West PhiladelPhia CatholiC high sChool is a

CatholiC Community of aCademiC exCellenCe in an

urban environment that is oPen to an

interdenominational PoPulation. the sChool’s

rigorous sPiritual, aCademiC, teChnologiCal, and

extraCurriCular Programs develoP our

ethniCally and religiously diverse student body

into young men and Women of strong moral

and ethiCal CharaCter. West CatholiC PrePares eaCh

student to faCe the Challenges of everyday life,

embraCe leadershiP Positions in soCiety, and value

serviCe in an ever-Changing global soCiety.

at West CatholiC high sChool, We believe our eduCation:

> inspires a lifelong commitment

to service, especially to those

in need

> is grounded in the Catholic

message of Gospel values

> is a ministry that participates

in God’s saving work

> develops each person’s full

potential – spiritually, intellectually,

socially, and physically

> promotes learning in a

collaborative effort between

home and school

> fosters mutual respect among

students, teachers, administrators,

and all members of the school

community

> should be made available to

all students regardless of

ethnicity, religious affiliation, or

socio-economic status

> encourages respect for

and an understanding of our

multicultural family

West PhiladelPhia CatholiC high sChool

nurtures the develoPment of the CatholiC

Christian Community by PartiCiPating in the life

of the ChurCh and the message of Jesus Christ.

West PhiladelPhia CatholiC high sChool is

also ConsCious of its uniqueness as a sChool

enriChed by the unified sPirit esPoused by

the Commitment of administration, faCulty, and

staff Who serve a multi-Cultural, eCumeniCal,

and ethniCally diverse urban Community.

The sTudenTs Themselves reCoGnize as our primary Task The

developmenT of The whole person ThrouGh a liberal arTs

CurriCulum Coupled wiTh a keen awareness of The CulTural

diversiTy in our sChool and reCoGnize The neCessiTy of learninG

and GrowinG ToGeTher. The ChallenGe of The sChool is To

provide an aTmosphere where differenCes are embraCed as a

means To prepare for livinG in The world as a more fully

developed human beinG. The Common Theme of muTual aT wesT

CaTholiC is esTablished in all exisTinG relaTionships, allowinG

The sChool CommuniTy To experienCe an aTmosphere where

learninG Can Go beyond book knowledGe and inCorporaTe

ChrisTian values on a daily basis.

the burr freshman aCademy

The burr freshman

academy is a year-long

program for freshman

students. its purpose is to

enable them to transition

successfully from eighth

grade to high school.

The program leaders will

engage parents and hold

bi-weekly meetings with

students to focus on how

to improve study skills

and to address any other

student concerns.

West Catholic offers Honors, College Prep, and

Remedial programs of studies. Each student is

academically placed according to ability and previous

achievement. minimum requirements for graduation

include four years of religion, english, and social studies,

three years of mathematics and science, two years of

foreign language, a course in physical education and

health, fine arts, and technology. There is a strong

technology component to the academic program,

including an apple and pC lab. additional credits are

available from a wide variety of courses in several

academic disciplines.

ACAdEmiC HigHligHts:

> west Catholic is the only

archdiocesan high school

to be recognized as

“blue-ribbon school of

excellence” by the u. s.

department of education.

> west Catholic graduated

7 Gates millennium

scholars.

> 95% of west Catholic

graduates go to college.

> small class sizes; 10-1

student-teacher ratio.

> west Catholic’s Class

of 2012 was awarded over

$8,000,000 in college

scholarships and grants.

This amounts to an

average award of

$85,000 per student!

> a focus on technology:

each freshman receives

an ipad. There are

2 mac labs, an ibm lab,

and a wi-fi campus.

> resource enhancement

partnerships with three

organizations at the

university of pennsylvania:

the robert a. fox

leadership program,

barbara and edward

netter Center for

Community partnerships,

and Civic house; and

drexel university.

tHE WEst CAtHoliC AtHlEtiC PRogRAm is

dEsignEd to HElP studEnts dEvEloP tHEiR

AtHlEtiC PotEntiAl by offERing EigHt dif-

fEREnt sPoRts PRogRAms.

tHE AtHlEtiC PRogRAm Also EnCouRAgEs

studEnts to dEvEloP tEAmWoRk

And sPoRtsmAnsHiP, ConsistEnt WitH

sHoWing REsPECt foR tEAmmAtEs

And oPPonEnts.

The west Catholic

activities program is an

important element in

achieving the school’s

objective of developing

the whole person.

This program nurtures

the students’ spiritual,

social, intellectual, and

emotional development

through activities

and clubs.

