Established 1941 Chaplain Father John Arens Phone +1 781-449-5200 | Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic Headmaster William L. Burke III Faculty 65 Founder William Henry O'Connell | |
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Motto Semen est sanguis Christianorum. Profiles | ||
Saint Sebastian's School is an independent, all-boys Catholic secondary school located in Needham, Massachusetts on 26 acres (110,000 m2). The school instructs young men in grades seven through twelve. Founded in 1941 by William Cardinal O'Connell, Archbishop of Boston, the school is named after Saint Sebastian, the Christian martyr who survived an attempted execution by arrows. It is the only Catholic school in the Independent School League. Approximately 350 students are enrolled, with 25% receiving financial aid. Since 1990, the School headmaster is Mr. William L. Burke III.
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Academics
The School features a rigorous academic program focusing on the liberal arts and offers Spanish and Classics courses. Writing is emphasized with numerous courses in the English curriculum, with Freshmen (9th grade) students taking a special class to hone their skills. Public speaking is also emphasized, with each student required to deliver an annual speech during his class's weekly chapel meetings.
The student:teacher ratio at St. Sebastian's is 7:1. The average class size is 11. The school offers 20 classes at the Advanced Placement level. Students are all assigned a faculty advisor and at the end of every academic quarter, awards for honors students are presented before the school community.
Athletics
St. Sebastian's has a competitive athletic program, with 11 varsity sports, and 35 teams in total. Its school colors are red and black, and teams are known as the Arrows. Over the years the Arrows have had an intense rivalry with the Belmont Hill School. St. Sebastian's School is a member of the prestigious Independent School League.
The school has one of the top ice hockey programs in the United States, dating to its founding in 1941. The school regularly produces picks in the NHL Entry Draft, notably, four first round draft picks in its history, such as Noah Hanifin, make it the most of any high school in the US. In June 2003 the school was tied for the most picks from a single high school, ever, at four. St. Sebastian's now has five first round picks after Hanifin's pick in 2015. The team is now coached by Sean McCann, a former Harvard assistant coach and captain, and also a Hobey Baker finalist. St. Sebastian's has produced the most current NHL players of any high school, at five.
The campus rink, the Henry T. Lane Rink, is named in honor of Henry Lane who served the school for over 40 years, first as the Varsity Hockey coach and later the Athletic Director. Lane was also a graduate of St. Sebastian's in the class of 1949. St. Sebastian's has had great success in recent years with lacrosse, winning the ISL Championship in 2012. The School's sailing team was also ranked seventh in the country in 2001. More recently, the varsity baseball team won the ISL championship in 2007. Also, the St. Sebastian's varsity golf team achieved back to back undefeated seasons in addition to back to back ISL Championship Victories in 2009 and 2010.
Furthermore, in its 2012 season, St. Sebastian's football team recorded an undefeated record of 9-0, capturing the ISL championship, as well as the NEPSAC championship, becoming the first team in the school's history to have an undefeated season while also winning a bowl game.
Extracurricular activities
St. Sebastian's has 6 student publications and 33 different clubs and activities. The school newspaper, The Walrus, is published monthly. The school's debate team competes among private secondary schools in New England. Other student groups manage The Arrow, the school yearbook, as well as The Quiver, a creative literary magazine, and The St. Sebastian's Journal, a collection of student-written scholarly essays. Other students run the school's closed-circuit television network, perform community service (The Arrow Club and Labels Are For Jars), perform in dramatic productions, compete in such activities as chess, robotics, support students of color (MPA), and advocate against destructive decisions such as drug and alcohol abuse (SADD).
The Guild of St. Irene
The Guild is the school's association for the mothers of students, rather like the PTA. Founded in 1949, the Guild works for the enhancement of St. Sebastian’s School through social events, fund-raising, and volunteer activities. It is named after St. Irene, who befriended and healed St. Sebastian.