Seattle Preparatory School

History

Seattle Prep has a long history of educational excellence in the Jesuit tradition. In 1891, 137 boys formed the first class at Immaculate Conception School (the name changed to Seattle College in 1898). Each school day began with Mass, and the young men were expected to master a traditional Jesuit curriculum patterned after the Ratio Studiorum (established by the Society of Jesus in 1599): Latin, Greek, math, literature, science and religion. In order to provide access to Jesuit education, in 1899 Seattle College charged a modest $15 per year in tuition, although costs far exceeded the charge.

In 1919, T.C. McHugh purchased Adelphia College, a Swedish Baptist seminary and school, and donated the property to Seattle College. In fall of that year 143 students began classes at the new Interlaken campus, and our school has been located on this property ever since that time.

In 1933, the high school officially changed its name to Seattle Preparatory and in 1948 Seattle College became Seattle University (the two had split into high school and college in 1931). In the ensuing decades, the Seattle Prep community continued to meet every challenge and seize many opportunities including numerous building projects:

2010s Ohno Field at Montlake, Muglia Science Lab, Fr. Paul Fitterer, SJ Community Ministry Center, the Learning Resource Center, Adelphia Memorial Hall, Our Lady of Montserrat Chapel and Rudolf Athletic Field.

The 1970s witnessed equally dramatic changes inside Prep’s buildings, both in structure and educational vision. In 1975, Seattle Prep, having determined that Jesuit education should not be restricted to half the population, celebrated its first female graduates. At the same time, Matteo Ricci College was born out of a fruitful collaboration between Seattle Prep and Seattle University. This unique program continues to connect Prep students to the outstanding teachers and innovative curriculum offered at Seattle University through MRC.

These structural changes in the 1970s were accompanied by a re-visioning of Prep’s educational philosophy. While retaining the academic rigor of the Ratio Studiorum, Prep shifted to an integrated approach to studies designed to develop students’ abilities to analyze, synthesize, reflect, and problem solve. Prep’s emphasis on integration and collaboration challenges students to grapple with ideas, not fact memorization, and emphasizes building connections between concepts instead of merely assimilating information.

Prep’s Collegio model is illustrative of this unique approach. Collegio synthesizes the core humanities – English, history and theology – into one class taught by two instructors. What would this mean, for example, in a Sophomore Collegio? In one unit, students analyze The Tale of Two Cities while exploring broader historical and religious movements in 18th century Europe. The learning experience transitions from fact mastery to connecting ideas, from the specific to the general: What are the root causes of all revolutions? And back from general to specific: How do the root causes of all revolutions apply to the recent uprisings in the Middle East? What religious movements contributed to these revolutions? This integration happens within a spirit of collaboration as students and teachers work together toward the common goal of deeper understanding.

To borrow a phrase from the early Jesuits, our “way of proceeding” is not like other ways. We eschew, for example, curricula focused on rote memorization and standardized tests. Rather, our way challenges students to extend their reach beyond information toward formation and, at special moments, transformation, thus creating a learning environment that is fully responsive to the expectations of an active, responsible global citizen in the 21st century.

Today, both the opportunities and challenges are clear. Seattle Prep’s 720 students and more than 10,000 graduates - educated in the 475 year Jesuit tradition and formed within Prep’s unique educational vision - strive to transform our city, state, nation and world. And they leave Prep fully equipped to do so.

Curriculum

Seattle Prep has an innovative curriculum arrangement with Seattle University wherein students of Seattle Prep can qualify for admission to Seattle University after three years of education at Seattle Prep under the Matteo Ricci College program, named after the 16th Century Jesuit missionary to China Matteo Ricci. Students admitted to Seattle University under the Matteo Ricci College program can acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree after three more years, thus reducing the combined study requirement for the Bachelor of Arts degree to six years, versus eight years in a traditional four year high school and a traditional four year college. Students can then elect a course load at Seattle University with electives which can qualify for a second bachelor's degree with an additional year of study (it is not uncommon for a student to acquire two bachelor's degrees through this program of study, such as one in the humanities and another in the sciences.) This unique curriculum arrangement is fully accredited and has received several awards, including recognition from the prestigious Academy for Educational Development as "one of the twelve most successful educational innovations" in America.

Not all Seattle Prep students elect or are able to pursue the Matteo Ricci program. Instead many pursue a traditional four-year course of study at Seattle Prep and then pursue other arrangements (entrance into a four-year college, or a two-year college). Seattle Prep annually sends students to the nation's top public and private universities. Recent graduates can be found at Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Stanford, the University of Virginia, the University of Michigan, and the University of Washington.

