Mount Saint Charles Academy

Mount Saint Charles Academy
File:Mount Saint Charles.jpg The front of Mount Saint Charles Academy
Address
800 Logee Street Woonsocket, Rhode Island, (Providence County) 02895-5599 United States
Coordinates
Information
Type	Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic, Brothers of the Sacred Heart
Established	September 14, 1924
Oversight	Diocese of Providence
President	Herve E. Richer, Jr.
Principal	Edwin Burke, Jr.
Grades	6–12
Enrollment	850 (average)
Campus	Urban
Campus size	22 acres (89,000 m2)
Color(s)	Scarlet, Royal blue, and White
Team name	Mounties
Accreditation	New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Newspaper	The Hilltopper
Yearbook	Excelsior
Admissions Director	Joseph O'Neill
Athletic Director	Richard Lawrence Raymond Leveille
Website	www.mountsaintcharles.org

Mount Saint Charles Academy is a private Catholic junior/senior high school located in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.  

History

By the close of the 19th century, a vast number of Canadians had migrated to the mill town of Woonsocket, RI. The Franco-American clergy of the area cherished the idea of assisting these immigrant families by educating the young, preserving the language and promulgating the Catholic faith. One local clergyman, Monsignor Charles Dauray, took the initiative and laid the foundation for educational institutions that would serve his parishioners. He invited the Brothers of the Sacred Heart to form part of this dream by staffing a school.

Mount St. Charles Academy opened its doors on September 14, 1924 to a number of boarders and commuting students. Br. Josephus, SC served as the first principal.

Three years after the completion of the school a gymnasium, the largest in New England at the time, was added. In the spirit of Brother Josephus, each succeeding principal has attempted to improve the school and its extra-curricular programs. The boys could choose from a wide variety of courses intended to sharpen their intellects as well as a selection of sports to assist in their physical development. In 1963, the Br. Adelard Ice Hockey Arena, named after the "Father of Schoolboy Hockey" and the first built to serve a particular school, was added to the campus.

By the 1970s, with the closing of the all-girls' high school in the city and a diminished interest in boarding schools, the Academy was modernized into a Grades 7–12, co-educational, day school. Desiring to better serve the individual needs of each student, the Academy also established its Teacher Counselor Program, intended to ensure that each student had an adult advocate to monitor his/her progress and serve as an intermediary between the home and school.

During the past two decades, the Academy has further expanded academic and competitive opportunities. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and has been recognized twice as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education. Attempting to perpetuate that success, the Academy has continued to develop its campus including the construction of a new Performing Arts/Physical Education facility in 2000. Future development includes plans for new a new Science Center, a Technology Center and additional sporting facilities.

In 2009 it was announced that Mr. Herve Richer, Jr. would become the first lay president of Mount Saint Charles. Mr. Edwin Burke, former assistant principal and advanced-placement European History teacher, assumed the position of Principal.

Arts

Bands

The Music Department provides opportunities for students in grades 7 through 12 to participate in a long history of stage bands, jazz bands, brass choirs, woodwind, percussion and strings ensembles. The current format is a junior (high) band and for senior high, two bands: the lower ranking senior band and the higher ranking wind ensemble, which despite its name, has strings and percussion in addition to brass and woodwind. Two jazz bands also exist which have students in grades 7–12: the JV Jazz and the Senior Jazz Band. The two senior high bands also participate in the Woonsocket Autumnfest Parade during the school year.

Chorus

The program in Chorus includes both junior high and high school students. Through a range of music styles including religious, musical theater and popular songs, students attempt to develop vocal and performance skills.

Dance

The Dance program includes modern, jazz, ballet and tap, through an academic and performance based program. Students also gain experience in choreography and performance in different settings.

Excelsior Yearbook

The MSC yearbook publishes a complete and formal summary of each year's social, scholastic, athletic activities. It also contains individual pictures of all students and faculty. Although the teaching staff of the Academy and the respective senior classes are depicted in color print each year, the remainder of the student body is depicted in black and white.

Handbell Choirs

The Arts Department offers the opportunity to participate in handbell choirs performing at school concerts. The advanced group of Excelsior Bells also performs in the community on a regular basis.

