Seattle Preparatory School

Seattle Preparatory School, popularly known as Seattle Prep, is a Private Jesuit high school located on the north slope of Capitol Hill, Seattle, Washington, United States. It is operated independent of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle. Until 1974, it only admitted boys. The school regularly sends about 20% of its students to Ivy League schools each year and many other students get accepted at 'highly-selective' universities. In addition, its acceptance rate is 25%. In 2007, out of 700 applicants, it accepted 170. The school incorporates the Jesuit motto of "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" which means, literally, "For the Greater Glory of God." The school's mascot is the Panther. Seattle Prep's long history, excellent academics, and strong athletics are all very well regarded. It is known to be one of the best private college-prep schools in the northwest.

Seattle Preparatory School
Seal
"Virtus in Arduis" (Virtue in all Work) Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the Greater Glory of God)
Location
Seattle, Washington, United States
Information
Locale	Urban
President	Mr. Kent Hickey
Principal	Mr. Matthew Barmore (Interim)
Dean of Students	Mr. Michael Kelly
Dean of Academics	Ms. Kathy Tullis
Students	677
Faculty	55
Type	Private
Acceptance Rate	25%
Grades	9-12
Mascot	Panther
Fight Song	"Hail to thee our mighty Panthers"
Established	1891
Religious Affiliation	Jesuit
School Colors	Blue, White
Homepage	[http://seaprep.org seaprep.org]

Early history

Seattle Prep was founded in 1891 by two Jesuits, Father Victor Garrand and Father Adrian Sweere, as the School of the Immaculate Conception. Its original location was St. Francis Hall at the corner of 6th Avenue and Spring Street in downtown Seattle, and the school offered both high-school and college-level classes. In 1898, the school changed its name to Seattle College and moved to First Hill, at which point the high school split off as Seattle College High School and moved to its present location. Seattle College High School changed its name to Seattle Preparatory School in 1933; Seattle College changed its name to Seattle University in 1948. The school's motto is "Virtus in Arduis" or "virtue in all work."

Curriculum

Seattle Prep is still closely tied to Seattle University, and not just by their common Jesuit heritage (both schools are still managed by the Jesuit Order). Seattle Prep has an innovative curriculum arrangement with Seattle University wherein students of Seattle Prep can qualify for admission to Seattle University after three years of education at Seattle Prep under the Matteo Ricci College program, named after the 16th Century Jesuit missionary to China Matteo Ricci. Students admitted to Seattle University under the Matteo Ricci College program can acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree after three more years, thus reducing the combined study requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree to six years, versus eight years in a traditional four year high school and a traditional four year college. Students can then elect a course load at Seattle University with electives which can qualify for a second bachelor's degree with an additional year of study (it is not uncommon for a student to acquire two bachelor's degrees through this program of study, such as one in the humanities and another in the sciences.) This unique curriculum arrangement is fully accredited and has received several awards, including recognition from the prestigious Academy for Educational Development as "one of the twelve most successful educational innovations" in America.

Not all Seattle Prep students elect or are able to pursue the Matteo Ricci program. Instead many pursue a traditional four year course of study at Seattle Prep and then pursue other arrangements (entrance into a four-year college, or a two-year college).

Seattle Prep emphasizes its curriculum for college preparation. Its literature and humanities courses are known as "Collegio". Collegio combines the study of literature and social studies into a single interdisciplinary course. Art is taught in "AAD" (Artistic/Aesthetic Development) and freshman physical education is taught in "PPD" (Psychological-Physical Development).

A wide variety of extracurricular activities are offered at Seattle Prep including Chess Team, Mock Trial, Dance Team, Yearbook, Newspaper, ASB, Photography Club, Global Justice Coalition, National Honors Society, Community Service Club, Philosophy Club, and Drama. Seattle Prep also offers a Gay/Straight Alliance, which is very unique for a private Catholic school.

Admissions are based on grades, extracurricular activities, an entrance exam, reference letters, and essays, among other criteria.

Facts and figures

Facts and figures (as of 2008):
*Enrollment: 650
*Faculty: 55
*Faculty with advanced degrees: 90%
*Student/Teacher Ratio: 11:1
*Average Class Size: 19
*Acceptance: 25%
*Percentage of College-Bound Graduates: 98%
*Tuition: 11,700
*Library Volumes: 20,000+
*Tuition Assistance: 1,000,000

Fight Song

Hail to thee our mighty Panthers!

