St. Mary's Preparatory

St. Mary's Preparatory is a co-educational, Catholic, college preparatory high school with a Polish-American heritage in the Detroit suburb of Orchard Lake Village, Michigan.[2] Its mission and message is "God, Family and St. Mary's."[3]

St. Mary's Preparatory
Address
3535 Commerce Road

Orchard Lake Village
,
Michigan
48324

United States
Information
TypePrivate, Co-Educational.
Motto"Initium Sapientiae Timor Domini"
(The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God.)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s)St. Mary
Established1885
FounderStanley Milewski
HeadmasterBob Pyles
Grades9–12
Enrollment515 (2021)
Student to teacher ratio13:1
Campus size125 acres (51 ha)
Campus typeSuburban/Rural
Color(s)Red, White, and Black    
Fight songHail Mary
Athletics conferenceCatholic High School League
NicknameEaglets
AccreditationMichigan Non-Public Schools Accrediting Association
Websitewww.stmarysprep.com
St. Mary's Preparatory
St. Mary's Preparatory is located in Michigan
St. Mary's Preparatory
St. Mary's Preparatory is located in the United States
St. Mary's Preparatory
LocationIndian Trail, Orchard Lake, Michigan
Coordinates42°35′38″N 83°21′28″W
Architectural styleGothic, Tudor Revival, Queen Anne
Part ofOrchard Lake Schools Historic District (ID82002859[1])
Designated CPMarch 19, 1982

Overview

St. Mary's was founded in 1885 on Detroit's east side on the corner of Forest and St. Aubin by Rev. Joseph Dabrowski as a school for Polish-American boys to train for the priesthood. The school moved to the 125-acre (0.5 km²) campus of the former Michigan Military Academy on the shores of Orchard Lake in 1909 and is still there today. St. Mary's offers a college preparatory education. The campus is shared with SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary and contains some offices and classrooms for Madonna University of Livonia, Michigan. The Felician Sisters from Livonia, Michigan have served the Orchard Lake Schools since 1935. Since 2020, St. Mary's Preparatory opened admissions to girls.

Academics

St. Mary's academic program is designed to meet the basic entrance requirements for any college curriculum. Requirements for graduation are four years of theology and English; four years of mathematics; three years of science and social studies; three years of a foreign language; and a semester each of computer programming, computer applications, physical education, health, fine arts, and speech. Students are required to fulfill 28 credits for graduation.[4] Over 60% of the 90 different courses offered by St. Mary's Prep from grades 9-12 are at the honors and AP levels.[5]

Although students need not be Catholic to attend St. Mary's, all students are educated in the Catholic tradition. This tradition includes four years of theology in the classroom as well as attendance at Mass twice weekly. Class retreats and other activities are available for students. The school chaplain and many campus priests can guide students regarding their individual programs.

100 percent of St. Mary's graduates who apply to college have been accepted. A full-time guidance counselor assists students in selecting colleges and universities. The school held the national record for most students in one year to go to the U.S. Naval Academy (4).

The "Prep Building" is the main school building of St. Mary's Preparatory. Formerly the Academic Building of Michigan Military Academy, it is now home to many administrative offices, one student lounge, thirteen classrooms, and two computer labs.

Students may enjoy walking to classes as the classes are located in different buildings, so the outside walks offer fresh air and scenic views of the campus and Orchard Lake.

St. Mary's Preparatory is fully accredited and licensed by the State of Michigan's Department of Education, the Michigan Non-Public Schools Accrediting Association (MNSAA), and is a member of the Orchard Lake Schools, the Archdiocese of Detroit, the Detroit Catholic League, the Oakland Schools Consortium, and the Michigan High School Athletic Association.[6]

Campus and student life

Campus buildings include a hockey arena, a volume library, a Marian grotto, a three-story residence hall, a bookstore, two gymnasiums, a science center, administration buildings, a laboratory and science building, a field house, a dining hall, and the Shrine Chapel. It has a quarter of a mile of beach on Orchard Lake open only to members of the school.

Students often participate in playing sports. The school offers 14 varsity sports: football, basketball, baseball, bowling, track and field, cross country, golf, wrestling, rowing, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, skiing, and snowboarding. The Girl's Division offers cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, crew, track, and field.[7] The Eaglets have won many league, district, and regional titles in its history. As of 2019, it had 41 Michigan State Championships. In 1998 the school's rowing team placed second in the Henley Royal Regatta. The Eaglet football team reached the state finals fourteen times, winning eight times. In 2021, the Eaglet baseball team won the high school baseball National Championship, it was the first time that a team from Michigan had won the National Championship, the Eaglets won it while finishing 43-1 on the season.[8][9]

The athletic facilities include an athletic center with a hockey arena, a weight room, an indoor track, locker rooms, a banquet hall, and a basketball gymnasium. The crew team has its own boathouse just off Orchard Lake. Outdoors, St. Mary's has two football fields, two baseball diamonds, and a basketball court. The St. Mary's Ski team practices at Alpine Valley Snow Ski Area in White Lake, Michigan.

The Eaglets compete in the MHSAA Division I (ice hockey), II, and III, depending on the sport. In the Detroit Catholic League, they compete in the Central Division. St. Mary's fiercest rivals are De La Salle Collegiate High School, Birmingham Brother Rice, U of D Jesuit, and Catholic Central High School.

St. Mary's holds the largest high school fair in the country every year for fund-raising attracting thousands of people (http://www.stmaryspolishcountryfair.com/).

Museums

The "Ark Building" (#9) contains the Polish Home Army Museum. The Ark Building also houses many other museums of Polish military history and Polish history in different rooms including the Reading Room of the Central-Archives of Polonia; Museum of Fr. Józef Dąbrowski; Museum of the Polish Army Second Corps; Archive and Museum of Polonia Radio and TV, Robert Lewandowski Collection; Commemorative Room of Polish Diaspora; Archive, Library, and Museum of the First Polish Armored Division; Archive, Library, and Museum of the Polish Home Army AK; Archive, Library, and Museum of the Polish Air Force; Museum of the Singers Alliance of America – Circuit 4; Museum of the Polish National Alliance, Aloysius A. Mazewski Collection; Dr. Loda and Edward C. Rózanski Collection; Museum of the Polish Falcons – Nest 31; and the Museum of the Polish Association of Former Political Prisoners.[10]

The Galeria (Building #8) features art by Polish artists, including painting, sculpture, china, and antique furniture.

The Galeria and museums are open for tours on Polish Sundays, the first Sunday of the month.

Boarding program

There are seven-day and five-day boarding students.

Notable former faculty
  • Dan Gheesling, Winner of Big Brother 10. Asst. Coach of a Football team, & Teacher of Health, Biology, & Physical Education at St. Mary's.
  • Art Paddy, Michigan High School Football Hall of Fame 1983 / OLSM Varsity football coach 1973-1977

Notable alumni

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. "OLSM Admissions". St. Mary's Prep. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  3. "St. Mary's Prep About". St. Mary's Prep. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  4. "OLSM Admissions". St. Mary's Prep. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  5. "OLSM Admissions". St. Mary's Prep. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  6. "St. Mary's School Statistics".
  7. "OLSM Admissions". St. Mary's Prep. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  8. "OLSM Football Archives".
  9. "MHSAA Football Yearly Champions".
  10. "Museums". St. Mary's Prep. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
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