Padua Academy
Padua Academy is an all-girls Catholic high school in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington.
| Padua Academy | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
905 North Broom Street , , 19806 United States | |
| Coordinates | 39°45′5″N 75°33′47″W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, all-girls |
| Motto | Suaviter Sed Fortiter (Softly but Strongly) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1954 |
| Principal | Dr. Mary McClory |
| Faculty | 70 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 667 (2016-17) |
| Color(s) | Black and gold |
| Slogan | Spirituality, Scholarship, Service, Sisterhood |
| Athletics conference | DIAA Division I |
| Mascot | Panda |
| Team name | Pandas |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1] |
| Publication | Suaviter Sed Fortiter |
| Newspaper | Padua360 |
| Yearbook | Paduan |
| Tuition | $13,800 (2017-2018) |
| Affiliation | Diocese of Wilmington |
| Dean of Students | Leslie Fundakowski |
| Director of College Advisement and Guidance | Joel Lang |
| Director of Admission | Shana Rossi |
| Athletic Director | Lindsay LoPilato Brown |
| Website | http://www.paduaacademy.org |
The school strongly emphasizes college preparation, leadership, civic responsibility, and spirituality. Padua is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. It is a four-time winner of the "Superstars in Education" Award from the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.[2] Padua was named one of the Top 50 Catholic High Schools in America by the Cardinal Newman Society in 2012.[3] Padua is a member of the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) and the Delaware Association of Independent Schools (DAIS). Padua’s Student Council has earned recognition as a Council of Excellence. Padua Academy is consistently recognized for outstanding community service and has merited both a Regional Gold Medal and a National Bronze Medal from the Jefferson Awards-Deloitte Students in Action program.
Mission statement
Rooted in the Catholic faith, Padua Academy offers young women a transformational college preparatory education, challenging them to live Christ-centered lives of leadership and service.
School motto
The school motto, "Suaviter sed fortiter," translates as "Softly, but strongly," and reminds one of the qualities of an educated woman: nurturing and responsive to the uniqueness of others, yet purposeful and determined, accepting a responsible role in the global community.
History and spiritual foundation
The school was founded in 1954 by Rev. Joseph L. McCoy, O.S.F.S. and built with the help of members of the St. Anthony of Padua Parish. Its patron saints are St. Francis of Assisi, St. Francis de Sales, and St Anthony of Padua. The first classes of Padua Academy (in the 1950s) took place in the upper level of Saint Anthony of Padua Grade School, located at 9th and North Scott Streets, two blocks away from the present building. Classes also took place in the old P.S. #11 school building in the early years. The present building at 10th and Broom Streets was designed and executed by Rev. Roberto Balducelli, O.S.F.S., who came to the United States from Italy in the 1940s and died in 2013 at the age of 100.[4] The school was built by volunteer labor with the help of Brother Michael Rosenello, O.S.F.S., who remains on staff at the school.
School profile
Padua has an enrollment of more than 660 girls and is within walking distance of its male counterpart Salesianum. Students from these schools can often be found after school on each other's campuses for various activities and sports events. Padua and Salesianum have an exchange program during the first period class which allows students to take courses together and increases the number of electives offered by each school. The school annually presents the Women's Achievement Award, honoring a national figure who represents a role model for young women. Recipients include Rwandan author and genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza (2010); Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon (2011); author and inspirational speaker Liz Murray (2012); former First Lady Laura Bush (2013); and inspiration for The Blind Side, Leigh Anne Tuohy (2014). The 2015 honoree was businesswoman and former supermodel Kathy Ireland.
2013-14 athletics accomplishments
National rankings
The Padua soccer team was ranked 18th in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in June 2014, marking the third year in a row the team has earned a national ranking by the NSCAA. In the Spring of 2016, the Padua Soccer team became ranked 2nd in the nation.
State championships
Padua captured the state title in six sports during the 2013-14 school year: cross country and volleyball in fall, competitive cheerleading and indoor track in winter, and soccer and track & field in spring.
Individual awards
Regan Lehman ’14 was named All-American and Delaware State Player of the Year for soccer. Maiya Dendy ’15 was named Gatorade Player of the Year for track & field. Lauren DiSabatino was named Delaware Volleyball Coach of the Year, and Marnie Giunta was named Delaware Cross Country Coach of the Year and Delaware Indoor Track Coach.
Notable alumni
- Lisa Blunt Rochester, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large congressional district[5]
- Pat Ciarrocchi, newscaster for KYW-TV's CBS3 Eyewitness News[6]
References
- MSA-CSS. "MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools". Archived from the original on 2009-03-25. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
- "Padua selected by State Chamber of Commerce as a Superstar in Education". Delaware Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-06-12.
- Padua selected as Delaware's top Catholic High School by the Cardinal Newman Society - "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2012-09-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Rev. Roberto Balducelli Obituary". Delaware Online. August 12, 2013.
- Nagengast, Larry (June 2017). "Lisa Blunt Rochester is Ready to Shake Things Up: Get to know Delaware's first black, first female congresswoman". Delaware Today. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- "The Private School Insider". Retrieved 2018-07-03.
