York Catholic High School
Encyclopedia
York Catholic High School is a Catholic high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 located in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...

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

, and operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...

 for boys and girls in the 7th through 12th grades.

Its mission: "York Catholic bases both its curriculum and extra-curricular activities on the Gospel values of Jesus as articulated in the Roman Catholic tradition. They strive to provide a safe, family-oriented environment that will encourage sound academics and respect for self and others. They encourage and challenge all students to develop a mature, faith-filled and moral vision of themselves and their world by nurturing the spiritual, social, intellectual, emotional and physical needs."

Campus

York Catholic High School is located at 601 East Springettsbury Avenue in downtown York. The campus and athletic fields stretch north and westward, stopping at Vander and Sampson Avenues. The school is located next to the York City Ice Arena
York City Ice Arena
The York City Ice Arena is a 1,000-seat rink in York, Pennsylvania, USA. Renovated in September 2004, it hosts local public skating, ice hockey, and figure skating.-External links:*...

, as well as various other locales downtown.

The School is composed of a main classroom building reaching three floors in height, as well as The Brady Science Hall wing primarily used by the junior high students (grades 7-8). While many of the core junior high classes are in this area, students in all grades can have classes in the wing or in the main building.

They are also the home to the three time state championship and one time runner-up girls basketball team (2005-2009). However, it is their boys basketball team that has put YCHS on the map with five state championships and a state championship runner-up. The 1987 team was undefeated. Their last appearance in a state championship game came in 2005 when they lost in the AA finals to Beaver Falls.

Academics

The School teaches college preparatory and advanced placement curricula. This is evident in the seniors’ SAT scores, which are consistently higher than state and national averages. In addition, York Catholic’s high level of academic excellence has repeatedly earned the school merit from the Middle States Association. Middle States is an institution that accredits secondary schools and colleges which meet “prescribed qualitative standards of the Middle States Association within the terms of the school's own stated philosophy and objectives.”

The following are a few academic statistics from the York Catholic website:
  • Current average class size is 22 and current student/teacher ratio is 15 to 1
  • 90+% of graduating seniors pursue further education
  • Weekly ineligibility/failure check
  • Dedicated, certified faculty
  • Middle States accreditation
  • Art and Music programs


Many parents of current and past students have praised York Catholic on the quality of its academics. Widely-recognized greatschools.net is host to many accolades by various YCHS parents. In October 2005, one parent commented that “[York Catholic has a] high college attendance ratio, even for a private school. Discipline and 'esprit de corps' has worked wonders for kids who otherwise might have been left behind in the more managed environment of a public school. Staff have an attitude of not giving up on anyone.”

Religious Orientation and Spiritual Life

Although Catholicism is not a requirement for admission to the school, York Catholic’s curriculum encourages the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 faith, as well as teachings of the Roman Catholic Church
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...

, while following guidelines from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. York Catholic’s desire to foster Catholic values prompts the school to "create an environment that develops personal integrity, respect for one another, reverence for God, and stewardship for our world."

The following are a few religious statistics from the York Catholic website:
  • School day begins and ends with a prayer
  • Frequent reception of the Sacraments
    Sacraments of the Catholic Church
    The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are, the Roman Catholic Church teaches, "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper...

  • Youth Groups – CROSS, PRAISE, Respect Life
  • Annual retreats for all students


Students are also required to perform community service as part of their service requirement. This is to help foster habits of performing service to others through volunteer work. Students are to perform either 12 or 16 hours of community service per year depending on their grade.

Student Activities and Athletics

Listed below are various extra-curricular student activities and athletic sports offered by York Catholic, according to its website:

Senior High Level

Activities
  • ALPHA Peer Helpers
  • Chapel/Library/AV Aids
  • Chess Club
  • Choruses
  • Concert Band
  • Dramatics/Stage Crew
  • Forensics
  • Jazz Band
  • Language Clubs
  • Liturgical Music Group
  • Marching Band
  • Math Counts
  • Mission Moderators
  • Mock Trial
  • 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...

  • Pit Orchestra
  • Praise Team
  • Quiz Bowl
  • Respect Life
  • "Rosa Mystica" (Yearbook)
  • SADD
  • Science Fair
  • "Spectator" (Student Newspaper)
  • Student Council
  • "The Looking Glass" (Literary Magazine)


Athletics
  • Basketball
  • Track
  • Cross Country
  • Golf
  • Football
  • Soccer
  • Baseball
  • Volleyball
  • Softball
  • Swimming (with York High)
  • Tennis
  • Cheerleading
  • Marching Band
  • Wrestling
  • Lacrosse

Junior High Level

Activities
  • Chorus
  • Envirothon
    Envirothon
    Envirothon is an annual environmentally themed academic competition held by the United States and Canada on a regional, state, and national level. It is sponsored by Canon, conservation districts, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of Conservation Districts...

  • Dramatics/Stage Crew
  • Literary Magazine
  • Marching Band
  • Concert Band
  • Math Counts
  • Mission Moderators
  • Stage Crew
  • Student Council


Athletics
(In addition to Parish CYO Programs)
  • Cheerleading
  • Cross Country
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Volleyball
  • Track
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