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Pope John Paul II High School (Boca Raton, Florida)
Encyclopedia
Pope John Paul II High School is a college preparatory Roman Catholic secondary school
with a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) campus in East Boca Raton, Florida
, adjacent to the main campus of Lynn University
. The school opened in 1980, and has a co-ed student body consisting of 600 students and 75 lay and religious teachers as of October 2007. These students are admitted from a diverse applicant pool representing all parts of Palm Beach County and Broward County. The school has a maximum capacity for 750 students. PJPII High School is governed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
and is administered by the Dominican Sisters. The Catholic identity of this school allows it to offer religious education classes, retreats, Catholic Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation to its student body. A chapel on school grounds provides students a quiet place to pray. The school is funded through donations, tuition and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
.
The school offers a full range of athletic programs. Fall, Winter and Spring Varsity and Junior Varsity sports include: football, cheerleading, boys and girls basketball, swimming, diving, golf, cross country, track, girls volleyball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, tennis, lacrosse, and flag football. The school grounds house a full football field/track/stadium with bleachers and locker room facilities. An air conditioned gymnasium with full indoor and outdoor basketball courts and is used for pep rallies and school fundraisers and open house functions.http://pjpii.org/athletics/fall_sports.jsp?rn=2820198
Theater department:
Pope John Paul II High School is well-known for its award-winning drama department. It offers students not only the chance to develop their acting and singing skills but also offers students the opportunity to learn all aspects of theater production including technical duties such as sound, lighting, and set creation. School plays are performed on stage in the school theater which also serves as the school cafeteria and dance hall for school dances such as Homecoming.
Clubs
Each Wednesday afternoon, a large selection of clubs meets on campus after school. The list of clubs includes a golf club, various foreign language clubs, academic clubs, art club, flying club, and many more. These clubs are usually held in the classrooms of the sponsoring teacher. Often, these clubs make group trips to areas of interest or create projects.
Pope John Paul II is committed to seeing all of its graduates pursue higher education. Upon graduation, 95% of Pope students matriculate into four years colleges or universities. The remaining 5% attend either two year colleges or technical programs. The high school maintains close ties with both Lynn University
and Saint Thomas University
, since several of its dual enrollment courses are run with their cooperation.
Pope graduates are frequently accepted to the nations most prestigious colleges and universities.
The 2007 graduating class was awarded over $3.2 million in scholarships.
Accreditation
Religious education classes are required courses for all students. Students are educated mainly in Catholic subjects but also learn about world religions as part of regular social studies courses. Catholic Masses are offered to parents and the student body once a month. Bishop Barbarito has visited the school on more than a few occasions to celebrate Mass. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered to students once a year.
Retreats
Once a year, in-school retreats are held for all classmen except Seniors. These retreats bring together the student body for a day of reflection and cooperative interactive programs meant to help the students grow in their knowledge of themselves, each other and their personal spirituality. These retreats are held in the gymnasium on separate days for freshmen, sophomores and juniors.
Seniors are strongly encouraged to attend a Kairos retreat
. The Kairos Retreat Program has been the core of Pope John Paul's retreat ministry since 1988. This is a retreat for seniors that has been adopted by many high schools throughout the country and by all of the Carmelite high schools in the United States.
Kairos is a Greek word meaning “The Lord’s Time”. It is built upon a peer-to-peer ministry model which helps the retreatants deepen their relationships with themselves, their families, their friends and Jesus Christ. Prayer and Sacraments are an essential part of the retreat, as well as the retreatants’ involvement in discussions and group exercises. The goal of the retreat is to help the student achieve a greater awareness of who they are and where they are going. http://pjpii.org/spiritual_life/retreat_programs.jsp?rn=2275541
Patron and school motto
Since the death of Pope John Paul II
, a number of clergy at the Vatican and laymen throughout the world have been referring to the late pontiff as "John Paul the Great"—only the fourth pope to be so acclaimed, and the first since the first millennium. Additionally, John Paul II had a special relationship with Catholic youth and is known by some as The Pope for Youth. The motto of Pope John Paul II High School is a quote from this late pontiff:
"Always remember that only if one builds, as St. Paul says, on the one foundation which is Jesus Christ will one be able to construct something really great and lasting."