WEst CAtHoliC’s ARts PRogRAm

fEAtuREs fouR ComPonEnts:

visuAl, musiCAl, PERfoRming,

And CulinARy.

west Catholic designed the visual arts program for all students who have an interest in learning the basic principles and techniques of art.

west Catholic recognizes that students come to west with a wide variety of musical backgrounds. Through a partnership with play on, philly!, the music department offers courses at various levels of musical ability to provide an appropriate course of instruction for all.

for students with an interest in performing arts, west Catholic offers opportunities to be involved in student plays.

understanding that philadelphia is among the nation’s top restaurant cities, west Catholic offers a culinary arts program to orient our students to the fundamentals of cooking and food preparation.

our reCent graduates have gone on to the folloWing Colleges and universities:drexel university

la salle university

manhattan College

neumann university

penn state university

st. Johns university

Temple university

united states naval academy

united states military academy

university of pennsylvania

university of maryland

virginia union university

villanova university

west Chester university

widener university

A WEst CAtHoliC gRAduAtE:

> is inspired by his/her spiritual and Gospel values to be of

service to others in the local and global communities

> is an articulate young man or woman of moral character

who becomes an upstanding citizen, committed family

member, and a responsible employee

> is characterized by his/her respectful and compassionate

attitude toward others and a deep sense of service as

a unique outgrowth of the west Catholic heritage

> assumes responsibility for his/her own well-being in

an independent, ethical, and moral manner

> is empowered by his/her well-rounded education to be

self-directed, able to communicate effectively, has the

ability to exercise problem solving and critical thinking

skills, and keeps pace with a technologically growing

environment.

ACAdEmiCswest philadelphia high school’s curriculum is faith-centered, academically challenging, and designed to prepare young men and women for the future. featuring a wide variety of electives, our college preparatory program of studies includes over sixty courses developed to challenge students to realize their full academic potential.

WEst PREPa freshman course designed to provide assistance to students who enter west Catholic below grade level.

REligionTheology i-ivTheology honors i – iv

mAtHEmAtiCsalgebra 1algebra 1 honorsalgebra 2algebra 2 honorsTrigonometryTrigonometry/pre-Calculus honorsCalculusadvanced placement Calculus ab

businEss And tECHnologyTechnology Communicationsaccountingpersonal finance and business law

sCiEnCEphysical sciencephysical science honorsbiologybiology honorsChemistryChemistry honorsphysicsphysics honors

EnglisH – lAnguAgE ARtsela 1ela 1 honorsprinciples of writingela 2ela 2 honorsela 3ela 3 honorsela 4ela 4 honorsadvanced placement english

WoRld lAnguAgEfrench 1, 2, 3 honorsspanish 1, 2spanish 2, 3 honors

finE ARtsfine arts 1, 2, 3, 4art 1 honorsmechanical designGraphic designinstrumental music 1, 2, 3, 4

CulinARy ARtsfood preparationCulinary arts

ACAdEmiC EXCEllEnCEgAtEs millEnnium sCHolARswest Catholic has had the privilege to graduate seven Gates millennium scholars in the last eight years. all of these students receive grants and scholarships that pay for all of their college expenses.

CollEgE Admissionsmore than 95 percent of the Class of 2012 is continuing formal education at numerous colleges and universities in many different states and around the world.

sCHolARsHiP And AdvAnCEd PlACEmEntThe technology-infused curriculum offered at west Catholic attempts to meet the needs of all students. west Catholic offers honors, College prep, and remedial studies. each student is academically placed according to ability and previous achievement. minimum requirements for graduation include four years of religion, english, and social studies, three years of mathematics and science, two years of foreign language, a course in physi-cal education and health, fine arts, and Computers. additional credits are available from a wide variety of courses in several academic disciplines.

ninety percent of the Class of 2012 earned academic and/or athletic scholarships.

the burr freshman aCademyWEst CAtHoliC HigH sCHool

idEntifiEs tHE nEEd foR A nintH

gRAdE tRAnsitionAl yEAR CAllEd tHE

buRR fREsHmAn ACAdEmy. tHE

PuRPosE of buRR ACAdEmy is to

EnsuRE An EAsy tRAnsition fRom

ElEmEntARy sCHool to HigH sCHool.

buRR ACAdEmy HAs vARious ComPo-

nEnts tHAt Will Assist fACulty

And stAff in mEEting tHE ACAdEmiC,

sPiRituAl, soCiAl, And EmotionAl

dEvEloPmEnt of All studEnts.

tHE PRogRAm’s mAjoR goAls ARE to:

> identify student needs and concerns

before the beginning of the

academic school year

> engage parents/guardians in

their student’s education.

> Conduct bi-weekly meetings to

discuss student concerns and solutions

to their concerns.

> initiate various academic assistance

programs, such as after-school

study halls, one-on-one tutoring,

and organization/study skills

enhancement.

This program will give our freshmen a

chance to form their own class identity,

and enable them to be role models

for the freshmen who follow them on

their west Catholic journey!

