Aquinas High School is a Roman Catholic high school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The school is part of La Crosse Aquinas Catholic Schools and is operated by the Diocese of La Crosse.
| Aquinas High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
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315 11th Street South , , 54601 United States | |
| Coordinates | 43°48′29″N 91°14′24″W / 43.80806°N 91.24000°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Parochial, Coeducational |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1928 |
| Principal | Adam Poellinger |
| Chaplain | Fr. Daniel Sedlacek |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 338 [2] (2013-2014 school year) |
| Color(s) | Navy blue and old gold |
| Athletics conference | Mississippi Valley Conference |
| Team name | Blugolds |
| Accreditation | North Central Association of Colleges and Schools[1] |
| Affiliation | Diocese of La Crosse |
| Athletic Director | Pam Donarski |
| Website | http://www.AquinasCatholicSchools.org |
In 2008, Aquinas High School was named a national Blue Ribbon School.[3]
History
editThe high school was dedicated on September 2, 1928, in honor of Thomas Aquinas by Bishop Alexander Joseph McGavick of the Diocese of La Crosse. The first graduating class of 1929 consisted of four girls. The high school was originally staffed by diocesan clergy and the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
Diocesan Bishop John Joseph Paul, an Aquinas alumnus of the class of 1935, set aside some rooms at Aquinas High School for the Aquinas Middle School in 1992. In 1997, the Bishop Burke Hall addition to Aquinas High School was dedicated in honor of Bishop Raymond Leo Burke, now the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura in the Vatican City and a former religion teacher at Aquinas High School.[4]
School crest
editThe Aquinas High School crest, designed in 1942, first appeared in the yearbook, the Trumpet, and on the 1943 class rings. It features the cross in a central and prominent position on the crest, reflecting the importance of the faith and redemption it symbolizes; ΧΡ, the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, signifying that the life of a Christian should be centered around Christ; the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of sanctity and virtue, symbolizing God, man's final end, and the Blessed Virgin, model of virtue; a lamp of learning and books, as symbols of knowledge and learning; a laurel, symbolizing reward; and lilies of the valley, symbolizing humility.[4]
Sports
editThe school competes in the Mississippi Valley Conference and the WIAA with baseball, basketball, cross country, dance, football, golf, gymnastics, skiing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling teams.[5][6][7] The school's hockey team is a co-op team composed of students from Aquinas, Holmen High School, Luther High School, and Coulee Christian High School.[5]
WIAA state champion titles:
- Alpine ski: 2000[citation needed]
- Boys baseball: 2017, 2021,[6] 2024[8]
- Boys basketball: 2003,[9] 2008, 2011, 2013[10][11][5]
- Boys Track & Field: 2019, 2021[6]
- Boys Cross country: 2007,[12] 2018, 2019, 2020[7]
- Football: 2007,[13] 2021,[7] 2022,[14] 2023[15]
- Girls basketball: 2018, 2019[16][5]
- Girls golf: 2017[7]
- Girls soccer: 2015[6]
Affiliation
edit- Aquinas Catholic Schools (formerly Coulee Catholic School)
- National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Greater La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce
- Mississippi Valley Conference (MVC)
- Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA)
- Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association (WISAA)
- Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference (CWCC)
- North Central Accrediting Association[17]
Principals
edit- Father Hilary Leuther, 1928–1936
- Father Joseph Kundinger, 1936–1940, 1946–1951
- Father John Prizl, 1940–1946
- Father Alfred Hebert, 1951–1952
- Father Robert Hansen, 1952–1960
- Father Richard Rossiter, 1960–1964
- Father James O'Connell, 1964–1972
- Father Robert Altmann, 1972–1990
- James Vail, 1990–1997
- Jeffrey Brengman, 1997–2001
- Father John McHugh, 2001–2002
- Joan Leonard, 2002–2004
- Philip Hahn, 2004–2006
- Patrick Burkhart, 2006–2007
- Ted Knutson, 2007–2016
- Denise Ring, 2016–2022
- Andrew Bradley, 2022–present[18]
Notable faculty
edit- Ann Walsh Bradley, Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, former religion teacher at Aquinas High School
- Raymond Leo Burke, teacher of religion at Aquinas High School prior to becoming bishop, archbishop, and cardinal.
- George Albert Hammes, teacher at Aquinas High School prior to becoming bishop
Notable alumni
edit- Sylvester G. Clements, 1954, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- Charles Dierkop, actor, attended Aquinas High School
- Steve Doyle, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- Charles E. Knoblauch, former member of the Iowa House of Representatives
- Bronson Koenig, basketball player
- Robert E. Kreutz, composer, 1940[19]
- Paul Marcotte, 1945, businessman and former member of Kentucky House of Representatives[20]
- John Medinger, former mayor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, former member of Wisconsin State Assembly, 1966
- John Oestreicher, 1954, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- John Joseph Paul, 1935 graduate of Aquinas High School who served as Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, 1985–1994
- John Rusche, 1969, physician and former member of the Idaho House of Representatives[21]
- Ed Servais, head coach of the Creighton Bluejays baseball team
- Jim Temp, Green Bay Packers[22]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
- ^ WIAA 2013-2014 School Enrollments wisconsintrackonline.com
- ^ "Catholic Schools Earn 43 of 50 Private School Blue Ribbon School Honors". National Catholic Educational Association. October 17, 2008. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
- ^ a b "The History of Aquinas High School". Aquinas High School. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Athletics: Winter Sports". Aquinas Catholic Schools. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Athletics: Spring Sports". Aquinas Catholic Schools. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Athletics: Fall Sports". Aquinas Catholic Schools. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ "Aquinas wins D3 State Baseball title". WXOW. June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "2003 Boys' Basketball Results". Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.[dead link]
- ^ http://wiaawi.org/index.php?id=65 [permanent dead link]
- ^ "AQUINAS vs RACINE SAINT CATHERINE'S (03/19/11 at Kohl Center – Madison, Wisconsin)". Wiaawi.org. Retrieved October 18, 2011. [permanent dead link]
- ^ "2007 Cross Country Results" (PDF). Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.[dead link]
- ^ http://wiaawi.org/index.php?id=92 [permanent dead link]
- ^ WXOW (June 13, 2024). "Two In A Row: Aquinas takes Division 5 Football title". WXOW. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ WXOW (June 13, 2024). "Aquinas powers its way to 32-13 win in D5 championship". WXOW. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
- ^ Summerfeldt, Todd (March 11, 2018). "WIAA Girls State Tournament: La Crosse Aquinas tops Mel-Min, wins D-4 title". La Crosse Tribune.
- ^ "Aquinas High School Information". Aquinas High School. Archived from the original on July 17, 2007.
- ^ Swift, Allan (May 23, 2022). "Andrew Bradley named new principal at Aquinas High School and Middle School". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ "NFL.com | Official Site of the National Football League". NFL.com. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
- ^ "Obituary: Paul Henry Marcotte". La Crosse Tribune. December 8, 2012. pp. C8.
- ^ "Rep. John Rusche". Idaho State Legislature. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ "Jim Temp". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015.
- Aquinas High School 2003 Alumni Directory 75th Anniversary 1928–2003
External links
edit- Aquinas High School La Crosse
- Diocese of La Crosse
- Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration La Crosse
- Dan Simmons. "The Archivist: Aquinas alum collects 80 years of school's history in one office," La Crosse Tribune, September 21, 2006.