-Pope John Paul II, January 27, 1979 http://pjpii.org/about/motto.jsp?rn=3136041
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
with a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) campus in East Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
, adjacent to the main campus of Lynn University
Lynn University
Lynn University is a private, non-profit university in Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 1962.The university currently hosts students from 40 states and 90 nations...
. The school opened in 1980, and has a co-ed student body consisting of 600 students and 75 lay and religious teachers as of October 2007. These students are admitted from a diverse applicant pool representing all parts of Palm Beach County and Broward County. The school has a maximum capacity for 750 students. PJPII High School is governed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach is a Roman Catholic diocese in Florida. It was founded on June 16, 1984.The past bishops of the diocese are:#Thomas Vose Daily #Joseph Keith Symons...
and is administered by the Dominican Sisters. The Catholic identity of this school allows it to offer religious education classes, retreats, Catholic Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation to its student body. A chapel on school grounds provides students a quiet place to pray. The school is funded through donations, tuition and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach is a Roman Catholic diocese in Florida. It was founded on June 16, 1984.The past bishops of the diocese are:#Thomas Vose Daily #Joseph Keith Symons...
.
Faculty
The school maintains a faculty, over 75 lay and religious teachers. The student teacher ratio is 10:1. Teachers use Electronic Gradebook which provides online grade access for parents and students. Students also maintiain faculty web pages. All faculty are certified to teach in their subject areas; 100% percent of the faculty has earned a Master or higher degree. Some Pope John Paul II High School faculty members are school alumni. The Adrian Dominican Sisters have been part of the school faculty and administration since 1981.Accelerated curriculum
Pope John Paul II High School teaches a college preparatory academic curriculum, offering advanced courses to students who wish to challenge themselves. Eight of the school's nine academic departments offer Honors, Dual Enrollment, and Advanced Placement course selections.- Business/Computer Science: Advanced Placement Computer Science A; Honors Visual Basis.Net: An Introduction to Computer Programming, Dual Enrollment with Saint Thomas UniversitySt. Thomas University (Florida)St. Thomas University is a private Roman Catholic university in the Miami, Florida, United States suburb of Miami Gardens.-History:The University traces its roots to the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva, founded in 1946 in Havana, Cuba, named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, by...
- English: Advanced Placement English Language and Composition; Advanced Placement English Literature
- Fine and Performing Arts: Comprehensive Theatre I, Dual Enrollment with Lynn UniversityLynn UniversityLynn University is a private, non-profit university in Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 1962.The university currently hosts students from 40 states and 90 nations...
; Television Production, Dual Enrollment with Lynn UniversityLynn UniversityLynn University is a private, non-profit university in Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 1962.The university currently hosts students from 40 states and 90 nations... - Foreign Language: Advanced Placement Spanish Language
- Mathematics: Advanced Placement Calculus AB; Advanced Placement Calculus BC
- Religious Studies: Honors History of Christian Thought I and II, Dual Enrollment with Saint Thomas UniversitySt. Thomas University (Florida)St. Thomas University is a private Roman Catholic university in the Miami, Florida, United States suburb of Miami Gardens.-History:The University traces its roots to the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva, founded in 1946 in Havana, Cuba, named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, by...
- Science: Advanced Placement Chemistry; Advanced Placement Biology
- Social Studies: Advanced Placement United States History; Advanced Placement American Government and Politics
Extra-curricular activities
Athletics:The school offers a full range of athletic programs. Fall, Winter and Spring Varsity and Junior Varsity sports include: football, cheerleading, boys and girls basketball, swimming, diving, golf, cross country, track, girls volleyball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, tennis, lacrosse, and flag football. The school grounds house a full football field/track/stadium with bleachers and locker room facilities. An air conditioned gymnasium with full indoor and outdoor basketball courts and is used for pep rallies and school fundraisers and open house functions.http://pjpii.org/athletics/fall_sports.jsp?rn=2820198
Theater department:
Pope John Paul II High School is well-known for its award-winning drama department. It offers students not only the chance to develop their acting and singing skills but also offers students the opportunity to learn all aspects of theater production including technical duties such as sound, lighting, and set creation. School plays are performed on stage in the school theater which also serves as the school cafeteria and dance hall for school dances such as Homecoming.
