September 28, 2011 - New Catholic College-Preparatory High School To Open In Brighton In 2012*

Mount Saint Joseph Academy and Trinity Catholic High School To Form New Co-Ed High School

CONTACTS:
Jack Dunn       617-552-3350
Ed Hayward   617-552-4826

BRIGHTON, MA (Sept. 28, 2011) — A new, Catholic college-preparatory high school will open its doors in Brighton in September 2012, advancing the traditions and strengths of Mount Saint Joseph Academy of Brighton and Trinity Catholic High School of Newton.

The new school, which will be called Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, will provide a coeducational program for up to 400 students that will focus on academic excellence, integrated math, science and technology skills and a nurturing, multiethnic and multicultural environment that instills Catholic values and respect for all people.

To distinguish itself as a leader in Catholic co-education, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School will feature college-preparatory courses in science, math, languages, social studies, fine arts, and theology, all designed to promote the development of the whole person. Sports programs and other extracurricular activities will be integral to the school.

“We are pleased to announce the creation of Saint Joseph Preparatory High School and are excited to join the strengths of two schools that have served this area for more than a century,” said Sister Mary L. Murphy, CSJ, President of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston. “The Sisters of Saint Joseph have a long history of involvement in both schools and we look forward to fulfilling our mission to provide an outstanding education, instill Catholic values and foster respect for all people.”

The decision to create a new school on the Brighton campus was inspired by the need to maintain a vibrant, academically rigorous and operationally efficient Catholic secondary school option for families in Allston-Brighton, Newton and surrounding communities, according to officials from both schools.

“Parents don’t want average schools, they want great schools,” said Rev. Joseph M. O’Keefe, SJ, a professor in Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and a national expert in Catholic education. “Saint Joseph Prepatory High School offers a unique opportunity to take the experiences and successes of two existing institutions and create a great Catholic school that will serve families from the City of Boston and surrounding communities. This type of bold step is crucial to the vitality of Catholic education.”

Mount Saint Joseph Academy opened its doors in 1885 under sponsorship of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston. The school currently enrolls 200 girls and has a staff of approximately 30 teachers and support personnel. Trinity Catholic High School opened in 1893 and has been staffed at times by the Sisters of Charity and the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Affiliated with Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Newton, Trinity currently serves 200 boys and girls with approximately 30 teachers and support staff.

Saint Joseph Preparatory High School will offer a global perspective and interdisciplinary approach that seeks to enhance analytical and critical thinking skills, with an innovative use of technology. Vibrant theology and campus ministry programs will ensure the moral formation of all students in the social justice and ethical teachings of the Catholic Church.

A Board of Trustees that will include members of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, alumni and alumnae from both schools, and business and community leaders will govern Saint Joseph Preparatory High School. It will form relationships with a range of community organizations, including neighboring Boston College and its Lynch School of Education, and with Regis College of Weston, a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Saint Joseph.

Administratively, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School will be led by a head of school, with an administrative team responsible for the academic program, student affairs, mission and ministry and business operations.

“I am delighted that the religious and educational mission of Trinity Catholic High School will live on in a new school formed in partnership with the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, which has a long and proud tradition at both schools,” said Rev. John Sassani, pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians. “I am thrilled to see the deep commitment of all individuals who are working hard to make Saint Joseph Preparatory High School a place that will continue to promote the intellectual and spiritual development and the well-being of our students.”