Seattle Prep emphasizes its curriculum for college preparation. Its literature and humanities courses are known as Collegio. Collegio combines the study of literature and social studies into a single interdisciplinary course. Art is taught in AAD (Artistic/Aesthetic Development) and freshman physical education is taught in PPD (Psychological-Physical Development).

A wide variety of extracurricular activities are offered at Seattle Prep including Chess Team, Mock Trial, Dance Team, Yearbook, Newspaper, ASB, Photography Club, One Voice, Global Justice Coalition, National Honors Society, Community Service Club, Philosophy Club, and Drama.

Admissions are based on grades, extracurricular activities, an entrance exam, reference letters, and essays, among other criteria.

Facts and figures

Facts and figures (as of 2008):

Magis Christian Service

Seattle Prep has a 4-year requirement of various community service. The four year Magis Christian Service Program at Seattle Prep exposes students to many different forms of service including service to family (freshman), to school (sophomore), to the poor and marginalized (junior), and to leadership for justice (senior).

Physical structure

In the 1950s, McDonnell Hall was added to the existing Adelphia Hall, and in the 1960s, Peyton Hall was added across the parking lot from McDonnell and Adelphia Halls. The McHugh Gymnasium was built in front of Adelphia Hall and opened in 1983, a result of the school's first major fundraising campaign. Funds from this campaign were used to remodel the third floor of Adelphia Hall for improved science facilities. During this time the library, which then became known as Loyola Library, was moved to Peyton Hall.

There were several major additions to Seattle Prep in the late 1990s. A new underground parking garage was built to replace the old parking lot, which was replaced by a grass quad. In addition, St. Ignatius Hall was erected across from Peyton and McDonnell Halls.

In 2007, the PACCAR Commons (Donated by the Pigott family) were completed, including new office space with reception desks and also a sick room. Also construction was completed on the Thomas Healy, S.J., Theater and Classrooms. This was the first major renovation since the addition of St. Ignatius Hall. The theater, which also accommodates school Masses, features an orchestra pit with hydraulics moving it up and down for various uses, including the transportation of heavy equipment. The workout rooms and locker rooms were also altered in this remodel. The space below the theater is used for arts classes, a sacristy (to be used for liturgies and Masses), and weight/workout rooms. In 2008, sections of pathway around the campus plaza were redone. Also, electronic doors were installed on several major entrances.

Notable alumni

Athletics and activities

Seattle Prep has won numerous league and state titles in many different men's and women's sports. As of 2010, by size Prep is a high-end 1A class school, but plays up in 3A classification.

The girls' soccer team, led by Hall of Fame coach Andy Hendricks, are back-to-back state champions (2011 and 2012) and have four other appearances in the state championship game.

The girls basketball team qualified for State 14 years in a row, winning it all in 2002.

Prep's volleyball team won three straight state titles from 2001–2003, and returned to the champions circle in 2010.

The boys' basketball team won state titles in 2000 and 2006 and narrowly missed another title in 2012 losing in the state championship game. The team has qualified for State 6 of the last 7 seasons. Prep boys' basketball has a rich tradition of players who have gone on to star in college and the NBA, including Spencer Hawes (UW and Los Angeles Clippers), Martell Webster (Washington Wizards), Erik Bond (St. Mary's College and Cal), Patrick Nyeko (Nevada), David Emslie (Santa Clara), Jeffrey Day (Creighton and UW), Chad Troyer (Pacific), Mitch Brewe (UC Santa Barbara), DJ Fenner (Nevada) and a number of other players at DII and DIII schools.

Prep men's cross country team won the title in 1966 (led by future 4th-place finisher in the Montreal Olympics marathon Don Kardong), 1972, and 2000. Under current coaches Dr. John "Doc" Robertson and Mr. Savage, Prep's men's cross country teams have finished as one of the top four 3A teams every year but one since 1996. During that span, Prep never placed lower than second in the Metro League. In 2006 Prep gained its first All-American in cross country, Max O'Donoghue-McDonald, who placed 15th at the Footlocker Nationals meet. Max also broke a longstanding Lower Woodland course record, clocking 15:22 for the 5 kilometer distance. Also in 2006, Prep won its first women's Metro League team title.

In 1998, Seattle Prep junior Patrick Fowler set the national high school 100-yard-breaststroke record in a time of 53.66, still the record as of March 1, 2009.

The Mock Trial program boasts one national championship and twelve state titles in the last fourteen years (winning State in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016). Prep has placed in the top-10 at the National High School Mock Trial Championship eight times during that span. Its 3rd place finish in 2009 was the best in program history, until the program won the national title in 2014.

The Prep Chess Team has played in the Washington High School State Team Championship in each of the past 17 years. Its highest finishes were 2nd (2002), 3rd (2009), 5th (2005 and 2010), and 6th (1999). In 1999, they also won the Metro Championship.