Rice Memorial High School

Rice Memorial High School is a coeducational Roman Catholic secondary and college preparatory school in South Burlington, Vermont. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. The student body is mostly drawn from Northern and Central Vermont but includes other students including international students. The school and buildings were named for Bishop Joseph Rice who had established Cathedral High School in 1917. Base tuition per student, which excludes certain additional fees that currently apply such as $150 registration fee, and $200 student activity fee, has been set at $10,865 for 2019-2020 (this is up from $10,600 for the 2018-2019 school year, $10,111 for the 2017-2018 school year, $9,630 for the 2016-2017 school year, $9,395 for the 2015-2016 school year, and $8,950 for the 2014-2015 school year).[4]

Rice Memorial High School
Address
99 Proctor Avenue South Burlington , Vermont 05403 United States
Coordinates	44°27′10″N 73°12′1″W
Information
Type	Parochial, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1917
Opened	1959
Principal	Lisa Lorenz
Faculty	41[1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	Approximately 400 (2017-2018)
Average class size	20[2]
Student to teacher ratio	13:1
Color(s)	Green and White
Athletics	17 Interscholastic Sports
Mascot	Green Knights
Accreditation	New England Association of Schools and Colleges[3]
Newspaper	Knightly News
Vice Principal for Catholic Mission	Father Scott Gratton
Associate Principal	James Abrams
Director of Admissions	Greg Lacroix
Athletic Director	Neil Brodeur
Controller	Andrew Bond
Website	http://rmhsvt.org

History

It was opened on February 1, 1959 by Bishop Robert Joyce. Previous to this the school was known as Cathedral High School, which had been founded in 1917, and was located in Burlington, Vermont. Rice Memorial High School was built to replace the decaying building of Cathedral High School. On the day it became Rice Memorial High School, 900 students marched from the old Cathedral High School to the new high school.[5] The school equally recognizes the graduates of both schools, Cathedral/Rice, as a "joint" alumni.[6]

Boys' basketball had a 54-6 record from the fall season of 2007 through January 2009. Its only losses were to Burlington High School. Burlington's only loss since the 2007 season had been to Rice, in the 2009 State Championship[7] They played Burlington High School in consecutive seasons, 2007-09, for the Vermont State Division I championship's, winning in 2007-09. From 2007-14, the boys' basketball team played in 7 out of 8 finals, winning 5 state titles.[8]

In 2009, a fire caused damage to the gymnasium.

Academic

The school is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.[9]

Students

The student body has approximately 400 students, approximately 2/3 of whom are Catholic. 21 courses are offered in the Honors and Advanced Placement programs. In 2006, 64% of students scored 3 or higher on Advanced Placement exams. The average SAT score is 1799. 96% of students are accepted into four-year colleges.

Faculty

The average faculty member has 17 years experience, and 68% of the faculty have advanced degrees.

Principals

1. Msgr. Wendell Searles [6]
2. Rev. Roland Rivard 1975-1982
3. Rev. Ronald Soutiere 1982
4. Mr. John Lemon 1982
5. Mr. Phillip Soltau 1982-1984
6. Bro. John Collignon 1984-1994
7. Bro. Roger Lemoyne 1994-1998
8. Mr. John McCarthy 1998-2003
9. Dr. Alan Crowley (1976) 2003-2006[6]
10. Msgr. Bernie Bourgeois 2006-2016[6]
11. Sister Laura Della Santa 2016-2017
12. Lisa Lorenz 2017-present

Athletics

About 80% of the students participate in interscholastic athletics.[2] There are 32 athletic teams that compete in 17 different sports. The school's prime rival is cross-town Burlington High School.[10] Rice Memorial's mascot is the Green Knight.

