John Bapst Memorial High School
Encyclopedia
John Bapst Memorial High School is a private
, independent, college
preparatory high school
in Bangor, Maine
, United States
. It serves approximately 500 ninth through twelfth grade students from 50 different communities in the region. The majority of students who attend John Bapst Memorial High school come from the towns of Orrington
, Glenburn
, Veazie
, Dedham
, School Administrative District 63 (which includes the towns of Holden
and Eddington
, Clifton
), Milford, Bradley
, and Orland
.
Average SAT and AP score results are higher compared to national and state averages. The majority of students take at least one Advanced Placement examination; in an average year, 300 AP exams are taken by John Bapst students.
as a result of overcrowding at St. John's School and Bangor Catholic High School for Girls, the school graduated its first class of girls in 1929. The school operated for four decades as a gender-specific educational environment: the school was bifurcated by the auditorium, with the north wing for boys, the south wing for girls. Later, due to fire safety codes, the rear parts of the auditorium were turned into the front hallways on the first and second stories which now connect the two wings of the original building.
In June 1980, the Diocese
of Portland, Maine
made the decision to close the school. It reopened the following fall as John Bapst Memorial High School, an independent, coeducational, nonreligious, college preparatory institution, for 193 students. This was championed by a small group of community members led by Joseph W. Sekera, an alumnus and the school's principal until 2002. In 1988, the institution purchased the building from the Diocese of Portland.
The school was named in honor of John Bapst, a Jesuit missionary and educator who among other things built the first Catholic church in Bangor in 1856.
program, more than 90% of John Bapst students have their tuition paid for by public funds provided by their sending communities.
While students must apply to be admitted to John Bapst, no formal admission test is administered to determine what students are accepted. Application is free of charge.
.
The Girls' Outdoor Track and Field team is the most successful team at Bapst, having successfully defended their State Title for the 5th consecutive time in 2006. They are the current holders of the Maine State Class C Title, having won it from 2002–2006. The 2005 women's 3200 meter relay team currently hold the Maine state record with a time of 9:43.30. The Bapst Cheering team is the only team to have ever won two consecutive state championships, having won the Class B title in 2005 and defended it in 2006. They now hold the Eastern Maine title for three years running.
Since 1981, John Bapst teams have won 10 Good Sportsmanship awards in Wrestling, Swimming, Girls' Soccer, and Girls', Boys', and Freshman Basketball. Of those banners, John Bapst Wrestling holds the most with 5 (1991, 1997, 2000, 2004–05), followed by Girls' Swimming and Diving with 3 (2004–06).
Go crusaders,
Go crusaders,
On to victory.
Fight with pride and win tonight,
show that John Bapst quality,
And now its time to stand
And cheer for John Bapst
With your heart and soul.
With every burst of power,
we'll reach our goal. Hey!
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, independent, college
preparatory 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....
in Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It serves approximately 500 ninth through twelfth grade students from 50 different communities in the region. The majority of students who attend John Bapst Memorial High school come from the towns of Orrington
Orrington, Maine
Orrington is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,526 at the 2000 census.-History:Orrington was originally part of Condustiegg Plantation, which also included the present-day cities of Bangor and Brewer. Orrington was incorporated as a town in 1788 with its major...
, Glenburn
Glenburn, Maine
Glenburn is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,594 at the 2010 census. It was called "Dutton" until it was incorporated as the town of Glenburn in 1837.-Geography:...
, Veazie
Veazie, Maine
Veazie is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,919 at the 2010 census. The town is named after General Samuel Veazie, an early lumber baron and railroad operator. Originally part of Bangor, Maine, it became a separate town in 1853 because Gen...
, Dedham
Dedham, Maine
Dedham is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, School Administrative District 63 (which includes the towns of Holden
Holden, Maine
Holden is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,827 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
and Eddington
Eddington, Maine
Eddington is a town located on the eastern side of the Penobscot River in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 2,052.- History :...
, Clifton
Clifton, Maine
Clifton is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 743 at the 2000 census.It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
), Milford, Bradley
Bradley, Maine
Bradley is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is located at . It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,242 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, and Orland
Orland, Maine
Orland is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,134 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
.
Average SAT and AP score results are higher compared to national and state averages. The majority of students take at least one Advanced Placement examination; in an average year, 300 AP exams are taken by John Bapst students.
