Archbishop Curley High School
Quis et Deus Who is like unto God?
Address
3701 Sinclair Lane Baltimore, Maryland, (Baltimore City), 21213-2079  United States
Coordinates	39°18′47″N 76°33′54″W / 39.31306°N 76.565°W / 39.31306; -76.565Coordinates: 39°18′47″N 76°33′54″W / 39.31306°N 76.565°W / 39.31306; -76.565
Information
Type	Private, All boys
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s)	St. Francis of Assisi
Established	1961
School board	President - Neil Cashen
School district	Archdiocese of Baltimore
Oversight	Order of Friars Minor, Conventual
Superintendent	Dr. Ronald Valenti
President	Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv
Principal	Barry Brownlee
Grades	9–12
Average class size	23
Student:teacher ratio	13:1
Campus size	33 acres
Color(s)	Black and White
Athletics	MIAA
Athletics conference	A and B
Mascot	The Friars
Accreditation(s)	Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
Publication	Visions (literary/art magazine)
Newspaper	The Curley Chronicle
Yearbook	The CORD
Tuition	$10,300
Alumni	over 5,000
Admissions Director	John Tucker '79
Athletic Director	William Dawson
Website	www.archbishopcurley.org

Archbishop Curley High School, is a Roman Catholic mens' high school located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore in the USA.. It is affiliated with the Franciscan religious order and is named in honor of Archbishop Michael J. Curley (1879–1947), who served as the tenth Archbishop of Baltimore, from 1921 to 1947. It was the first Archdiocesan high school in Baltimore established exclusively for the education of young men. It is also the brother school to the neighboring all-girl school, the Catholic High School of Baltimore.

[edit] Early history

The school was founded in 1960 under the leadership and direction of the late Archbishop Francis Patrick Keough. It opened in September 1961 with a class of 420 freshmen, and was dedicated on April 17, 1962, by Lawrence Cardinal Shehan, the successor of the late Archbishop Keough.

The school was designed by local architect Edward H. Glidden and is located on a 33-acre (130,000 m²) campus on the northeast edge of the City of Baltimore. Built by Cogswell Construction, the main three-story building contains classrooms, labs, administrative, guidance, alumni and development offices, two computer centers, a closed-circuit TV station, and the guidance resource center. Attached to the central structure are eight wings that house the chapel, auditorium, gymnasium, student dining room, the Fitness Center, the Fine Arts Center, the library multi-media center and Advancement Offices, and the Friary, which is the residence of the Franciscan Friars at Archbishop Curley.

The first Head of School was Fr. Aloysius Balcerak, OFM Conv., who welcomed the first students to Curley as their Principal. The school's first graduating class matriculated in 1965.

In December 1969, under second principal Fr. Robert Grzybowski, the Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Library and Multi-Media Instructional Center was dedicated. It was the first building in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to be named after Cardinal Shehan who had been a long time friend and supporter of the school.

[edit] Growth and New Leadership

Archbishop Curley High School celebrated its 25th Anniversary during the 1985-1986 school year under principal Fr. Gregory Hartmeyer. During that year, a smaller wing was added onto the building to house the instrumental music department facilities, including a concert practice room. Additional athletic facilities were added in an adjacent wing, including the weight room and wrestling room.

Capital Campaign efforts have improved the campus of the school

In 1994, the school welcomed its first Head of School to also be an alumnus. Fr. Donald Grzymski, OFM Conv. graduated from Curley in 1970 and returned now to serve as Principal. Fr. Grzymski's tenure as Principal is most notable for transitioning the school to a President-Principal model, where he would continue on as Head of School in the role of the Curley's first President. Under the leadership of Fr. Grzymski, the school undertook its first capital campaign, with the funds benefiting Curley's endowment. By 1996, Fr. Michael Martin, OFM Conv. '79 had joined Grzymski in the Administration as the school's Principal.

[edit] Changing of the Guard

By the year 2000, a shift had begun to take place among the faculty and staff. Three notable educators who had served since 1962 all retired after over 30 years each. As Mr. E. Patrick Maloney, Mr. Richard "Coach" Patry, and eventually Mr. Albert E. Frank all departed the school, a new trend was beginning to emerge. Alumni were increasingly returning to teach and work at their alma mater. By the dawn of the 21st Century, the school boasted over a dozen men who had come home to serve Curley again, both in leadership offices and in the classroom.

