La Salle Academy, Providence
Encyclopedia
La Salle Academy is an independent
, co-educational Roman Catholic college preparatory day school
located in the Elmhurst
neighborhood of Providence
, Rhode Island
. Founded in 1871, the Academy currently enrolls 1,479 students in seventh through twelfth grade, with the majority of students coming from the Providence metropolitan area
.
, a Roman Catholic religious teaching order
, founded by French Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
. Originally known as the Brothers' School, the school's name changed to La Salle Academy when its status changed from an elementary school to a secondary school. When the student population grew too large for its first location at the beginning of the 20th century, the Bishop of Providence authorized the building of a new school on more suitable premises near city limits. The present 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) campus in the Elmhurst
neighborhood of Providence was dedicated in 1925. The area of downtown Providence that formerly housed the Academy is now known as La Salle Square.
In 1983, the Bishop of Providence announced plans to merge the Academy, still an all-male secondary school, with two all-girls secondary schools, ushering in the co-educational era of the school that continues to the present.
In 1989, full administration was transferred from the Diocese of Providence to a non-profit, independent Board of Directors comprising six De La Salle Christian Brothers. The Academy is overseen by a Board of Regents, composed of not less than nine nor more than twenty-one voting members.
More recent developments include the 1993 establishment of the PEGASUS 7/8 program, a middle school for exceptional students. Significant campus improvements were undertaken by the current school Head, Brother Michael McKenery, at the turn of the 20th century. Construction included a new Athletic Center, Arts Center, Science and Student Center, and tennis courts, as well as improvements to the existing athletic fields.
La Salle Academy is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
.
magazine for having the best athletic program in Rhode Island.
Especially dominant in Rhode Island high school sports are the men's soccer team, which won six consecutive state championship titles from 2000–2005, and the women's soccer team, which won five consecutive titles from 2001–2005 and was at one point ranked second in the nation. In addition, the gymnastics team has secured six consecutive state titles (2003–2009), with New England Championship titles in 2003 and 2009. In 2008, the Rams football team won the State Championship.
In 2008, La Salle produced the first woman ever to capture the RIIL Singles Golf Championship, Juliet Vongphoumy.
La Salle's traditional sports rivals are other Rhode Island independent, Roman Catholic schools including Hendricken
, Mount Saint Charles Academy
, and St. Mary Academy - Bay View
. East Providence High School is La Salle's traditional opponent in a Thanksgiving Day football rivalry that dates back to 1929.
Notable La Salle Academy alumni include:
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...
, co-educational Roman Catholic college preparatory day school
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
located in the Elmhurst
Elmhurst, Providence, Rhode Island
Elmhurst is a primarily residential neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Providence, Rhode Island. Douglas Avenue and Admiral Street bound Elmhurst to the northeast, Academy Avenue and Smith Street bound it to the west, while Chalkstone Avenue marks the southern border.-History:In the...
neighborhood of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. Founded in 1871, the Academy currently enrolls 1,479 students in seventh through twelfth grade, with the majority of students coming from the Providence metropolitan area
Providence metropolitan area
The Providence metropolitan area is a region covering six counties in two states, and is the 37th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Anchored by the city of Providence, Rhode Island, it has an estimated population of 1,622,520, exceeding that of Rhode Island by slightly over 60%. The...
.
History
Founded in 1871 as an all-male elementary school, La Salle Academy was originally located in downtown Providence. The Academy was established by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian SchoolsInstitute 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...
, a Roman Catholic religious teaching order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
, founded by French Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
Jean-Baptiste de La Salle
Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle or John Baptist de La Salle was a priest, educational reformer, and founder of Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools...
. Originally known as the Brothers' School, the school's name changed to La Salle Academy when its status changed from an elementary school to a secondary school. When the student population grew too large for its first location at the beginning of the 20th century, the Bishop of Providence authorized the building of a new school on more suitable premises near city limits. The present 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) campus in the Elmhurst
Elmhurst, Providence, Rhode Island
Elmhurst is a primarily residential neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Providence, Rhode Island. Douglas Avenue and Admiral Street bound Elmhurst to the northeast, Academy Avenue and Smith Street bound it to the west, while Chalkstone Avenue marks the southern border.-History:In the...
neighborhood of Providence was dedicated in 1925. The area of downtown Providence that formerly housed the Academy is now known as La Salle Square.
In 1983, the Bishop of Providence announced plans to merge the Academy, still an all-male secondary school, with two all-girls secondary schools, ushering in the co-educational era of the school that continues to the present.
In 1989, full administration was transferred from the Diocese of Providence to a non-profit, independent Board of Directors comprising six De La Salle Christian Brothers. The Academy is overseen by a Board of Regents, composed of not less than nine nor more than twenty-one voting members.
More recent developments include the 1993 establishment of the PEGASUS 7/8 program, a middle school for exceptional students. Significant campus improvements were undertaken by the current school Head, Brother Michael McKenery, at the turn of the 20th century. Construction included a new Athletic Center, Arts Center, Science and Student Center, and tennis courts, as well as improvements to the existing athletic fields.
La Salle Academy is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. is the U.S. regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England region. It also provides accreditation for some...
.
Campus facilities
- Main Building - The largest and oldest academic building on campus, dedicated in 1925 when the Academy moved from its location in downtown Providence to the current location in the ElmhurstElmhurst, Providence, Rhode IslandElmhurst is a primarily residential neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Providence, Rhode Island. Douglas Avenue and Admiral Street bound Elmhurst to the northeast, Academy Avenue and Smith Street bound it to the west, while Chalkstone Avenue marks the southern border.-History:In the...
neighborhood. It houses most of the classroom facilities as well as the library, computer labs, administrative offices, and the college counseling center. The first floor of one wing is devoted to the PEGASUS 7/8 middle school. - Brothers' Chapel - The campus chapel in which daily mass is celebrated.
- Brothers' Residence - Home to the members of the De La Salle Christian Brothers who teach at the school as well as the brothers who have retired from teaching. The Brothers' Residence also includes the Office of the President and the Alumni Center.
- McLaughlin Athletic Center - Includes a field house with three multi-use courts, men's and women's locker rooms, weightlifting facilities, a dance studio, and classrooms. (completed in 2000)
- Brother Michael McKenery Arts Center - Includes a state-of-the-art theatre, as well as studio and rehearsal space for the fine and performing arts. It also has a photography lab, television studio, and video editing facilities. (completed in 2000)
- Shea Science and Student Center - Connected to the main building by a two-story footbridge, it houses all of the laboratory classrooms for the sciences, a dining hall, school store, and campus ministry office. (completed in 2004)
- Cimini Stadium - Home to the men's and women's soccer and lacrosse teams as well as the men's football team.
- Cronin Field - Home to the men's baseball team.
- Other athletic facilities include the softball field, practice fields for football and lacrosse, and six tennis courts. The golf team's home course is Crestwood Country Club in Rehoboth, MA. The fields are currently undergoing renovations for the start of the 2011-2012 school year, including the construction of a track.
Athletics
La Salle's 64 teams in 18 sports are referred to as the Rams for men's sports, and the Lady Rams for women's sports. Nearly all teams compete in Division I of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL). La Salle Academy was noted in May 2005 by Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine for having the best athletic program in Rhode Island.
Especially dominant in Rhode Island high school sports are the men's soccer team, which won six consecutive state championship titles from 2000–2005, and the women's soccer team, which won five consecutive titles from 2001–2005 and was at one point ranked second in the nation. In addition, the gymnastics team has secured six consecutive state titles (2003–2009), with New England Championship titles in 2003 and 2009. In 2008, the Rams football team won the State Championship.
In 2008, La Salle produced the first woman ever to capture the RIIL Singles Golf Championship, Juliet Vongphoumy.
La Salle's traditional sports rivals are other Rhode Island independent, Roman Catholic schools including Hendricken
Bishop Hendricken High School
Bishop Thomas Francis Hendricken High School is a Catholic, all-male, college preparatory high school located in Warwick, Rhode Island, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence....
, Mount Saint Charles Academy
Mount Saint Charles Academy
Mount Saint Charles Academy is a private Catholic junior/senior high school located in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. -History:...
, and St. Mary Academy - Bay View
St. Mary Academy - Bay View
St. Mary Academy – Bay View is an all-girls Catholic School grades k-12 located in Riverside, Rhode Island. It was founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1874. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.-History:St...
