Academy of Holy Angels
Academy of Holy Angels (AHA) is a private, Catholic, coeducational high school located in Richfield, Minnesota. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Holy Angels educates more than 650 students each year in grades nine through twelve from around the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Academy of Holy Angels | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Address | |
![]() | |
6600 Nicollet Avenue South , 55423 United States | |
Coordinates | 44°52′57″N 93°16′47″W |
Information | |
Type | Private, Coeducational High School |
Motto | Believe. Achieve |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
Established | October 2, 1877 |
Founder | Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet |
President | Thomas Shipley |
Principal | Heidi Foley |
Chaplain | Father Michael Tix |
Faculty | 68 |
Grades | 9–12 |
Enrollment | 650 (2017) |
Average class size | 21 |
Campus type | suburban |
Color(s) | Royal Blue and Vegas Gold |
Athletics conference | Tri-Metro Conference |
Mascot | Shiner |
Team name | Stars |
Accreditation | AdvancED |
Publication | Astronomer (Arts magazine) |
Newspaper | StarGazer |
Tuition | $14,495 |
Website | academyofholyangels |
History
The Academy of Holy Angels was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet on October 2, 1877. On September 15, 1931, the newly constructed building was opened.[1] The initial enrollment of 107 students in grades 1-12 grew to 182 by the end of the 1931–1932 school year. The original grounds included a formal English garden in the courtyard, tennis courts, a 9-hole golf course, and an ice skating rink during the winter.
The school was accredited in 1932, and that same year the school had its first graduating class of 13 members. In 1935 the Alumnae Association was established with most of its efforts directed toward communication, reunions, special events for alumni and the annual alumni phonathon. By 1943, Holy Angels had discontinued its grade school but continued to offer Kindergarten until 1946, when St. Peter's Church next door opened its parish elementary school. The 1952–1953 school year was the last year for boarders to live at Holy Angels, and 1953 marked the beginning of Holy Angels solely as a day school.
In September 1972, the Academy became a coeducational school. The class of 1976 was the first full four-year co-ed class. Because the school was now co-ed, the Angies became the co*Stars and varsity athletics began. Today the athletic program has grown to 33 teams representing 18 varsity sports for both girls and boys. In 1989 a middle school and theater school were established. In 1996, to enhance the campus and revenues, Holy Angels built the StarDome; a $2 million, year-round athletic facility (the first high school in the United States to have a facility of this type). The complex includes bleachers, a concession building and a playing field for Holy Angels sports and activities. The playing surface consists of Field Turf and features a removable dome to make the field playable during the winter months. The field is uncovered during the summer.
In 1998 Holy Angels was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. That same year, the last group of 8th graders graduated middle school. The school chose to focus instead on just educating high school students. But, despite this closing, the high school was still growing, expanding their classroom space by 15%. In 2003 Holy Angels purchased the 26-acre (110,000 m2) campus from its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, at a substantial discount. In that same year, they built and dedicated a new 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m2) addition that included a Convocation Center and classrooms.
Athletics
The Academy of Holy Angels is in the Tri-Metro Conference, which is part of the Minnesota State High School League
The official mascot of Holy Angels is Shiner the Angel.
In 2005, both the boys and girls hockey teams won the state championship, the first time in Minnesota that the boys and girls hockey championships were from the same school.
State Championships | |||
---|---|---|---|
Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
Fall | Soccer, Girls | 1 | 2003 |
Football, Boys | 1 | 2017[2] | |
Soccer, Boys | 1 | 2019[3] | |
Winter | Hockey, Girls | 1 | 2005 |
Table tennis | 1 | 2011, 2013 | |
Hockey, Boys | 2 | 2002, 2005 | |
Cheerleading | 6 | 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011 | |
Basketball, Girls | 2 | 1969, 1975, 2016 | |
Spring | Golf, Boys | 3 | 1994, 1998, 1999 |
Softball, Girls | 1 | 2000 | |
Total | 19 | ||
Notable alumni
- John Berg, Third Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter[4]
- Troy Bell, a professional basketball player[5]
- Susan King, professional basketball player in the WNBA[6]
- Thomas Breitling, entrepreneur
- Kelly Carlson, actress[7]
- Jack Hillen, Professional Ice Hockey Player - Defenseman, New York Islanders, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals (2008–present)[8][9]
- Gavin Kaysen, internationally known chef
- T. R. Knight, actor, Grey's Anatomy
- Paul Peterson, musician
- Paul Thissen, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice, 2018–Present, Minnesota House of Representatives 2003-2018 (Speaker of the Minnesota House, 2013-2014)[10]
- Matt Kramer, Vice President for University and Government Relations at the University of Minnesota, 2017-Present, served as Chief of Staff to former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and also spent time as Gov. Pawlenty’s commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development.[11]
Football
- John Stocco, football quarterback, University of Wisconsin (2003–2006)[12]
Ice hockey
- Mike Carman, hockey forward, University of Minnesota (2006–2010)[13]
Attended, but not alumni
- Larry Fitzgerald (transferred to Valley Forge Military Academy), a professional football player in the NFL.[14][15]
- Erik Johnson (transferred to US National Team Development Program), hockey defenseman, Colorado Avalanche, 2006 NHL 1st overall draft pick by the St. Louis Blues. 2010 USA Olympian and Silver Medalist[16]
- Mike Reilly, (transferred to Shattuck-St. Mary's), hockey player, University of Minnesota (2012–2015), Minnesota Wild (2015–2017) and Montreal Canadiens (2017–)[17]
See also
References
- Academy of Holy Angels website, History of Holy Angels Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- "Prep Bowl roundup: Holy Angels tops Cloquet for 4A state title". Twin Cities. November 25, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
- Tribune, DAVID LA VAQUE, Star (October 31, 2019). "Holy Angels wins 1A championship with dramatic overtime goal". MN Soccer Hub | High School Boys' & Girls' Soccer News, Scores & Standings. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- "Parish welcomes head of Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter - TheCatholicSpirit.com". TheCatholicSpirit.com. August 27, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
- "Troy Bell Profile". Hoops Hype. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012.
- "Susan King Profile". WNBA. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014.
- TV Biographies, Kelly Carlson Mini Profile Archived April 27, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- "Jack Hillen". Minnetonka Boys High School Hockey. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- "Erik Johnson's Number Retired by his Former High School". Mile High Sticking. July 22, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
... the Academy of Holy Angels retired another alumnus's, Jack Hillen. Hillen is currently a defenseman for the Carolina Hurricanes. He spent his entire high school career at AHA.
- "Political views stripped Thissen of Holy Angels' honor". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- "Matt Kramer named VP for university and government relations". University of Minnesota. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
- "John Stocco, Academy Of Holy Angels , Pro-Style Quarterback". 247Sports. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- "Mike Carman". www.mapsouth.hockey. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- Sommers, Kent (August 3, 2015). "Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald lives in Arizona, but like most transplants, 'home' is somewhere else". The Arizona Republic. Glendale, Arizona – via azcentral.com.
Fitzgerald didn't meet NCAA requirements to play as a freshman, so he spent a year at Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania.
- NFL Profiles, Larry Fitzgerald Profile Archived December 29, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
- "Erik Johnson's Number Retired by his Former High School". Mile High Sticking. July 22, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- "Mike Reilly - Men's Hockey". University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved November 3, 2019.