of students who commit themselves to the pursuit of truth and knowledge. These scholars are expected to be active learners who take responsibility for their education.




Student Selection


Students are selected for the Scholars Program based on their overall intellectual ability as demonstrated by their grammar school grade point average, their high school entrance test scores, and recommendations provided by a teacher and/or counselor. Eighth grade students who select Hudson Catholic Regional High School as one of their choices for secondary education and who meet the criteria will be invited to join the Scholars Program. The invitation is accompanied by a scholarship offer of no less than $1000.00.




Program Requirements


> One week pre-freshman summer program in communication, research and study skills.


> A full Honors course load, including Honors Latin, during the freshman year.


> An Integrative Seminar during the sophomore year.


> A Service Project during the junior/senior year.


> A Scholars Qualifying Paper during the senior year.


> Three years of a Modern Foreign Language.


> A minimum of two subject area (one in humanities, one in science) at the Honors level throughout the four years, including at least one Advanced Placement course.




Program Goals


> To ensure that each student has an opportunity to develop his intellectual gifts to the fullest.


> To enhance the opportunities for fellowship, service and leadership in a Christian community.


> To provide guidance and mentoring to students in the appreciation of their own talents and those of others.

Extra-Curricular activities

At Hudson Catholic, students are strongly encouraged to become involved in one or more of the extra-curricular activities and/or sports sponsored by the school, which include: Amnesty International, Biology Club, The Commentator, Drama Club, Filipino-American Club, French Club, Hawk Yearbook, Lasallian Youth Group, Music Club (School Choir), National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...

, Peer Ministry, Spanish Club, Student Government, Technology Club, History Club, Anime/Manga Club, Madden Club, Ebony Club, Chemistry Club, Math Club, Model United Nations, Mock Trial,and just newly added a Forensics club.

Athletics

The Hudson Catholic Regional High School Hawks compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association
Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association is a New Jersey high school sports association operating under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association . The league consists of 23 public and parochial high schools in Hudson County in northern New Jersey...

 (HCIAA), which includes 22 private and public high schools in Hudson County. The league operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association is an association of hundreds of New Jersey high schools that regulates high school athletics and holds tournaments and crowns champions in high school sports.-State championships:...

 (NJSIAA).
Hudson Catholic's latest state championship was in 2000 for ice hockey.

In addition to intramural sports, thirteen interscholastic teams are sponsored by Hudson Catholic:
  • Fall Sports: Cross Country, Football, Soccer (boys), Volleyball (girls)
  • Winter Sports: Basketball (boys), Basketball (girls), Swimming (boys), Swimming (girls), Bowling, Ice Hockey, Indoor Track and Field, Wrestling
  • Spring Sports: Baseball, Golf, Tennis, Outdoor Track and Field

Guidance Counseling

The Brother David S. Baginski, FSC Guidance Center is an integral part of the Hudson Catholic campus. Located on the first floor, the Guidance Center is one of the busiest rooms on the campus. Contained within are two Counseling Offices, the College Placement Office and The Learning Center for Compensatory Education and Supplemental Instruction.

A full-time counselor runs the College Placement Office. In addition to the various catalogs, brochures, and viewbooks that are available, the room is equipped with high-speed cable Internet which enables the students to take virtual tours of college campuses, as well as apply on-line when applicable. A TV/VCR is available to view the video library of colleges and universities.

Three counselors are assigned to the freshman, sophomore and junior classes. The counselors coordinate school programs and events such as the SAT’s, college fairs, career days, financial aid seminars and study skills workshops.

Technology

As of the 2006-2007 school year, Hudson Catholic is the home to 200+ Pentium computers, three computer labs, High–speed wireless cable internet, Virtual Reality Unit, Mini-networks in labs, Video microscopy, Electronic balances, Digital microscopes, Level 3 SMART classroom (Biology Lab), and ten Smart Boards.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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