ACtivitiEs And AtHlEtiCs

WEst CAtHoliC offERs A WidE vARiEty of EXtRA-

CuRRiCulAR And Co-CuRRiCulAR studEnt ACtivitiEs. tHE

mAjoRity of tHE studEnt body is involvEd in onE oR

moRE ACtivitiEs oR Clubs. The activities director and athletic director

coordinate these programs to provide different experiences and leadership opportunities

for west Catholic’s students. These activities help build the west Catholic community.

They provide outlets for self-expression. They help students to develop responsibility,

cooperation, and service to others. faculty moderators supervise each activity. activities

are added each year according to student interest.

sPoRts

Girls’ volleyball

football

Cheerleading

baseball

boys’ basketball

Girls’ basketball

baseball

softball

Girls’ indoor/outdoor Track

boys’ indoor/outdoor Track

ACtivitiEs And Clubs

student Council

Community service Corps

ambassadors’ program

newspaper

yearbook

students run philly style

world affairs Club

art Club

Cultural diversity Club

students against

destructive decisions

west Catholic players

(Theater – drama)

literary magazine

respect life Club

anime Club

west net

praise dance

stage Crew

AtHlEtiCs

tHE WEst CAtHoliC AtHlEtiC PRogRAm is dEsignEd to

HElP studEnts dEvEloP tHEiR AtHlEtiC PotEntiAl by

offERing EigHt diffEREnt sPoRts PRogRAms. tHE AtHlEtiC

PRogRAm Also EnCouRAgEs studEnts to dEvEloP

tEAmWoRk And sPoRtsmAnsHiP, ConsistEnt WitH sHoWing

REsPECt foR tEAmmAtEs And oPPonEnts. west Catholic high school

is a member of the pennsylvania interscholastic athletic association (piaa) and the

philadelphia Catholic league. west Catholic’s school mascot is the burr. west Catholic

provides tryouts for all sports and encourages student participation. west Catholic athletes

have broken local and regional records and competed in tournaments abroad. west Catholic

athletes have continued their sports careers in college and professionally.

AtHlEtiC HigHligHts:

4 piaa state Championships

33 philadelphia City Championships

80 philadelphia Catholic league Championships

50 AtHlEtEs CuRREntly PlAying At tHE CollEgiAtE lEvEl

notAblE Alums:

Herb magee, basketball

Ernie beck, basketball

jim lynam, basketball

jim boyle, basketball

michael brooks, basketball

jim Washington, basketball

Patty Coyle, basketball

Reds bagnell, football

Curtis brinkley, football

guidAnCE And CounsElingwest Catholic high school’s Guidance department provides student services in the areas of college, academic, and personal counseling. it includes eight counselors and an administrative assistant.

1. CollEgE CounsEling CEntER Throughout junior and senior years, college counselors meet in individual and group sessions with juniors, seniors and parents regarding the college search and application process.

2. PERsonAl CounsEling a full-time personal counselor works with students who are experiencing difficulties at school or home.

3. ElWyn CounsEloRs These non-public school counselors assist students experiencing transition concerns.

4. sCHool PsyCHologist The school psychologist is available on a weekly basis to assist students in meeting the challenges of academic demands.

5. sHAlom a full-time shalom Counselor assists students experiencing anxiety with school or family related dilemmas.

6. tutoRing oPPoRtunitiEs The national honor society conducts a very successful peer-tutoring program for any student who requests assistance. we are also in partnership with local colleges and universities to offer personal support to our students.

7. mEntoRing PRogRAm The school minister and freshman faculty coordinate a student-mentoring program designed to enhance the transition of incoming ninth grade students.

tRAnsPoRtAtion1. sCHool distRiCt busing

The majority of students attending west Catholic high school are eligible for free bus service provided by their local school district.

the sixteen school districts currently providing bus service to West Catholic are:

Cheltenham Chester

Chichester haverford

interboro marple newtown

norristown penn delco

william penn philadelphia

ridley park southeast delco

springfield springfield school Township district montco delco

upper darby wallingford- swarthmore

2. AutomobilE west Catholic high school has ample parking facilities to accommodate those students who drive to school.

3. PubliC tRAnsPoRtAtion weekly sepTa Transpasse are provided to students living further than 1.5 miles away from west Catholic high school. students can use these sepTa Transpasse on the el train, the subway, and all trollies and busses.

4. sCHool sPonsoREd busing west Catholic high school sponsors a private bus service to transport athletes and students involved in extracurricular activities to and from destinations off campus.

tuition And fEEs

PoliCy of non-disCRiminAtion

west Catholic high school admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally made available to students at the school. west Catholic high school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarships, loan programs, or athletic and other school administered programs.

tuition

Tuition for the 2012-2013 school year is $5,850 for practicing, registered Catholics, and $7,050 for non-Catholics.