As we cheer your rip and roar

As we tear our foes asunder

Our fighting blood yells "More more more"

By our spirits we have proven

That the Panthers won't give in!

So fight fight fight for Adelphia

And the blue and white will win

"Virtus in Arduis"

Magis Christian Service

Seattle Prep has a 4-year requirement of various community service. The four year Magis Christian Service Program at Seattle Prep exposes students to many different forms of service including service to family (freshman), to school (sophomore), to the poor and marginalized (junior), and to leadership for justice (senior).

Freshman year focus: service to family and to Church (20 hour requirement)

Sophomore year focus: service to Seattle Prep (25 hour requirement)

Junior Year focus: service to the poor and marginalized (30 hour requirement)

Senior year focus: leadership and working for justice (50 hour requirement)

By the time a student leaves Prep, he or she will have experienced multiple ways of being of service to the world.

Physical structure

In the 1950s, McDonnell Hall was added to the existing Adelphia Hall, and in the 1960s, Peyton Hall was added across the parking lot from McDonnell and Adelphia Halls. The McHugh Gymnasium was built in front of Adelphia Hall in the 1980s, a result of the school's first major fundraising campaign. Funds from this campaign were used to remodel the third floor of Adelphia Hall for improved science facilities. During this time the library, which then became known as Loyola Library, was moved to Peyton Hall.

There were several major additions to Seattle Prep in the late 1990s. A new underground parking garage was built to replace the old parking lot, which was replaced by a grass quad. In addition, St. Ignatius Hall was erected across from Peyton and McDonnell Halls.

In 2007, the PACCAR Commons were completed, including new office space in which the reception area would be located. As of March 2007, construction was completed on the Thomas Healy, S.J. Theater and Classrooms. This was the first major renovation since the addition of St. Ignatius Hall. The theatre, which would also serve the school as a location where masses would take place, also features an orchestra pit. This orchestra pit runs on hydraulics, being moved down during plays and being moved up during masses. The workout rooms and locker rooms were also altered in this remodel. The space below the theater is now used for classroom space for the arts classes.

Notable alumni

Prominent alumni of Seattle Prep include Greg Nickels, the current mayor of Seattle, Mike McGavick, the former CEO of Safeco and former Republican candidate for the United States Senate, Olympic Marathoner Don Kardong, professional tennis player Tom Gorman, Martell Webster of the Portland Trail Blazers, Spencer Hawes of the Sacramento Kings and Bryce Fisher of the Tennessee Titans

Seattle Prep Activities

Seattle Prep has a rich athletic tradition and has won numerous league, and state titles in many different men's and women's sports. By size, Prep is a lower-end 2A class school, but plays up in 3A classification. In 2006 the men's basketball team, led by current Sacramento Kings player Spencer Hawes, won the 3A state championship after failing to reach the state tournament in 2005 (when the team comprised, among others, 2 future top-10 NBA draft picks). Prep has also won in the state title 2000; the women won in 2002. Fact|date=February 2007. Prep's volleyball team won three straight state titles from 2001 - 2003 Fact|date=February 2007.

Seattle Prep won Mock Trial State in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008. Competing in the National High School Mock Trial Championship tournament, Seattle Prep has placed sixth, eighth and sixteenth (twice).

Seattle Prep's Junior Varsity team was the runner-up at the 2008 State Competition following a Prep v. Prep championship round.

Prep men's cross country team won the title in 1966 (led by future 4th place finisher in the Montreal Olympics marathon Don Kardong), 1972 and 2000. Under current head coach Dr. John "Doc" Robertson, Prep's men's cross country teams have finished as one of the top four 3A teams for every year but one since 1996. During that span, Prep never placed lower than second in the Metro League. 2006 saw Prep gain its first All-American in cross country, Max O'Donoghue-McDonald, who placed 15th at the Footlocker Nationals meet. Max also broke a longstanding Lower Woodland course record, clocking 15:22 for the 5 kilometer distance. Also in 2006, Prep won its first women's Metro League team title.

In 1998, Seattle Prep junior Patrick Fowler set the national high school 100-yard-breaststroke record in a time of 53.66, splitting a 25.05 at the 50 yard mark Fact|date=February 2007. The record still stands.

References