St. Bonaventure High School
St. Bonaventure High School is a private, Catholic, co-educational secondary school in Ventura, California, United States. This college preparatory institution was founded on the spiritual ideals of St. Francis of Assisi and the academic fervor of its namesake, St. Bonaventure. The nearby Mission San Buenaventura was founded by the Franciscan order in 1782 and was also named after Saint Bonaventure. The school's mascot, the seraph, was derived from one of the titles of Bonaventure, "Seraphic Doctor".
St. Bonaventure High School | |
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Address | |
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3167 Telegraph Road , 93003 | |
Coordinates | 34°16′23″N 119°15′13″W |
Information | |
Type | Private, Coeducational |
Motto | "Soli Deo Honor Et Gloria" (Only for the Honor and Glory of God) |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
Established | 1963 |
Oversight | Archdiocese of Los Angeles |
Principal | Christina Castro |
Faculty | 42 (2014) |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | 541 (2013) |
Color(s) | Green and Gold |
Slogan | Be the Solution |
Athletics conference | CIF Southern Section Tri-County Athletic Association Marmonte League (football only) |
Team name | Seraphs |
Rival | Oaks Christian School Westlake High School |
Accreditation | Western Association of Schools and Colleges[1] |
Newspaper | Seraph Scrolls |
Yearbook | The Arches |
Tuition | $8,780 (2017-2018) |
Vice-Principal/Dean of Curriculum | Christina Castro |
Dean of Faculty | Susan Valle |
Dean of Students | George Meade |
Director of Marketing & Outreach / Assistant Principal | Deacon Don Huntley |
Athletic Director | John Muller |
Website | saintbonaventure.com |
History
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles founded the school in 1963 with 70 students. Over the years, members of both the Sisters of Notre Dame and the Franciscan order have provided leadership and instruction. The first lay principal, Marc Groff, was named in 2007. As of the 2017-2018 academic year, the school serves about 600 students in grades 9-12 from throughout Ventura County.
Academics
Classes are rigorous and comprehensive to meet California state requirements and recommendations for admission to the University of California and California State University systems. Religious instruction is required of every student for each year of attendance. St. Bonaventure's mission statement reads: "Graduates are prepared to live their lives spiritually, intellectually and socially to meet the challenges encountered in their lives".[2] Ninety-nine percent of the school's graduates go on to attend college, and 90 percent complete a college education.
Advanced Placement courses
Advanced Placement course offerings include the following:
- Biology
- Calculus AB
- English Language and Composition
- English Literature and Composition
- Spanish Language
- Studio Art
- U.S. Government
- U.S. History
During the 2016-2017 academic year, 85 percent of St. Bonaventure students who took AP examinations earned scores of 3 or higher, this demonstrating college-level competency in a given subject.
Athletics
St. Bonaventure, which has a seraph for its mascot, is recognized for its athletic program, particularly in football. Interscholastic competition is offered in the following sports:
Boys
Girls
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Dance
- Cross Country
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and field
- Volleyball
The Seraphs baseball team has won eight Tri-Valley League championships since 2002, including an appearance in the CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) title game in 2006.
The St. Bonaventure softball program has also demonstrated much success in the 21st century. The team owns two back to back CIF-SS championships in 2014 and 2015 as well as four consecutive league championships from 2013 to 2016. The Seraphs also appeared in the CIF-SS semifinal round in 2016 and were ranked number one.
Football
From 2002 to 2009, the St. Bonaventure football team competed in the Channel League as the only private school among six members. During that time, the Seraphs won every league game. However, the team was forced to forfeit its undefeated league championship in 2009 due to the use of an ineligible player.[3]
For the 2010 season, St. Bonaventure and rival private school Oaks Christian School were placed into the Marmonte League for football, a grouping consisting mostly of large public schools. The Seraphs continued their success, sharing the 2010 league title with Oaks Christian and Westlake High School, all with identical 8-1 conference records.
St. Bonaventure won two California state football championships back to back in 2007 and 2008. The Seraphs also hold ten CIF Southern Section championships dating back to 1968.
- CIF-State
- Division III — 2007, 2008
- CIF-SS — 1968
- Division XI — 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001
- Division IV — 2002, 2004, 2005
- Division III — 2007, 2008
Clubs and extracurricular activities
Outside the classroom, students can choose to participate in a variety of activities. Such offerings at St. Bonaventure include:
- Art
- Associated Student Body
- Drama
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- Habitat on Campus
- Campus Ministry
- Interact Club
- Leo Club
- Mock Trial[4]
- Yearbook
Notable alumni
- Rosanne Cash, 1973, singer/songwriter and author
- Lorenzo Booker, 2002, football player (2001 Hall Trophy winner)
- Steve Hawkins, college basketball coach
- Whitney Lewis, 2003, football player
- Darrell Scott, 2008, football player
- Troy Hill (American football), 2010, football player
Gallery
- Two eighth grade students picking up the beach during recess, 1972
- Eighth grade girls picking up the beach during recess, 1972
References
- WASC-ACS. "WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools". Retrieved 2009-06-05.
- "St. Bonaventure: About Us". St. Bonaventure High School. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- Eads, Derry (February 23, 2010). "St. Bonaventure football team forfeits title over ineligible player". Ventura County Star. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- D'Angelo, Alexa (February 28, 2018). "Eight high school teams advance to Ventura County Mock Trial semifinals". Ventura County Star. Retrieved July 12, 2018.