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Paul VI High School

Coordinates: 39°53′49″N 75°03′44″W / 39.896979°N 75.062166°W / 39.896979; -75.062166
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Paul VI High School
Address
Map
901 Hopkins Road

, ,
08033

United States
Coordinates39°53′49″N 75°03′44″W / 39.896979°N 75.062166°W / 39.896979; -75.062166
Information
TypePrivate, Coeducational
MottoFortis In Fide
(Strength In Faith)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1966
AuthorityDiocese of Camden
CEEB code310473
NCES School ID00864388[7]
PresidentMichael Chambers[2]
RectorFr. Philip Ramos
PrincipalPhilip Gianfortune[1]
Faculty62.9 FTEs[7]
Grades912
Enrollment983 (as of 2021–22)[7]
Student to teacher ratio15.6:1[7]
Campus size35 acres (14 ha)
Campus typeShaped like an eagle; Letter 'W'
Color(s)  Royal blue and
  white[5]
Song"Soar Eagle, Soar!" adapted from Jean Sibelius's Finlandia Hymn
AthleticsSee Athletics
Athletics conferenceOlympic Conference (general)
West Jersey Football League (football)
MascotThe Paul VI Eagle
Team nameEagles[5]
RivalsCamden Catholic High School
Eustace Preparatory School
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[4]
PublicationAerie (literary/art magazine)[6]
NewspaperThe Talon[6]
YearbookShalom[6]
Tuition$12,395 (for 2024-25)[3]
Websitewww.pvihs.org

Paul VI High School is a private Catholic high school located in Haddon Township, in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As there is no post office in Haddon Township, the mailing address is Haddonfield. The school, founded in 1966, is named in honor of Pope Paul VI and is overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.[8] The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1979 and is accredited until July 2030.[4]

As of the 2021–22 school year, the school had an enrollment of 983 students and 62.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.6:1. The school's student body was 78.1% (768) White, 9.3% (91) Black, 5.9% (58) Hispanic, 3.3% (32) Asian, 3.0% (29) two or more races and 0.5% (5) Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander.[7]

The 244-meet win streak by the boys cross country team, which ended in October 2007 after 28 years, was cited by The Philadelphia Inquirer as "an epic achievement".[9]

History

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Construction on the school, convent and parish building began in January 1965. The school, designed by Armond Nasuti of Haddon Heights, and built by Cresco Builders of Pennsauken, at an estimated cost of $2 million (equivalent to $19.3 million in 2023), is designed like a large “W” with common facilities such as the cafeteria and gym in the center area and classrooms along the extremities. When the school was first opened, boys and girls were in the separate wings, sharing facilities such as library, cafeteria and gym.

The school was built with 50 homerooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium, a 1,500-capacity gym, a 50-seat chapel, and a large library for a capacity enrollment of 2,000 students. Constructed on the 35-acre (14 ha) campus of St. Vincent Pallotti parish, the school opened in 1966 with more than 600 students.[10] It was staffed at the time by 10 priests of the Camden Diocese, 18 sisters and 10 lay teachers. The sisters were members of the Religious Teachers Filippini.

Student life

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Paul VI is separated into four classes: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. The school year begins in early September, and ends in the middle of June (Seniors graduate in late May or early June). Extended periods of vacation are given at Christmas and Easter.

Main entrance to Paul VI High School

Students are required to wear the designated school uniforms for the entirety of the day, except during casual days. Separate gym uniforms are required for Physical Education. Discipline is organized into a system of demerits, whereby demerits are given out to students who break the school code of conduct as published annually in the student handbook. The number of demerits given depends on the severity of the infraction. Ten demerits result in a student receiving a detention. As Paul VI is a Catholic high school, students are expected to act according to Catholic teaching.

Students are required to take four years of math, English/Literature and religion in order to graduate. Three years of science and history are also required, as are two years of a foreign language, and freshman/sophomore year physical education.