. East Providence High School is La Salle's traditional opponent in a Thanksgiving Day football rivalry that dates back to 1929.
Notable alumni
- Nicolas ColalucaNico ColalucaNicolas "Nico" Colaluca is an American professional soccer player who currently plays for Atlanta Silverbacks in the North American Soccer League.-Youth and College:...
- Professional soccer player, New England RevolutionNew England RevolutionThe New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... - Tad DevineTad DevineThomas A. "Tad" Devine is an American political consultant. Devine was a senior adviser in Al Gore's 2000 and John Kerry's 2004 Presidential campaigns. He has worked on ten winning campaigns for President and Prime Minister around the world and 17 winning U.S. Senate races. Devine is currently the...
- Democratic political consultant; President of Devine Mulvey, a Washington D.C.-based media consulting firm; senior advisor for Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaignAl Gore presidential campaign, 2000Al Gore, the 45th Vice President of the United States under Bill Clinton, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Carthage, Tennessee on June 16, 1999. Gore became the nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2000 presidential election on August 17, 2000...
and John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaignJohn Kerry presidential campaign, 2004The Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush... - Mike DonilonMike DonilonMike Donilon, a lawyer and political campaign consultant, has been appointed to be Counselor to the Vice-President by vice-president Joe Biden. Prior to the appointment, Donilon worked with the vice-presidential candidate to help him prepare for the debates and also as a traveling advisor...
- Lawyer and political campaign consultant, counselor to Vice President Joe Biden - Thomas E. DonilonThomas E. DonilonThomas E. “Tom” Donilon is the National Security Advisor in the Obama Administration, and has had a career as a U.S. political advisor, government official and lawyer...
- National Security AdvisorNational Security Advisor (United States)The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
to President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... - John E. FogartyJohn E. FogartyJohn Edward Fogarty was a Congressman from Rhode Island for 26 years.Congressman John E. Fogarty was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1940 and served until his death on January 10, 1967 as he was being sworn in for his fourteenth consecutive term...
- U.S. Representative (1941–1967) - J. Joseph Garrahy - 69th Governor of Rhode Island (1977–1985)
- Lou GormanLou GormanJames Gerald "Lou" Gorman was an American baseball executive, and the former general manager of the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball...
- AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
executive, and the former general managerGeneral manager (baseball)In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
of the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
of Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League... - Felix HebertFelix HebertFelix Hebert was a United States Senator from Rhode Island. Born near St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada, he came to the United States when his parents, Edouard and Catherine Hebert, returned in 1880 and resumed their residence in the town of Coventry, Rhode Island.He attended La Salle Academy...
- U.S. Senator (1929–1935) - Davey LopesDavey LopesDavid Earle Lopes is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. He batted and threw right-handed. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.He is of Cape Verdean descent.-Playing:...
- Professional baseball player, Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
; first base coach for the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League... - J. Howard McGrathJ. Howard McGrathJames Howard McGrath was an American politician and attorney from the U.S. state of Rhode Island.McGrath, a Democrat, served as U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island before becoming Governor, U.S. Solicitor General, U.S...
- 60th Governor of Rhode Island (1941–1945), U.S. Senator (1947–1949), U.S. Attorney General under President Harry S. TrumanHarry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
(1949–1952) - Edwin O'ConnorEdwin O'ConnorEdwin O'Connor was an American radio personality, journalist, and novelist who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1962 for The Edge of Sadness...
- Author, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner for The Edge of SadnessThe Edge of SadnessThe Edge of Sadness is a novel by the American author Edwin O'Connor. It was published in 1961 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1962. The story is about a middle-aged Catholic priest in New England.-External links:*...
(1961) - Jack Reed - U.S. Senator (1997-), U.S. Representative (1991–1997)
- Robert TiernanRobert TiernanRobert Owens Tiernan was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island.Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Tiernan attended La Salle Academy.He earned his A.B. from Providence College in 1953 and hisJ.D...
- U.S. Representative (1967–1975) - Pat ToomeyPat ToomeyPatrick Joseph "Pat" Toomey, Sr. is the junior United States Senator for Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Toomey served as a U.S. Representative for three terms, but did not seek a fourth in compliance with a pledge he had made while running for office in 1998...
- U.S Senator from PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(2011-), U.S. Representative from PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(1999–2005)