SCHOOL NEWS ARTICLE - September 2003
by Gina Rushing, President, St. Anthony College Preparatory High School
SMALL SCHOOL – BIG OPPORTUNITY!
St. Anthony College Preparatory High School’s 270 students travel from 34 different communities each day to attend the downtown Long Beach high school.
Why?
Because St. Anthony College Preparatory High School is the only faith-based high school in Long Beach, and because it offers something that no other high school in the area can offer – a small, supportive academic environment with small classes and a strong college preparatory curriculum.
The 82 year old high school is a Long Beach tradition which has undergone significant improvements over the last year, thanks to the financial support of a strong alumni group and many community friends. These improvements include the creation of new programs, the expansion of its college preparatory curriculum, and the completion of more than $1MM in facilities upgrades.
The new “Advisor System” is an example of one of our new programs, implemented by Principal Ray Bizjack (former headmaster of The Westerley School) last January. The program matches up each student with a faculty or staff member so that each student is ensured individual attention and support. The program provides students with greater supervision and guidance during their secondary school years. There is an additional benefit of providing parents with an effective and meaningful avenue of communication with the school.
The weekly schedule is arranged so that Advisors have ample time to meet one-on-one with Advisees to discuss academic and social issues and to check in with parents from time to time. The Advisor is provided with copies of grades, progress reports and any disciplinary referrals which the student may have received. The Advisor is an advocate and an informal counseling resource for the student, in addition to the school’s regular Academic Counselor and other members of the faculty and staff, and is also a consistent and timely source of information for parents about their student.
In terms of curriculum enrichment, the school day at St. Anthony is being extended this year to accommodate a variety of “mini-courses” which students may select as part of an extended curriculum. The regular school day will end at 3:20 p.m. beginning this Fall, so that students may participate in theater arts, music, dance, chorale, study hall, or other classes as a part of the regular school day.
Students are excited about coming back to school for many reasons this year – new programs, new classes, new uniforms, the beginning of a brand new year – but they are especially excited about the long-awaited reopening of the school’s main, Administration Building.
This building was seriously damaged by water last June and has been closed for construction over the past 12 months. Renovations include installation of new floors, freshly painted classrooms and bathrooms, new lighting, a new entrance and reception area, new administrative offices and conference space. This building is the oldest and largest of all the original buildings on campus and will accommodate the Liberal Arts and Social Studies Programs, as well as the Visual Arts and Performing Arts Departments when members of the new Freshmen Class are welcomed as “SAINTS” on August 18th, 2003.
If you are interested in becoming a “SAINT” and touring St. Anthony College Preparatory High School, please plan to attend our OPEN HOUSE for students and families on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2003, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
To receive more information about St. Anthony College Preparatory High School, please contact the Registrar, Ms. Patty Redding, at 562-435-4496, or visit us at our Web Site -- www.longbeachsaints.org.
gaggategtqhgq