[edit] 21st Century Expansion

Barry Brownlee, Curley's first lay Principal.

At the turn of the century, with the endowment secured, the campus grounds were revamped with new fencing, a concession stand, and a new bowl stadium with terraced seating. After the completion of the Bowl project, Grzymski stepped down as President and Martin was appointed to succeed him. Martin would in turn be replaced as Principal by Mr. Barry Brownlee. Brownlee had previously served as Assistant Principal under Martin, and was the first lay Principal in school history.

At the end of the 2004-2005 school year, the first phase of a major facilities renaissance was begun. The Friary was reconstructed to better reflect the number of religious living on the grounds and the balance of the space provided room for the relocation of the Lawrence Cardinal Shehan Library to the second floor, adjacent to the academic wing of the building. The space previously occupied by the Library was renovated to house a new Fitness Center, with expanded weight training and wrestling room space. A center for the full-time Athletic Trainer was also added.

A grant provided funds for a rehabilitation of the Auditorium seating and in the summer of 2005, further renovations funded by a capital campaign provided a new faculty dining room, a relocated bookstore, conference rooms and offices for the development director, athletic director and Alumni Association. The science labs, school roof, tennis courts, and student lockers were also rehabilitated.

[edit] "In Giving We Receive": Capital Campaign Improvements

The new entrance to the school.

An aggressive capital campaign was launched in 2008 to generate funds for improvements to the campus in advance of the school's 50th anniversary in 2011.

In the summer of 2008, a second parking lot was added and the interior roads were renovated, reestablishing the Auditorium lobby as the main entrance of the school. An elevator, making the academic wing ADA accessible, was completed in the spring of 2009. The Auditorium was also temperature-controlled for air-conditioning and heat. Additional renovations have included the Gymnasium, Main Office, Auditorium Lobby, and the Guidance Office.

Groundbreaking on the Holthaus Center for the Arts

In May 2009, ground was broken on a $4 million complex, the Holthaus Center for the Fine Arts. The center will be named for Gerard E. Holthaus '67, CEO of Algeco Scotsman International, who made a $1 million leadership gift to the building campaign. The new facility, slated for completion in April 2010, will house choral and instrumental music practice rooms, as well as storage for Blackfriars Theatre and space for the Visual Arts Department. Offices for student media including the yearbook and school newspaper will round out the state-of-the-art complex.

With the new facility underway, in November 2009, after nine years as President, Fr. Michael Martin announced that he was stepping down effective June 30, 2010. His successor, nominated by the School Board and the Friars and confirmed by Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, is Fr. Joseph Benicewicz, OFM Conv. Fr. Benicewicz is an alumnus of the class of 1978 and will take office on July 1, 2010.

[edit] 50th Anniversary

Curley will celebrate its Fiftieth Anniversary during the 2010-2011 school year in honor of its founding in 1960 and its opening in 1961. A Committee has been formed to organize celebratory events around this milestone. The Capital Campaign will enter its final phase at this time.

Future plans stemming from the continuing capital campaign include a new baseball field (made possible from a land swap with the City), artificial turf for all of the athletic fields, a Field House practice facility, and a second Gymnasium.

[edit] Academic programs

[edit] Franciscan Program

The Franciscan Program is an interdisciplinary program available to students for their entire four year high school career. Students in the Franciscan Program participate in honors level courses, which emphasize effective speaking and writing skills. Course work includes intense student participation, regular classroom discussion, active listening, innovative and critical thought, and in-depth treatment of material. Students in the Franciscan Program must be prepared to grow as independent learners. At the end of their freshman year, students in the Franciscan Program may be eligible to participate in the Franciscan Scholars, a separate program of high academic rigor that offers students the opportunity to graduate with cum laude recognition on their Maryland state high school diploma.

Additionally, Curley offers courses that prepare students for the Advanced Placement Exam offered by the College Board in the following areas: English Literature/Composition, English Language/Composition, Spanish, French, Biology, Environmental Science, Physics, American History, and Calculus AB. Advanced electives, including Latin and Philosophy, are also available.

