St. Mary's High School (Lancaster, New York)

St. Mary's High School
150px Bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam doce me. Teach me goodness, discipline, and knowledge.
Address
142 Laverack Avenue Lancaster, New York, (Erie County) 14086 USA
Coordinates
Information
Type	Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s)	The Blessed Mother under the title of Immaculate Heart of Mary
Established	1904
Chairperson	Nicholas Fiume
Principal	Rebecca Kranz '92
Chaplain	Richard DiGiulio
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	380 (2011-2012)
• Grade 9	100
• Grade 10	90
• Grade 11	80
• Grade 12	110
Average class size	16
Student to teacher ratio	12:1
Color(s)	Navy, Carolina Blue and White
Athletics conference	Monsignor Martin Athletic Association
Team name	Lancers
Rival	O'Hara, Niag. Catholic, Lancaster, Depew
Publication	Legends (literary magazine), The Lance (alumni paper)
Newspaper	Currents (monthly newsletter)
Yearbook	The Lance
Dean of Student Affairs	Matthew Ard
Athletic Director	Steven Grieco '01
Director of Operations	Peter Herr
Director of Special Programs	Keith Kidder '85
Website	http://www.smhlancers.org

St. Mary's High School is a co-educational, Roman Catholic high school located in Lancaster, New York, 4.5 miles South East of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and 14.5 East of downtown Buffalo. The school is within the Diocese of Buffalo. St. Mary's enrollment includes students in grades 9-12 from four counties and approximately 30 school districts. The current Principal is Rebecca Kranz.

Background

St. Mary's High School is the one of the oldest parochial high school in the nation. The school was formerly a parish school which opened in 1904, officially chartered in 1909.

Construction of the present building began in 1954, with the opening of the school in September 1955. The Salvatorian Fathers joined with the Franciscan Sisters to operate the school.

As the enrollment increased, the additions were made in 1956, 1962, and 1982. The lay staff of St. Mary's High School grew, coinciding with the decree of Vatican Council II.

In 1970, the first lay principal was appointed to SMH, and an Administrative Board was formed, which plays a major role in the decision and policy-making process of the school. In 1975, for the first time in the history of SMH and the Diocese of Buffalo, a lay woman was appointed principal of a secondary school. In 1991, St. Mary's became a private High School administered by a board of trustees.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, St. Mary's followed the educational requirements as outlined by the Board of Regents of the State of New York. In the decade of the 2000s, St. Mary's continues to strive to offer its students the "best education for their whole life."

Curriculum

St. Mary's High School offers a challenging curriculum featuring a variety of Honors and Advanced Placement courses. In the spirit of educating the whole student there are many extracurricular activities including a very successful Athletic program, a high-quality Performing Arts department and a whole list of clubs and organizations catering our students interests. There are, as of the 2009 school year, 333 students. The Freshmen class, composed of 109 students, is the largest in years.

Athletics

The St. Mary's Athletic Department includes 12 men's teams and 11 women's teams. St. Mary's has won the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association "A" League Supremacy Cup from 2001-(at least) 2011.

Fall:
Women's Soccer
Women's Volleyball
Women's Cross Country
Men's Football
Men's Golf
Men's Soccer
Men's Volleyball
Men's Cross Country

Spring:
Women's Lacrosse
Women's Softball
Women's Tennis
Women's Track
Men's Baseball
Men's Lacrosse
Men's Track

Winter:
Women's Basketball
Women's Bowling
Women's Hockey
Women's Indoor Track
Men's Basketball
Men's Bowling
Men's Hockey (Federation, section 6)
Men's Wrestling

Clubs and organizations

• Bell Choir
• Book Club
• Drama Club
• Donate Life
• Choir - Men/Women/Combined
• Healthy Lifestyles Club
• "Legends" Literary Magazine
• Lance Year Book Staff
• Music Ministry
• National Honor Society
• Poetry Club
• Dance Club
• Retreat Peer Ministry
• Scholars Program
• Science Olympiad
• SEEK
• Ski Club
• Student Senate
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
• TLC (The Lancer Club)

Notable alumni

• Dale Volker- Retired New York State Senator, 59th Senate District
• Frank Lazarus-Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts
• Adam Page- USA Sledge Hockey Player and 2-time Paralympic Gold Medalist

External links

• The official website of St. Mary's High School