Athletics

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The Paul VI Eagles[5] compete in the Patriot Division of the Olympic Conference, which operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[11] With 803 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public A for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 381 to 1,454 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group III for public schools).[12] The football team competes in the National Division of the 94-team West Jersey Football League superconference[13][14] and was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group B (equivalent to Group I/II for public schools) for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 140 to 686 students.[15]

The school participates as the host school / lead agency in a joint ice hockey team with Camden Catholic High School. The co-op program operates under agreements scheduled to expire at the end of the 2023–24 school year.[16]

The Eagles' main rival is Camden Catholic High School, whom they play in football every Thanksgiving.[17] Eustace Preparatory School is another rival.[18]

Sports offered at Paul VI include:[5]

  • Boys
    • Fall – soccer, football, cross country
    • Winter – basketball, indoor track, ice hockey, swimming, wrestling
    • Spring – lacrosse, track & field, golf, baseball, tennis, volleyball
  • Girls
    • Fall – soccer, tennis, cross country, field hockey, cheerleading, volleyball, dance/drill team
    • Winter – basketball, indoor track, swimming, cheerleading, dance/drill team
    • Spring – lacrosse, track & field, softball, dance/drill team

The boys track team won the Non-Public Group B spring / outdoor track state championship in 1970, and won the Non-Public A title in 1974, 1989-1991.[19] The 1989 team edged second-place finisher and defending champion Christian Brothers Academy by a score of 33.5 to 33 to take the Parochial A title.[20]

The girls' spring / outdoor track and field team won the Group III state championship in 1978, and the Non-Public A title in 1986 and 2001.[21]

The boys' basketball team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1980 (defeating runner-up Marist High School in the finals), 1983 (vs. Immaculata High School) and 1988 (vs. Bergen Catholic High School).[22] The 1980 team won the Parochial A title by a score of 37-36 against Marist on a shot scored with seconds left in the game.[23] The team won the 1983 Parochial A state championship with a 55-54 win against Immaculata on a last-second tip-in scored in the tournament final at the Meadowlands Arena.[24]

The boys wrestling team won the Parochial A South state sectional championships every year from 1981 to 1992. The team won the Parochial A state championships in 1982, 1984–1990 and 1992. The team's nine state group titles are tied for fourth-most in the state and the streak of seven consecutive group titles is tied for the state's third longest.[25]

The football team won the Non-Public A South state sectional championships in 1981.[26]

The girls cross country running team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1994, 1995, and won the Group IV title in 1986. The program's six state titles are ranked ninth statewide[27]

The ice hockey team won the Monsignor Kelly Cup in 2010.[28]

The boys' soccer team won the 2003 NJSIAA Parochial A state sectional championship with a 3–1 win over Notre Dame High School.[29]

Boys' cross country and winning streak

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The Paul VI boys' cross country team had a dual meet unbeaten streak that started in 1979[30] and ended at 244 straight wins after 28 years. On October 10, 2007, Camden Catholic High School beat them 21–36 and took the division championship, ending the longest unbeaten streak in recent memory. In an editorial, The Philadelphia Inquirer cited the streak, which started when Jimmy Carter was president, as "an epic achievement".[9] They have not lost since, and beat Camden Catholic High School in a dual meet during the 2008 season. Haddonfield High School now owns the current longest streak for South Jersey at 102 wins.[31]

The boys cross country running team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1983-1985, 1988-1990 and 1994. The program's seven state titles are tied for tenth in the state.[32] The team won the Meet of Champions in 1984, 1988, 1989 and 1994. The four MoC titles are the second-most of any school in the state.[33]

Administration

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Core members of the school's administration are:[34]

