Bishop Kearney High School

:"For the school in Brooklyn, New York, see Bishop Kearney High School (Brooklyn)."Bishop Kearney High School a 42-acre private school located in Irondequoit, New York, United States.

Origin and history

Bishop Kearney High School was co-founded by Blessed Edmund Rice and the Congregation of Christian Brothers of Ireland, with the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The school was named after Bishop James E. Kearney of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester. It opened in 1962, accepting only freshmen at the time. Those freshmen remained the school's upperclassmen throughout their tenure, so they became the first graduates in 1966. It was opened at the same time as a nearly identical sister school, Cardinal Mooney High School, which closed in 1989. Bishop Kearney's first principal was the late Joseph M. Clark, FSCH, of the Congregation of Christian Brothers of Ireland.

Recent events

On February 13, 2007, the school announced that local billionaire B. Thomas Golisano would be donating a substantial amount to the school for improvements in technology. The money will allow the school to provide every student with a laptop computer, as well as fund a wireless network, digital projection systems, video conferencing systems, and interactive whiteboards, with the stated goal of making the school "the most technologically advanced high school" in the country. The school will also be making curriculum enhancements with its College Prep Plus, to "better prepare students for the working world," including work-scholarship opportunities with local colleges and businesses. [cite news |first=Erica |last=Bryant |title=Golisano helps high school go high-tech |url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070214/NEWS01/702140324&GID=T7XQxmVY/HWS1VRpIflHCalk/hVtLlpUXL+5VXCmfz0%3D |work=Democrat and Chronicle |date=2007-02-14 |accessdate=2007-02-14 ] The donation has prompted the school to announce a pending name change, to "Bishop Kearney High School / A Golisano Education Partner."

Notable Alumni

* Pitney Bowes CEO Michael Critelli was the salutatorian of the very first graduating class in 1966.
* Dr. William Cala, the Interim Superintendent of the Rochester City School District and former superintendent of Fairport, is also a 1966 graduate. He is also the President of “Joining Hearts and Hands, Ltd.,” a non-profit organization working to fight AIDS and poverty in Kenya.
* Astronaut Pamela Melroy graduated in 1979.

Athletics field

Brother Clark Stadium is an athletics field at the school. The seating capacity of the field, including portable bleachers, is 4,500. It is one of the few high school facilities to have hosted a major league sports team, having been the home field of the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse from 2003 to 2005, prior to the Rattlers move to PAETEC Park for the 2006 season.

The "other" Bishop Kearney High School

There is another Catholic institution named Bishop Kearney High School. It's in the Bensonhurst region of Brooklyn, was founded in 1961, and is run by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Unlike its eponymous counterpart in Irondequoit, Brooklyn's school admits no male students and was named after [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkearneyr.html Bishop Raymond A. Kearney] of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

References

External links

* [http://www.bkhs.org Bishop Kearney High School of Irondequoit, NY]
* [http://www.shahinera.com The glory years of the Bishop Kearney band and musical plays, 1966-1983]
* [http://www.pioneerclass.com Pioneers: The Bishop Kearney Class of 1966]
* [http://www.bishopkearneyhs.org Bishop Kearney High School of Brooklyn, NY]