Wildwood Catholic Academy

Wildwood Catholic Academy (WCA), formerly Wildwood Catholic High School, is a co-educational pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade Catholic school in North Wildwood, in Cape May County, New Jersey. The school operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.[7] The school opened in September 1948 with an initial enrollment of 80 students.[8] Wildwood Catholic High School has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1956; the school's accreditation expires in May 2023.[5]

Wildwood Catholic Academy
Wildwood Catholic Academy in North Wildwood, New Jersey
Address
1500 Central Avenue

North Wildwood
,
(Cape May County)
,
New Jersey
08260

United States
Coordinates38°59′57″N 74°48′8″W
Information
TypePrivate, Coeducational
MottoFides et Scientia
(Faith and Knowledge)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1948 (as Wildwood Catholic High School)
FounderBishop Bartholomew J. Eustace
OversightDiocese of Camden
NCES School IDA1502386[1]
RectorFather Cadmus D. Mazzarella[2]
PrincipalJoseph Cray[3]
Faculty14.8 FTEs[1]
GradesPreK–12
Enrollment139 (as of 2019–20)[1]
Student to teacher ratio9.4:1[1]
Color(s)  Royal blue and
  white[4]
Athletics conferenceCape-Atlantic League
MascotCrusader
NicknameCatholic
Team nameCrusaders[4]
RivalsWildwood High School
Cape May County Technical High School
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[5]
NewspaperThe Crusader
YearbookANNSCRIPT
Tuition$9,650 (first child in 9-12)[6]
AffiliationCape Trinity Catholic
Websitewww.wildwoodcatholicacademy.org

As of the 2019–20 school year, the school had an enrollment of 139 students and 14.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.4:1. The school's student body was 82.0% (114) White, 8.6% (12) Hispanic, 5.0% (7) Black, 2.9% (4) two or more races and 1.4% (2) Asian.[1]

History

Wildwood Catholic High School was established in 1948.[9] In July 1948, Bishop Bartholomew J. Eustace presided over the dedication of a cornerstone for what was to be called St. Ann's High School, which was to be constructed at a cost of $650,000 (equivalent to $7.9 million in 2022).[10][11]

The diocese announced in January 2010 that Wildwood Catholic High School would close down after the 2009–10 school year, however, after fundraising efforts, the school raised enough money to remain open. The school building was to be used for a new elementary school, Cape Trinity Catholic, which was created as a merger of St. Ann Regional School in Wildwood and Star of the Sea Regional in Cape May so the school was now shared.[12] Star of the Sea had absorbed St. Raymond in Villas three years prior.[13]

On April 17, 2020, the Diocese of Camden announced that Wildwood Catholic was one of five New Jersey Catholic schools which would permanently close.[14] Data from the Diocese showed that the two schools had 382 students in 2015, which had dropped to 337 by 2020, a 12% decline; the high school had received $750,000 in financial support from the Diocese during that five-year period.[15] After a $1 million fundraising campaign, the school was once again saved after merging with Cape Trinity Catholic School, a lower grade Catholic school which had also been scheduled to close, to form Wildwood Catholic Academy for grades K-12.[16]

Athletics

The Wildwood Catholic High School Crusaders[4] compete in the National Division of the Cape-Atlantic League, which is comprised of public and private high schools in Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, and Gloucester County, New Jersey and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[17][18] With 118 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools).[19]

The boys' basketball team won the Non-Public Group C state championship in 1958 (defeating St. Cecilia High School of Kearny in the tournament final) and 1960 (vs. St. Anthony High School of Jersey City).[20] The team had a school record-breaking season in 2019, recording a 27–2 record that included a 22-game undefeated streak and a program record for wins. The team's season ended in the Non-Public B South finals, in which the team lost in overtime to a Ranney School squad that went on to win the Tournament of Champions. The squad was recognized as Team of the Year by The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Courier-Post.[21][22]

The boys' swimming team won the Division B state championship in 1998–2001.[23]

The boys' soccer team won the 1998 Parochial B state title with a 2–1 win over Eastern Christian High School in a game played at The College of New Jersey, marking the program's first state championship. The winning goal was scored by senior Pat Mitchell.[24]

The boys' cross country team was the state champion in 1998.[25] Micheal Delaney won the state individual championship that same year.[25]

The boys' soccer team won the 2006 South B state sectional championship with a 1–0 win over St. Rose High School in the tournament final.[26]

The girls' cross country team won the Non-Public Group B state championship in 2006.[27]

Notable alumni

References
  1. School data for Wildwood Catholic High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 10, 2022.
  2. Message From Father Mazz, Wildwood Catholic Academy. Accessed February 13, 2022.
  3. Administration, Wildwood Catholic Academy. Accessed February 13, 2022.
  4. Wildwood Catholic High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  5. Wildwood Catholic High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed February 13, 2022.
  6. Tuition & Financial Aid, Wildwood Catholic High School. Accessed February 13, 2022.
  7. Schools, South Jersey Catholic Schools. Accessed February 21, 2023.
  8. History of Wildwood Catholic. Accessed July 17, 2007.
  9. McGarry, Michael. "Wildwood Catholic to remain open; St. Joe still in negotiations with diocese", Beatrice Daily Sun, June 4, 2020, updated March 25, 2021. Accessed February 13, 2022. "Both schools are integral parts of their communities. Wildwood Catholic opened in 1948."
  10. "Cornerstone to Be Laid For Catholic High", Courier-Post, July 6, 1948. Accessed February 13, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Aloysius S. Quinlan, rector of St. Ann's Church here, announced today that the cornerstone of the new $650,000 St. Ann's Catholic High school at North Wildwood will be laid at elaborate ceremonies at 4 p. m. Sunday."
  11. "Cornerstone Laid In St. Ann High by Bishop Eustace", Courier-Post, July 12, 1948. Accessed February 13, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "The cornerstone of St. Ann's High school, the first Catholic Institution of its kind in Cape May county, was blessed and placed here yesterday by Bishop Eustace."
  12. Staff. "Wildwood Catholic High School to remain open", Catholic Star Herald, March 18, 2010. Accessed February 28, 2011.
  13. Ianeri, Brian (May 12, 2009). "Our Lady Star of the Sea school in Cape May to close in 2010". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  14. Yates, Riley (April 17, 2020). "5 N.J. Catholic schools to close, including South Jersey football powerhouse". NJ.com. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  15. "Five Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Camden to close at end of school year", Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden, April 17, 2020. Accessed May 15, 2021. "Over the last five years, each school has seen a precipitous drop in registrations despite the best efforts of the school administrators to implement new enrollment and academic initiatives and continue their traditions of excellence in education while providing a home where the Catholic faith can be taught, learned, and lived.... Wildwood Catholic High School has received nearly $750,000 in support and Saint Joseph High School has received loan support totaling $1.1 million but currently carries a debt of $6.6 million.
  16. Franklin, Chris. "2 Jersey Shore Catholic schools slated to close have been saved", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 5, 2020. Accessed May 15, 2021. "A June 1 letter sent by the Bishop of Camden Dennis J. Sullivan to Reverend Joseph Wallace and posted in the Save Wildwood Catholic Academy Facebook group Thursday stated the Diocese had approved a proposal from Wildwood Catholic High School and Cape Trinity Catholic Elementary School for the two schools to merge.... The Bishop added he was impressed with several of the initiatives, including the fundraising effort conducted to save the schools, raising more than $1 million cash, and restructuring to combine both institutions into a K-12 school named the Wildwood Catholic Academy."
  17. Member Schools, Cape-Atlantic League. Accessed March 1, 2021.
  18. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  19. NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  20. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 10, 2023.
  21. Anastasia, Phil. "Wildwood Catholic boys’ basketball is South Jersey team of the year The Crusaders went 27-2 playing perhaps the toughest schedule in program history, losing in overtime to eventual Tournament of Champions winner Ranney School.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 18, 2019. Accessed March 1, 2021. "The Crusaders were right about that. Playing perhaps the most challenging schedule in program history, Wildwood Catholic went 27-2 to earn the nod as the Team of the Year in South Jersey boys’ basketball.... In the Non-Public South B tournament, Wildwood Catholic beat Holy Spirit and Immaculata before falling 54-50 in overtime to Ranney School in an instant classic in the sectional final before a packed house at Jackson Liberty."
  22. Friedman, Josh. "South Jersey boys basketball: Wildwood Catholic is the Team of the Year", Courier-Post, March 21, 2019. Accessed March 1, 2021. "Then Wildwood Catholic won a school-record 27 games, including a streak of 22 straight. It went undefeated in the CAL for the first time in program history and captured its second consecutive league tournament crown.... While Wildwood Catholic came up short in its quest for a sectional title, it still finished as the Courier-Post Boys Basketball Team of the Year."
  23. History of NJSIAA Team Swimming, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020.
  24. Narducci, Marc. "Wildwood Catholic Coach Says Cherokee Inspired His Team To Title", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 19, 1998. Accessed July 11, 2011. "After Gerry Macfarlane had thanked nearly everybody for Wildwood Catholic's first state Parochial B boys' soccer title, the veteran coach had one more bit of gratitude to express. Macfarlane, whose team beat Eastern Christian, 2-1, in Tuesday night's state final at the College of New Jersey, first thanked his players, their parents, his family and the fans from Cape May County who supported the team."
  25. NJSIAA Boys Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  26. 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - South B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 17, 2007.
  27. NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  28. Vanore, Jim. "Unanswered prayers, unanswered questions won't stop this journey", Cape May County Herald, May 19, 2008. Accessed May 27, 2008. "'Working in the family business as a kid, I knew I didn't want to do that for a living,' said Justin, a North Wildwood native, who was raised in a traditional Catholic family, and graduated from Wildwood Catholic High School."
  29. Joe Maloy, United States Olympic Committee. Accessed August 10, 2016. "Birthplace: Somers Point, N.J.; Hometown: Wildwood Crest, N.J.; Current Residence: San Diego, Calif.; High School: Wildwood Catholic High School"

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