  • Michael Chambers, President
  • Philip Gianfortune, Principal

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ Message from the Principal, Paul VI High School. Accessed November 14, 2023.
  2. ^ President and Board of Trustees, Paul VI High School. Accessed February 14, 2022.
  3. ^ [1], Paul VI High School. Accessed May 11, 2024. "Tuition for the 2024-2025 school year is $12,395.00"
  4. ^ a b Paul VI High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed December 28, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d Paul VI High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Clubs and Activities, Paul VI High School. Accessed February 14, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e School data for Paul VI High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Schools, South Jersey Catholic Schools. Accessed February 21, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Editorial. "Paul VI High School: Still winners, in the long run", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 17, 2007. Accessed October 18, 2007. "This was more than just a sports streak – it was an epic achievement, famous among those who knew. It's never too late to salute 28 years of excellence."
  10. ^ History, Paul VI High School. Accessed April 14, 2021. "The school opened in September 1966 with an enrollment of 613 boys and girls (freshmen and sophomores), but was built with 50 homerooms, a 1,000 seat auditorium, a 1,500 capacity gym, a 50 seat chapel, and a large library for a capacity enrollment of 2,000 students."
  11. ^ League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  12. ^ NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  13. ^ Paul VI Eagles, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  14. ^ Home Page, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023. "The WJFL is a 94-school super conference that stretches from Princeton to Wildwood encompassing schools from the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conference, the Tri-County Conference, the Colonial Conference, and the Cape Atlantic League. The WJFL is made up of sixteen divisions with divisional alignments based on school size, geography and a strength-of-program component."
  15. ^ NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  16. ^ NJSIAA Winter Cooperative Sports Programs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed December 1, 2020.
  17. ^ Narducci, Marc. "Turkey. Tradition. Tackling.", Suburban Family, November 2010. Accessed August 3, 2011. "Paul VI vs. Camden Catholic These two parochial schools have been rivals almost since their first game, back in 1968. Camden Catholic coach Rick Brown says, "The price [of the two schools' tuitions] is identical and the location is close, so there is a lot of pride when a youngster chooses one school over the other."... Camden Catholic also spent time in the rankings this season; the Irish hold a 26-15-1 lead in their rivalry with Paul VI. At their annual Thanksgiving match-up—either on the actual holiday, or the night before—fans show up early to ensure they'll get a seat in the packed bleachers."
  18. ^ Melchiorre, Chris. "Bishop Eustace girls eliminate Paul VI", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2, 2011. Accessed August 3, 2011. "Regardless of the road that lies ahead, the Crusaders can take solace in the fact that they beat Paul VI, their Olympic National rival, for the third time this season. 'It's tough to beat any team three times in one season,' Phillips said."
  19. ^ NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  20. ^ Callahan, Kevin. "Paul VI outleans Christian Brothers for title", Courier-Post, June 4, 1989. Accessed February 11, 2021. "But the Paul VI High School boys' track team had been running in dangerous lanes all day yesterday, aiming to dethrone defending Group A state champion Christian Brothers Academy without Jason DiJoseph, who couldn't compete because of a possible stress fracture in his left foot. The resourceful Eagles found a way to do it without their talented distance runner, nipping Christian Brothers for fourth place in the 4x400 relay for the two points they needed to win the state title at Plainfield High School. Jeff Alicea anchored the relay team that gave Paul VI a 33 1/2-33 victory over Christian Brothers in the state Track and Field Championships."
  21. ^ NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  22. ^ Boys Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
  23. ^ Houldin, Mike. "Duckworth shot with :08 left gives Paul VI state title", Courier-Post, March 16, 1980. Accessed January 8, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "It was no work of art, but you won't hear Ed Duckworth or any of his Paul VI teammates complaining about the play that clinched the Parochial A state championship here yesterday. Duckworth's 10-foot jumper with just eight seconds left lifted Paul VI to a 37-36 win over North Jersey champ Marist."