Recognition

State Championships:

Division I Boys' Basketball 2020

• Division II Boys' Golf (2014)
• Division I Boys' Ice Hockey (1994, 1995)
• Division I Girls' Soccer (1999)[11]
• Division I Boys' Baseball 1964, 2014, 2015)
• Division I Boys' Basketball (1968, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1985, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015)
• Division I Girls' Basketball (1980, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2011, 2012)[12]
• Division I Boys' Tennis (1984, 1987)
• Division I Girls' Tennis (1985, 1988, 2008)
• Division II Boys' Soccer (1994, 2001, 2014)[11]
• Division II Girls' Track & Field (1994)
• Division II Girls' Soccer (1989, 1997)[11]
• Division II Boys' Track (2003)
• Division II Football (1983, 1988, 1989, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)[13]
• Division III Football (2004)[13]
• Division II Boys' Lacrosse (2005, 2011)
• Division III Boys' Swimming (2007)
• Division I Scholar's Bowl (1984, 1986)
• Division II Field Hockey (2014)
• Division III Field Hockey (2008, 2009, 2010)
• Division II Girls' Lacrosse (2012, 2013)[14]
• Division II Girls' Indoor Track (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)[15][16]
• Division II Boys' Indoor Track (2015)[16]

Notable alumni

• Dan Chiasson (Class of 1989), author and poet[17]
• Keith Cieplicki (Class of 1981), athlete and coach[18]
• Johannah Leddy Donovan, (Class of 1962), member of the Vermont House of Representatives[19]
• Michael Hastings (Class of 1998), journalist and author[20]
• James P. Leddy (Class of 1960), Vermont state senator, 1997-2007[21]
• Christina E. Nolan (Class of 1997), United States Attorney for Vermont[22]
• William Sorrell (Class of 1964), Vermont Attorney General, 1997-2017[23]
• Elizabeth M. Ready (Class of 1971), Vermont Auditor of Accounts, 2001-2005[24]

References

1. Rice Memorial High School - History; accessed March 30, 2015.
2. Rice Memorial High School - Just the Facts; accessed March 30, 2015.
3. NEASC-CIS. "NEASC-Commission on Independent Schools – Vermont Schools". Archived from the original on 2009-06-16. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
4. "Tuition and Fees". Retrieved 20 February 2015.
5. Buscher, Sara (September 26, 2008). Rice alumni will hold walk to celebrate 50th anniversary. Burlington Free Press.
6. Rice Memorial High School newsletter, Spring 2006; accessed March 30, 2015.
7. Donoghue, Mike (January 13, 2009). BHS:Seahorses rally for win over Rice. Burlington Free Press.
8. Boys' Basketball records, vpaonline.org; accessed March 30, 2015.
9. New England Association of Schools and Colleges Archived April 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, cis.neasc.org; retrieved June 22, 2008.
10. Journal Of The Vermont Senate, leg.state.vt.us; accessed March 30, 2015.
11. Vermont Principals Association (girls' soccer); accessed January 5, 2008 Archived November 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
12. Girls' Basketball Archived 2008-07-05 at the Wayback Machine, vbca.info; accessed January 5, 2008.
13. Vermont Principals Association (football) Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine accessed 11 December 2010
14. Vermont Principals Association (girls' lacrosse); accessed March 30, 2015
15. "Indoor track state championship results". USA Today High School Sports. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
16. Scott Fleishman (14 February 2015). "High School Indoor State Championships". Retrieved 20 February 2015.
17. "Rice memorial High School Graduates". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. June 5, 1989. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Top 50 Greatest Athletes in Vermont state history", SportsIllustrated.cnn.com; accessed March 30, 2015.
19. "Rice High Graduates 209". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. June 11, 1962. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
20. Adam Silverman, Burlington Free Press, Award-winning journalist Michael Hastings dies, usatoday.com, June 19, 2013.
21. "St. Michael's Greets Most Freshmen Since Postwar Boom". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. September 15, 1960. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Graduations: Rice High School". Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. June 9, 1997. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
23. Rudarakanchana, Nat (August 28, 2012). "Sorrell, running on adrenaline, describes primary race for Vermont attorney general as "hugely exhilarating"". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.
24. Freyne, Peter (October 6, 2004). "A Douglas Coronation". Vermont Seven Days. Burlington, VT.