> parents have the option of paying all of the tuition before the start of the school year, or paying on a quarterly or semester basis.

> a ten-month tuition payment plan runs July – april.

fEEs

> sCHool fEE $685 includes book and fundraising fee.

> REgistRAtion $100 due upon enrollment

some sporTs, aCTiviTies, and fine arTs Classes may require fees.

all fees musT be paid before a sTudenT sTarTs Classes aT wesT CaTholiC hiGh sChool.

finAnCiAl Aid And sCHolARsHiPs

> west Catholic high school offers three full and four half academic scholarships to the top scorers in the scholarship exam.

> west Catholic high school offers financial aid to all qualified and deserving fami-lies. new for this year, there is a common application that combines west Catholic high school aid, bloCs, and Taps, which are the three major components of our financial aid assistance. you will find the financial aid application as part of west Catholic high school’s general application.

Admissions PRoCEssoPEn HousE – sundAy, oCtobER 21, 2012 west Catholic will hold an open house from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. faculty and staff will be available to meet with prospective students and their families. The program will include presentations, demonstrations, and guided tours of the facilities.

buRR dAyall eighth graders are strongly encouraged to spend a full day at west Catholic high school, which is the best way to experi-ence the atmosphere, spirit, and challenges that await young men and women at west Catholic. visits can be scheduled any day from september-december. seventh grade students are invited any day during the months of march and april. To arrange your visit, contact the admissions office.

intERviEWs students spending a day at west Catholic will have an informal interview as part of their visit.

sCHolARsHiP/EntRAnCE EXAm west Catholic uses a mandatory high school placement test to determine scholarship winners and those who will be offered admission to the class of 2017. The school will offer the test on:

november 17, 2012 at 9:00am december 1, 2012 at 9:00am.

The test will be offered at the school on those dates. The fee for this test is $20.

Admissions dEAdlinEs 1. submission of an application by

november 16, 2012, will automatically register a student for the scholarship/entrance exam.

2. The scholarship/entrance exam will be administered on november 17, 2012, and december 1, 2012.

3. parents/Guardians should ensure that all academic records and teacher’s recommendations are sent to west Catholic high school by January 1, 2013.

4. west Catholic high school will notify scholarship winners and acceptances in

mid-January.

ACCEPtAnCE to WEst CAtHoliC an admissions committee reviews the qualifications of each applicant to west Catholic high school.

if for some reason you are not able to meet these deadlines, please contact the

admission office.

dECisions ARE mAdE on tHE bAsis of:

> scores on the entrance exam

> academic performance in the seventh and eighth grades

> recommendations from teachers and/or counselors

> scores on other standardized tests

> activities and interests

APPliCAtion foR Admission parents/Guardians should complete the enclosed application and mail it in the envelope provided to the admissions office at west Catholic high school or online at www.westcatholic.org by november 16, 2012.

uPPERClAss Admissions west Catholic admits a small number of transfer students into the tenth and eleventh grades each year. a student must have a passing average and be in good standing in his/her present school. decisions are made after the submission of academic records

and a personal interview.

CHECklist

O oPEn HousE sunday, october 21, 2012

O sCHEdulE youR buRR dAy

O submit APPliCAtion to west Catholic including all necessary financial aid forms by november 16, 2012

O sCHolARsHiP/EntRAnCE EXAm november 17, december 1st at 9:00am

O submit ACAdEmiC RECoRds And RECommEndAtions

O goWEst

sEvEntH gRAdE PRACtiCE EXAm on april 24, 2013, west Catholic high school will administer a practice exam for students who are currently enrolled in the seventh

grade. To register contact admissions.

diRECtoR of Admissionsmr. John J. Jenkins iii 215-386-2244 x241 jjenkins@westcatholic.org

AdministRAtionbRotHER RiCHARd kEstlER, f.s.C.president

sR. mARy E. buR, i.H.m.principal

mR. PAul ColistRA vice president for institutional advancement

ms. REbECCA m. tomlinson assistant principal of academic affairs

mR. joHn jACkson vice principal for student services

ms. mARy dEmAsi vice principal for student activities

fAtHER miCHAEl mARRonE school minister

mR. CHARlEs PinEComptroller

AdmissionsmR. joHn jEnkinsdirector of admissions

CounsElingjEnnifER dAvishead Guidance Counselor

AtHlEtiCsmR. bRiAn fluCkdirector of athletics

dates to rememberburr day starting september 17, 2012

oPen houseoctober 21, 2012 1:00pm-4:00pm

8th grade sCholarshiP/entranCe examnovember 17, 2012 and december 1, 2012 9:00am

7th grade PraCtiCe testapril 24, 2014 9:00am

4501 ChesTnuT sTreeT

philadelphia, pennsylvania 19139

215.386.2244 phone

admissions@wesTCaTholiC.orG

WWW.WestCatholiC.org