History
Founded on September 10, 1928 as a Catholic schoolRoman 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...
as a result of overcrowding at St. John's School and Bangor Catholic High School for Girls, the school graduated its first class of girls in 1929. The school operated for four decades as a gender-specific educational environment: the school was bifurcated by the auditorium, with the north wing for boys, the south wing for girls. Later, due to fire safety codes, the rear parts of the auditorium were turned into the front hallways on the first and second stories which now connect the two wings of the original building.
In June 1980, the Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
made the decision to close the school. It reopened the following fall as John Bapst Memorial High School, an independent, coeducational, nonreligious, college preparatory institution, for 193 students. This was championed by a small group of community members led by Joseph W. Sekera, an alumnus and the school's principal until 2002. In 1988, the institution purchased the building from the Diocese of Portland.
The school was named in honor of John Bapst, a Jesuit missionary and educator who among other things built the first Catholic church in Bangor in 1856.
Admission
For John Bapst and other publicly-funded private schools, the State of Maine sets secondary tuition annually (in 2009-10, at $9,154.37). Under Maine's school choiceSchool choice
School choice is a term used to describe a wide array of programs aimed at giving families the opportunity to choose the school their children will attend. As a matter of form, school choice does not give preference to one form of schooling or another, rather manifests itself whenever a student...
program, more than 90% of John Bapst students have their tuition paid for by public funds provided by their sending communities.
While students must apply to be admitted to John Bapst, no formal admission test is administered to determine what students are accepted. Application is free of charge.
Sports
Bapst offers 17 of 20 varsity sports sponsored by the Maine Principals' AssociationMaine Principals' Association
The Maine Principals’ Association is the governing body for sports competitions among all public and some private high schools in the state of Maine. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations...
.
John Bapst sports facts and figures
Since 1981, John Bapst teams have brought home 15 State Championships spread among the following teams: Football, Girls' and Boys' Basketball, Baseball, Cross-Country, Indoor Track, Cheering, and Girls' Outdoor Track and Field. John Bapst is the defending Class C football state champions defeating Winthrop after a championship drought of over 30 years.The Girls' Outdoor Track and Field team is the most successful team at Bapst, having successfully defended their State Title for the 5th consecutive time in 2006. They are the current holders of the Maine State Class C Title, having won it from 2002–2006. The 2005 women's 3200 meter relay team currently hold the Maine state record with a time of 9:43.30. The Bapst Cheering team is the only team to have ever won two consecutive state championships, having won the Class B title in 2005 and defended it in 2006. They now hold the Eastern Maine title for three years running.
Since 1981, John Bapst teams have won 10 Good Sportsmanship awards in Wrestling, Swimming, Girls' Soccer, and Girls', Boys', and Freshman Basketball. Of those banners, John Bapst Wrestling holds the most with 5 (1991, 1997, 2000, 2004–05), followed by Girls' Swimming and Diving with 3 (2004–06).
Clubs and activities
John Bapst offers many clubs and activities including numerous performance (e.g. band, choral, drama, etc.), artistic (e.g. art, photography, etc.), academic (e.g., French, math, etc.) and activity clubs (e.g., chess, debate, tai chi, etc.).List of affiliated student groups
- Junior Classical League — Latin club
- Key ClubKey ClubKey Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
— A community service club - National Honor SocietyNational Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
— An academic leadership club - SEACStudent Environmental Action CoalitionThe Student Environmental Action Coalition or SEAC is a student and youth run national network of progressive organizations and individuals based in the United States....
— Though the Student Environmental Action Committee is not officially affiliated with the national organization, it shares the same mission.
School Song
Sung to the tune of 'On, Wisconsin!Go crusaders,
Go crusaders,
On to victory.
Fight with pride and win tonight,
show that John Bapst quality,
And now its time to stand
And cheer for John Bapst
With your heart and soul.
With every burst of power,
we'll reach our goal. Hey!
Awards
In both 2009-10 and 2008–09, a John Bapst student was honored with the Siemens/College Board award as the top female math-science AP test-taker in Maine. In 2006–07 the school won the Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement as a whole for school-wide achievement in math and science. John Bapst's Math Department has had as many as four Advanced Placement graders at one time. Math teacher Brendan Murphy has won the Presidential Award as Maine's top math teacher and the College Board's top New England educator award for his extensive work in AP Calculus and AP Statistics, including workshops in Africa, Asia, and Oceania.Trivia
During the 1990s, a group of students from John Bapst published their poems into a book called "Passages." This book is currently in the Bangor Public Library.Alumni
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