  24. ^ Belis, John. "Immaculate boys edged in final seconds", Courier News, March 21, 1983. Accessed February 1, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The 23-4 Spartans were just four seconds away from a state title Saturday night when Tim Howley, a 6-4 sophomore center, spoiled their dreams. Howley, giving away a few inches to Immaculata's two giants, Terry Bross and Phil Demund, nevertheless managed to get up in the air and tap in the winning shot as Paul VI pulled out a 55-54 victory in the Parochial A championship game at the Meadowlands."
  25. ^ NJSIAA Wrestling Team Championship History Archived October 20, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  26. ^ NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  27. ^ NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  28. ^ NJSIAA Ice Hockey State Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  29. ^ 2003 NJSIAA Parochial A Boys' Soccer State Tournament, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed June 20, 2007.
  30. ^ Strauss, Robert. "Impressed by Threepeats? How About a 23-Peat?", January 7, 2007. Accessed September 1, 2020. "Paul VI High School, in nearby Haddon Township, has not lost a dual meet since 1979, more than 240 races ago. Joe Puleo, a former Paul VI coach who is now coach of the Rutgers-Camden college track team, said the high school's conference was not always strong, but the tradition of striving for victory was."
  31. ^ Camden Catholic ends Paul VI's long winning streak, Courier-Post, October 11, 2007. Accessed October 12, 2007.
  32. ^ NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  33. ^ NJSIAA Boys Cross-Country Meet of Champions Winners (1972-2018), New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  34. ^ Administration, Paul VI High School. Accessed November 14, 2023.
  35. ^ Staff. "Andrew Bailey, pride of Paul VI, top AL rookie", Philadelphia Daily News, November 17, 2009. Accessed February 4, 2011.
  36. ^ Waszak, Dennis Jr. "Jets' Irvin Charles takes control of his long, winding journey to playing in the NFL", USA Today, October 13, 2023. Accessed November 15, 2023. "Charles grew up in Sicklerville, New Jersey — about 100 miles south of MetLife Stadium — and was buddies with the younger brother of former Jets running back Shonn Greene. Charles' father is a diehard Jets fan and the now 6-foot-4, 219-pound Charles wanted to be like Brandon Marshall and even wore his No. 15 when he switched from defensive line to wide receiver at Paul VI High School."
  37. ^ Rinunce e nomine, 08.03.2016 (Italian), Holy See Press Office, March 8, 2016. Accessed March 8, 2016. "Ha frequentato la 'Pope Paul VI High School' a Haddon Township (1980–1984) e si è laureato alla 'University of Scranton' a Scranton (Pennsylvania) nel 1988."
  38. ^ Callahan, Kevin. "Paul VI Pipeline flowing and winning at James Madison", Courier-Post, February 5, 2016. Accessed May 10, 2017. "The Paul VI High School boys' basketball pipeline to Virginia is flowing – and winning.... Curry, who is from Pennsauken and majoring in sports and recreation management, is averaging 16.1 points and 3.8 assists – both team highs - in 32 minutes a game this season."
  39. ^ Staff. "Paul VI's Grimes makes choice", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 5, 2008. Accessed August 18, 2012. "Paul VI's Jonathan Grimes, an Inquirer all-South Jersey running back, announced last night that he had made an oral commitment to attend William & Mary on a football scholarship."
  40. ^ Makauskas, Caroline. "New Jersey hoops star Hannah Hidalgo sets sights on state crown", Just Women's Sports, October 31, 2022. Accessed November 15, 2023. "Hannah Hidalgo is one of the most focused players in the nation. At just 5-foot-7, the point guard has relied on her grit, tenacity and experience to develop into a unique leader for the Paul VI girls’ basketball team."
  41. ^ Smith, Eileen. "A touch of glass", Courier-Post, May 3, 1997. Accessed March 31, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "She was reared in Collingswood, the youngest of four children and the only girl. Her father managed the Ship Builder's Credit Union in Camden and her Italian mother managed the household. Her budding interest in art was nurtured at Transfiguration School in Collingswood, and later at Paul VI High School in Haddon Twp."
  42. ^ Brittany Ratcliffe - Forward, Boston Breakers. Accessed February 27, 2018. "Hometown: Williamstown, N.J.... Played at Paul VI High School"
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