Theater

Junior high and senior high programs offer theory, training and stage experiences during school hours. In addition, these theatre classes schedule public performances.

Visual Arts

Information needed

Campus Ministry

In collaboration with the Religious Studies Department, the Office of Campus Ministry seeks to provide a range of experiences which form a more reflective faith community. To achieve this goal, the campus ministers guide and develop a range of activities which involve the whole community in a variety of ways.

Athletics

The school is perhaps best known for its ice hockey program, which is considered to be one of the best in the United States. The Mount Saint Charles Academy men's hockey team won twenty-six consecutive state titles from 1978–2003 and began a new streak with state victories in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Over the years, a total of 20 alumni have been drafted by the NHL. Brian Lawton and Bryan Berard were drafted 1st overall in the NHL Entry Draft. The story of this school's hockey program is recorded in the book Pride on the Mount by John Gillooly. The current coach, Normand "Bill" Belisle, has a record of 904 wins, 129 losses, and 32 ties. In 2006, a documentary was created called Ice Kings, which encompases the material covered in the book as well as insights from alumni and Coach Belisle.

Boys' volleyball has become another one of the Mounties' sports. The Mounties won back-to-back Division II State Championships in 2001 and 2002. Mount was quickly moved to Division I, but struggled for 2 seasons. In 2007 the boys were moved back to Division II and continued their pursuit of success. In 2008 the boys were DII North Co-Division Champions with Scituate. Later the two Co-Champions met in the state finals where the Mounties successfully procured the state crown, winning 3–1. In 2009 the Mounties went on to win the inaugural Volleyball Hall of Fame Showcase of Champions Tournament, another Division title and its fourth State Championship in 9 years, and finished with a 19–0 record, their third perfect season in the program's brief 9-year history. In 2010 the team completed another undefeated 16–0 regular season, bringing the team to a 42 game win streak and securing another Division II North Championship.

In addition, the Boys Varsity Lacrosse team, formed in the Spring of 2005, has attempted to succeed. The team won back to back RI Club Lacrosse Championships in 2005 and 2006, and upon entering the Interscholastic League in 2007 advanced to the quarterfinals. After initial failures, the team won a state championship in their second season in the league in 2008. Along with the progress of the Varsity program, the Junior Varsity and Junior High teams have sought success. In 2011, The varsity team won the regular season championship in Division II North, although they lost in playoffs. In the same year, the JV team won the Division II JV state title after defeating South Kingstown 9–6. The JH team attempts to prepare new players for high school competition.

In addition, the Girl's Varsity Tennis team has won several state championship titles, most recently in 2007 and 2008.

The school also won back to back Division II state titles in boys soccer 2004 and 2005 before moving up to Division I in 2006

The swim team also had a leap from Division III to Division I in one year, making it the first team in RIIL history to move two divisions in one year.

State Championships
Season	Sport	Number of Championships	Year
Fall	Soccer, Men's	4	1999, 2000, 2004, 2005
	Tennis, Women's	5	2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008
	Volleyball, Women's	2	1995, 2009
Winter	Hockey, Men's	43	1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1968, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
	Basketball, Women's	1	2001
	Swimming, Men's	2	2002, 2003, 2004
	Swimming, Women's	1	2003
	Hockey, Women's	6	2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011
Spring	Lacrosse, Men's	1	2008
	Volleyball, Men's	5	2001, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010
	Baseball	2	2009, 2010
All	Cheerleading	3	2005, 2007, 2008, 2011
Total		75

Notable alumni

Mathieu Schneider

• Bryan Berard, ice hockey player
• Brian Boucher, ice hockey player
• Ed Bradley, American journalist, 60 Minutes co-host (attended MSC)
• Keith Carney, ice hockey player
• Paul Guay, ice hockey
• Jeff Jillson, ice hockey player
• Brian Lawton, ice hockey player
• Ben Mondor, Owner of Boston Red Sox AAA affiliate, Pawtucket Red Sox
• Mathieu Schneider, ice hockey player
• Garth Snow, ice hockey player, General Manager of the New York Islanders

See also

• Catholic schools in the United States
• Higher education
• List of Rhode Island schools
• Parochial school