Clubs
Each Wednesday afternoon, a large selection of clubs meets on campus after school. The list of clubs includes a golf club, various foreign language clubs, academic clubs, art club, flying club, and many more. These clubs are usually held in the classrooms of the sponsoring teacher. Often, these clubs make group trips to areas of interest or create projects.
Academic prestige
- For the past four years, Pope John Paul has placed first among high schools in Palm Beach County in the Florida Math League Competition.
- In two consecutive years, two of Pope John Paul's students have been awarded the distinguished title of National Merit Scholar for excellent performance on the PSAT.
Pope John Paul II is committed to seeing all of its graduates pursue higher education. Upon graduation, 95% of Pope students matriculate into four years colleges or universities. The remaining 5% attend either two year colleges or technical programs. The high school maintains close ties with both Lynn University
Lynn University
Lynn University is a private, non-profit university in Boca Raton, Florida, founded in 1962.The university currently hosts students from 40 states and 90 nations...
and Saint Thomas University
St. Thomas University (Florida)
St. Thomas University is a private Roman Catholic university in the Miami, Florida, United States suburb of Miami Gardens.-History:The University traces its roots to the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva, founded in 1946 in Havana, Cuba, named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, by...
, since several of its dual enrollment courses are run with their cooperation.
Pope graduates are frequently accepted to the nations most prestigious colleges and universities.
The 2007 graduating class was awarded over $3.2 million in scholarships.
Accreditation
- Member of the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS) - Member of the National Catholic Education Association
- Member of the national Education Association
- Florida Catholic Conference
- Florida High School Activities Association
- National Association of Secondary School Principals
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- 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...
of Secondary Schools - Member of College Board
Catholic identity
Religious educationReligious education classes are required courses for all students. Students are educated mainly in Catholic subjects but also learn about world religions as part of regular social studies courses. Catholic Masses are offered to parents and the student body once a month. Bishop Barbarito has visited the school on more than a few occasions to celebrate Mass. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered to students once a year.
Retreats
Seniors are strongly encouraged to attend a Kairos retreat
Kairos retreat
Kairos, adapted to mean "God's time", is a Christian retreat program for high school and college students that takes place around the world.The retreat is a four day, three night residential retreat, that provide participants the chance to contemplate God's role in their lives.-Process:The retreat...
. The Kairos Retreat Program has been the core of Pope John Paul's retreat ministry since 1988. This is a retreat for seniors that has been adopted by many high schools throughout the country and by all of the Carmelite high schools in the United States.
Kairos is a Greek word meaning “The Lord’s Time”. It is built upon a peer-to-peer ministry model which helps the retreatants deepen their relationships with themselves, their families, their friends and Jesus Christ. Prayer and Sacraments are an essential part of the retreat, as well as the retreatants’ involvement in discussions and group exercises. The goal of the retreat is to help the student achieve a greater awareness of who they are and where they are going. http://pjpii.org/spiritual_life/retreat_programs.jsp?rn=2275541
Patron and school motto
Since the death of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, a number of clergy at the Vatican and laymen throughout the world have been referring to the late pontiff as "John Paul the Great"—only the fourth pope to be so acclaimed, and the first since the first millennium. Additionally, John Paul II had a special relationship with Catholic youth and is known by some as The Pope for Youth. The motto of Pope John Paul II High School is a quote from this late pontiff:
"Always remember that only if one builds, as St. Paul says, on the one foundation which is Jesus Christ will one be able to construct something really great and lasting."
-Pope John Paul II, January 27, 1979 http://pjpii.org/about/motto.jsp?rn=3136041