Type Private, All-Male Patron saint(s) St. Francis Xavier Mascot Knight | Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic;
Jesuit Phone +1 585-473-1130 Endowment 11 million USD | |
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Motto Ignem Mittere in Terram
("To Cast Fire Upon the Earth") Established 1954; 63 years ago (1954) President Fr. Robert Reiser, S.J. Address 1800 S Clinton Ave Room 023, Rochester, NY 14618, USA Hours Closed now Thursday8AM–3PMFriday8AM–3PMSaturdayClosedSundayClosedMonday8AM–3PMTuesday8AM–3PMWednesday8AM–3PM Similar Aquinas Institute of Rochester, Our Lady of Mercy High School, Bishop Kearney High Sch, Brighton High School, Joseph C Wilson High Sch Profiles | ||
McQuaid Jesuit, commonly referred to as "McQuaid", or simply "McQ", is an all-male, Catholic, Jesuit, college preparatory school located in the metropolitan area of Rochester, New York. Named after Bernard J. McQuaid, the first bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, McQuaid is located at 1800 Clinton Avenue South, in the suburb of Brighton.
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History
McQuaid Jesuit was founded in 1954 when James E. Kearney, the fifth bishop of Rochester, invited members of the New York Province of the Society of a Jesus to open a high school for boys in his diocese. McQuaid Jesuit was first established in downtown Rochester, with an initial class of 129 students. The school was housed in a temporary site located in the former Saint Andrew's Seminary while the 33-acre Brighton campus was being built. The first class, the Class of 1958, moved to the new campus as sophomores in September 1955 where they were joined by a new class of freshmen, the Class of 1959.
In 1967, the school added an eighth grade; in 1993 a seventh grade; and in 2012 a sixth grade. There are currently 933 students at McQuaid Jesuit, with approximately 300 in the middle school and 633 in the high school.
While the school campus is located in the Town of Brighton, it is geographically proximate to the City of Rochester and therefore enjoys the benefits of a suburban campus with access to the cultural, commercial, and other resources of the city. Some recent facility upgrades include a Fitness Center (2015), security enhanced front entrance (2014), six all-purpose, high-tech classrooms (2012), a new Jesuit community building (2012), renovated cafeteria and new kitchen (2012), outdoor sports complex (2010), indoor sports complex (2007), chapel renovation (2005), and arts wing (2001). Construction of the "Wegman Family Science and Technology Center," a 36,000 square foot state-of-the-art STEM Center, is underway and is scheduled to open in January 2018. The "IgKnight the Future Fund" supports this effort, as well as an initiative to enhance the school's scholarship endowment.
While the student population is predominantly Catholic, there are approximately twenty other faith traditions represented. Students come to McQuaid Jesuit from forty-two different school districts throughout the greater Rochester, NY, area. As a college-preparatory school, approximately 99% of the McQuaid Jesuit student body go on to colleges and universities located throughout the United States and Canada. Altogether, more than 9,000 men are part of the McQuaid Jesuit alumni community, pursuing interests in business, arts, the church, education, government, medicine, and non-profits, among many others.
McQuaid Jesuit has been in continual operation for over sixty years, and continues today as Rochester's Jesuit, Catholic, college preparatory school.
Academics
Every student at McQuaid Jesuit is involved in a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Honors and Advanced Placement sections exist in each of the curricular disciplines. Admissions are based on teacher recommendations, grades and an entrance exam, among other criteria. The school has a track record for placing students at very selective colleges and universities throughout the country, and 99% percent of the class of 2016 enrolled in colleges or universities. Of students who take the SAT, 91% score higher than the national average. The class of 2016 consisted of 9 National Merit Commended Scholars, 5 National Merit Semifinalist Scholars, 3 National Merit Finalist Scholars. Fully 71% of all students receive AP equity and excellence status, with eighteen AP courses offered.
Forty-four extracurricular clubs and activities are offered, mostly moderated by faculty and staff members. The school hosts Jesuit-inspired three-day and four-day religious retreats offered to juniors (Emmaus) and seniors (Kairos). These are held at Camp Stella Maris on nearby Conesus Lake. The school also offers single-day religious retreats for underclassmen. Students will average 40 hours of Christian Service during the 2016-17 academic year, and are required to have at least 100 service hours in order to graduate.
Because of its academic rigor, and the fact that its diploma requirements exceed those of the state of New York, McQuaid Jesuit joins the Jesuit schools within the State who are also exempt from Regents Examinations.
Athletics
McQuaid has taken part in the sectional and state tournaments of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association since 1978, and has won 11 state titles. In the fall season, McQuaid offers football, volleyball, soccer, crew, and cross country. In the winter season it offers wrestling, basketball, indoor track, hockey, skiing, crew, and swimming. In spring season, McQuaid offers baseball, golf, lacrosse, rugby, crew, tennis, and track & field. The sailing team competes in both the fall and spring seasons. More than 75 percent of students participate in sports and twenty-one varsity level sports are offered. Most varsity sports are offered to middle and high school students at junior varsity, freshmen, and modified team levels, and the varsity sports teams are consistently recognized for their sportsmanship and academic standards.
The Deborah and John DiMarco '60 Field House was completed in fall 2007 as part of a broader plan to improve athletic facilities. This initiative increased the capacity of the gym and renovated the locker rooms, weight room, and physical education offices. An aerobic room and three-court gym were added, with equipment storage for McQuaid athletic teams.
Jeff Van Gundy, former head coach of the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association, began his coaching career at McQuaid, coaching the McQuaid basketball team for one season (1985–1986).
McQuaid Knights hockey, soccer, track, volleyball, cross country, and golf teams have won state titles. The varsity soccer team was ranked 6th in the nation by ESPN. The rugby squad (the Rebel Knights) won the New York State High School Rugby Championship from 2003–2007 and in 2010.
McQuaid Jesuit Varsity Bowling Knights have also just recently won the RCAC Section V Division 1 title.
The McQuaid Invitational is one of the largest high school cross-country meets in the nation. The meet takes place in Genessee Valley Park in Rochester, New York, and hosts thousands of runners every year in over 20 different races. The meet falls on the fourth Saturday after Labor Day every year.
Notable alumni
The alumni are well known for their fierce loyalty to school. Their generosity allows the school to deliver on its mission. Many hold prominent positions in the Rochester community today. Many of the graduates establish themselves prominently in medicine, business, law, and finance. The school has more than 8,000 alumni since 1958 with 4,000 located in the Rochester area, sending their sons to the school. The alumni teach, administer, and coach: 16 alumni are on the staff, including the Principal, Dean of Students and Vice President of Institutional Advancement.