Marianapolis Preparatory School

Athletics are a crucial part of the Marianapolis experience. Each student is required to participate in two extracurricular activities for the entirety of each sport's season. There are three seasons at Marianapolis: fall, winter, and spring. Each season has its own set of sports.[2]

Marianapolis offers a traditional boarding school experience with an English Language Program that dates to the 1980s. Students come from states within the New England area as well as countries from around the world. There are currently six residential halls on campus: St. John's, St. Albert's, Bayer House, Villa St. Joseph, Villa Maria, and White House. Four of the houses are nestled on the historic Thompson Common.[3]

Service is an integral tradition of the Marianapolis learning experience. Students participate in a number of service traditions including, Homelessness Awareness Night, Thanksgiving Turkey Dip for Muscular Dystrophy, Holiday Food Drive, Disaster Relief Outreach, and the Relay for Life. Recent service trips have touched communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and West Virginia.[4]

[5] Rake Day: Every autumn, students at Marianapolis are excused from a day of classes to participate in the annual Rake Day tradition. Traveling around campus by advisee group, students and advisors attack the terrain with rakes, bags, and tarps, collecting fallen leaves from the trees surrounding the school. As they migrate from place to place, students can stop for hot chocolate and tea to stay warm.

Alumni Soccer Game: Played during Parent and Family Weekend in October, the match pits faculty, alumni, and students against one another in a good-spirited game of soccer.

The Victory Bell: A bell located on a small island in the middle of the front parking lot is always rung when a home victory is achieved. On graduation day, each graduating senior rings the bell to signify the transition between student and alumnus/alumna.

The Dodgeball Game: A game of dodgeball held by the senior class which consists of many teams made up of people from parents to faculty and including many students. In the most recent game, the winners were the faculty team.

Book Signing: Each year, students and faculty add their signatures to the Marianapolis Book of Names. Included in this record of school history are the cities and countries from which members of the Marianapolis community hail. Ceremonies are held for each class to join decades of Marianapolis alumni and teachers.

Ring Day: An October tradition at Marianapolis is the junior class Ring Day. This annual ceremony celebrates members of the junior class and their maturation into college-bound upperclassmen.

Parent & Family Weekend: Held in October, Parent & Family Weekend is a time for school spirit. Each fall athletic teams hosts a game, alumni come back to visit, and other favorite activities include Break the Code for the Cause and the Alumni & Community Soccer Game.

Breaking the Code for the Cause: Marianapolis teams up with Finally Lisa’s Hair Salon in Southbridge, MA, during the month of October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During Parent & Family Weekend, Finally Lisa’s outfits Marianapolis students, faculty, and staff with pink hair extensions, and dye. Participants are allowed to break the school’s dress code with these accessories to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research.

Halloween: Halloween at Marianapolis is an all-day affair! The day begins with a parade of costumes in the Marianapolis Athletic Complex. Prizes are awarded for individual, group, scary, and creative costumes. Kids and adults proceed to class in full Halloween dress.

Turkey Dip: Each year, nearly 30 Marianapolis students, faculty and alumni brave 38 degree waters of Quaddick Lake in Thompson. Their dash into the water on Thanksgiving morning helps to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Spirit Week: Spirit week is a true celebration of Golden Knights enthusiasm, held in late February each year. The program is organized and run by the Marianapolis student council. Each day of Spirit Week has a different theme, such as Marianapolis Monday and Western Wednesday.

Community Service Day: Every year, each student at Marianapolis participates in a day of community service. Each grade level helps out somewhere different, from reading to local elementary school students, to planting flowers at nursing homes, and even visiting animal shelters. Marianapolis students help to make a big difference in the local community.

S.P.A.M.: S.P.A.M. or Students Performing at Marianapolis, is the chance for all students and faculty to show off their talents. Whether its singing, dancing, or a hidden talent, S.P.A.M. always draws a big crowd and is a favorite tradition of Marianapolis students.

Trash Fashion: Held in between acts during S.P.A.M., Trash Fashion is another way for Marianapolis students to showcase their creativity. Students create original outfits out of recycled materials, and then model them for the school.

Sports Day: Sports Day is a highlight during the last week of classes. Students participate in a variety of events and competitions across campus - everything from ultimate Frisbee to soccer and relay races to touch football. Students are broken up by advisories and grade level colors.

Rock Signing: The rock signing is a final rite of passage before the seniors officially become alumni. On the last day of school, the senior class signs their names to the rock, which then stays until the following year when a new class of seniors signs it. It is a way for the seniors to make their mark before graduation.

Camp Stonewall: A residential summer camp open to kids 8-15. Participants choose from a wide variety of sports, drama, and arts & crafts activities during the day, and enjoy all-camp special events in the evenings. International campers are welcomed as part of the International Summer Learners (ISL) program.[6]

• Albin Gurklis, math teacher at Marianapolis for 58 years
• Marianapolis Preparatory School website
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich