Wildwood Catholic Academy

Wildwood Catholic Academy (WCA), formerly Wildwood Catholic High School, is a co-educational pre-kindergarten ro twelfth grade Catholic high school in North Wildwood, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. The school operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.[6] The school opened in September 1948 with an initial enrollment of 80 students.[7] 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.[4]

Wildwood Catholic Academy
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
FounderBishop Bartholomew Eustace
OversightDiocese of Camden
NCES School IDA1502386[1]
PresidentFather Joseph Wallace[2]
Faculty15.9 FTEs[1]
GradesPreK–12
Enrollment172 (as of 2017–18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio10.8:1[1]
Color(s)  Royal blue and
  white[3]
Athletics conferenceCape-Atlantic League
MascotCrusader
NicknameCatholic
Team nameCrusaders[3]
RivalWildwood High School, Cape May County Technical High School
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[4]
NewspaperThe Crusader
YearbookANNSCRIPT
Tuition$9,555 (first child in 9-12)[5]
AffiliationCape Trinity Catholic
Websitewildwoodcatholicacademy.org

History

As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 172 students and 15.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.8:1. The school's student body was 91.9% (158) White, 4.7% (8) Black, 2.3% (4) Asian and 1.2% (2) Hispanic.[1]

As of January 5, 2010, it has been announced 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 the new elementary school, Cape Trinity Catholic, which is a merger of St. Ann Regional School in Wildwood and Star of the Sea Regional in Cape May so the school was now shared.[8] Star of the Sea had absorbed St. Raymond in Villas three years prior.[9]

The two schools had 382 students in 2015. In 2020 this figure was down to 337, a 12% decline.[10]

On April 17, 2020, the Diocese of Camden announced that Wildwood was one of five New Jersey Catholic schools which would permanently close.[11] However, 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.[12]

Athletics

The Wildwood Catholic High School Crusaders[3] compete in the National Division of the Cape-Atlantic League,[13] which operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).[14]

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 (New Jersey) of Jersey City).[15] The team had a school record-breaking season in 2019, recording a 27–2 record that included a 22-game undefeated streak. This is the most wins for the boys team in the school's history.

The boys' swimming team won the Division B state championship in 1998-2001.[16]

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.[17]

The boys' cross country team was the state champion in 1998.[18] Micheal Delaney won the state individual championship that same year.[18]

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.[19]

The girls' cross country team won the Non-Public Group B state championship in 2006.[20]

Notable alumni

References
  1. School data for Wildwood Catholic High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2020.
  2. Administration, Wildwood Catholic High School. Accessed July 26, 2011.
  3. Wildwood Catholic High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  4. Wildwood Catholic High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed June 11, 2020.
  5. Tuition & Financial Aid, Wildwood Catholic High School. Accessed November 6, 2020.
  6. Catholic Schools Directory, Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. Accessed October 20, 2016.
  7. History of Wildwood Catholic. Accessed July 17, 2007.
  8. Staff. "Wildwood Catholic High School to remain open", Catholic Star Herald, March 18, 2010. Accessed February 28, 2011.
  9. 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.
  10. "Five Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Camden to close at end of school year". Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. April 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  11. Yates, Riley (April 17, 2020). "5 N.J. Catholic schools to close, including South Jersey football powerhouse". NJ.com. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  12. https://www.nj.com/cape-may-county/2020/06/2-jersey-shore-catholic-schools-slated-to-close-have-been-saved.html
  13. Cape-Atlantic League. Accessed July 17, 2007.
  14. League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  15. NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed September 1, 2020.
  16. History of NJSIAA Team Swimming, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  17. 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."
  18. NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  19. 2006 Boys Soccer Tournament - South B, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed July 17, 2007.
  20. NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  21. 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."
  22. 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"

Further reading
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