[edit] Cupertino Program

The Cupertino Program is a college preparatory academic program for students working at the appropriate grade level. A student’s placement within the program is evaluated on a regular basis to ensure a challenging and appropriate curriculum. The Cupertino Program, as with the entire academic program at Curley, provides a unique level of flexibility in a student’s course work when compared to other private schools. Students are encouraged to enroll in Honors courses for the subject areas in which they excel while remaining in the Cupertino Program for their other courses. Finally, there are specific programs and events planned throughout the year for Cupertino students directed towards fostering their academic and social development. With these options, students optimize their potential in each subject area and prepare themselves for college and life beyond high school.

[edit] Anthony Program

A regionally recognized remedial education program, recently reviewed by Johns Hopkins University, the Anthony Program is a multifaceted college preparatory program that addresses the needs of young men of diverse backgrounds who are at risk for academic difficulties due to a learning difference, lower self-esteem, and/or socio-emotional issues. The goals of the Anthony Program are to individualize learning, to assess progress, to build self-esteem and self-confidence, and to strengthen moral values. Maximum learning potential is achieved through the implementation of cross-curricular behavioral strategies, individualized assessments to measure academic performance, and most importantly, an integrated team-teaching approach.

[edit] Academic Departments

[edit] Other Notable Programs

• Co-Curriculars - the school boasts a large number of clubs and activities (over 50) for students to participate in beyond the classroom.
• Franciscan Youth Ministry - a campus ministry program that offers students opportunities for prayer, liturgy and fellowship; as well as a commitment to service, social justice, and community outreach.

[edit] Athletics

Archbishop Curley High School was a founding member of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). After the disbanding of the Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA) in 1994, it was Fr. Robert Twele, then Curley's Principal, who led the Committee to draft the new organization's constitution and its by-laws.^[2] Consequently, championships from 1961 to 1994 are from the MSA and championships from 1995 to the present are from the MIAA.

[edit] Fine Arts & Student Media

[edit] Additional information

[edit] Connection with Franciscan Order

Curley is managed and staffed by the Order of Friars Minor, Conventual (St. Anthony of Padua Province)

The School Board established by the Archbishop of Baltimore is responsible for the general operation and management of Archbishop Curley High School. The School Board has continued to entrust the administration of the school to the Franciscan Friars (Order of Friars Minor Conventual) of St. Anthony of Padua Province, who have staffed the school since its inception. In addition to the Franciscan Friars, the faculty also includes lay teachers.

[edit] Other Affiliations and Recognitions

The school is accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The School Board received the Outstanding Board Award in 2007 from the National Catholic Educational Association.

[edit] Statistics

Since its first graduating class in June 1965, Archbishop Curley has graduated more than five thousand young men. The Class of 2009 was Curley's forty-fifth.

• Total Enrollment (2005-06): 621; Seniors - 132, Juniors - 134, Sophomores - 168, Freshmen - 187.
• Faculty: Conventual Franciscan Friars: 3; Laymen: 35; Laywomen: 10.
• Faculty - Student Ratio: 1:13; One faculty member per 13 students; most faculty have advanced degrees.

[edit] Head of School

From 1961 until 1995, the Principal served as Head of School. Beginning in 1995 with its inception, and still today, the position of President serves as Head of School. The Principal still functions in the role of daily school management and as Chief Academic Officer, reporting to the President. A gallery of formal portraits featuring all the past Heads of School is on display in the Auditorium Lobby.

[edit] Current Administration

• President - Fr. Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv. '79
  • VP: Advancement - Mr. Barry Stitz '87
    • Alumni Director - Mr. Jeremy Joseph '96
    • Admissions Director - Mr. John Tucker '79
  • VP: Finance - Mr. Joseph DellaMonica
  • VP: Operations - Mr. John Kogler

• Principal - Mr. Barry D. Brownlee
  • AP: Academics - Mr. Philip Piercy
  • AP: Students - Mr. Josiah LaTona
  • Athletic Director - Mr. William Dawson
    • Asst. Athletic Director - Mr. Sean Murphy
    • Athletic Trainer - Mr. Marty McGinty
    • Team Physician - Dr. David Lumsden '79
  • Guidance Director - Mr. John Offerman
  • Campus Minister - Mr. Christopher McCullough
  • Technology Director - Mr. Joseph Jancuk

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Notable Former Students

• Mickey Cucchiella, comedian and radio personality, is a morning disc jockey on 98 Rock in Baltimore. He attended Curley for his freshman year.
• Santino Quaranta, professional soccer player in Major League Soccer, attended the school his freshman and sophomore years as a starter on Varsity Soccer.

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] External links

• School website