West Catholic High School

West Catholic High School
West Catholic High School
Address
	1801 Bristol N.W.; Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504; United States
Coordinates	42°59′47″N 85°42′35″W / 42.99639°N 85.70972°W
Information
School type	Private Catholic college preparatory school
Religious affiliation(s)	Catholic
Patron saint(s)	St. John Paul II
Established	1962; 62 years ago
President	Jill Annabelle
Principal	Tony Fischer
Teaching staff	30.3 (FTE) (2019–20)
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	473 (2019–20)
Student to teacher ratio	15.6 (2019–20)
Campus size	44 acres (18 ha)
Campus type	Midsize city
Mascot	Freddy the Falcon
Accreditation	North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; Michigan Non-Public School Accrediting Association;
Website	grwestcatholic.org

West Catholic High School is a private Catholic college preparatory secondary school in Grand Rapids, Michigan (U.S.). It opened in 1962 with loans from Kenowa Hills Public Schools.^{[citation needed]} It is located within the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.

Academics[edit]

West Catholic has been honored each year since 2008 as one of the top Catholic high schools in the United States by the Cardinal Newman Society.^[6] With sixteen Advanced Placement courses taught on campus and Dual Enrollment credits through a partnership with Aquinas College also offered on-site, the Washington Post listed West Catholic as one of the most challenging private high schools in the United States for 2014, 2015, and 2016.^[7]

Athletics[edit]

Grand Rapids West Catholic High School is a member of Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue Division. However, through the 2007-2008 school year, West Catholic was a member of Grand Rapids City League. West Catholic is also a school of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

State Championships (MHSAA unless noted):

1970 Boys' Football - Class B^{[citation needed]}
1970 Boys' Cross Country - Class B^[8]
1979 Girls' Basketball - Class B^{[citation needed]}
1984 Girls' Gymnastics - Open Class^{[citation needed]}
1990 Girls' Basketball - Class B^{[citation needed]}
2003 Boys' Across Country - Division 3 ^[9]
2004 Boys' Team Track n' Field - Division 3^[10]
2008 Boys' Team Track n' Field - Division 3^[11]
2008 Girls' Team Track n' Field - Division 3^[12]
2009 Boys' Team Track n' Field - Division 3 (MITCA)^{[citation needed]}
2010 Boys' Football - Division 5^[13]
2013 Boys' Football - Division 5^{[citation needed]}
2014 Boys' Football - Division 5^{[citation needed]}
2015 Boys' Football - Division 5^{[citation needed]}
2016 Boys' Football - Division 5^{[citation needed]}
2017 Boys' Football - Division 5^{[citation needed]}
2022 Boys' Football - Division 6^{[citation needed]}

Student life[edit]

The Westword is West Catholic's student newspaper. It is published on a monthly basis by members of the Journalism class each month. The Westword, a staple of student life at West Catholic, won Spartan Awards, the highest honor awarded by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA). The name, Westword, is a pun on westward, which refers to a direction.^[14]

Notable alumni[edit]

Greg Meyer, 1983 Boston Marathon champion^[15]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b "Staff Directory". West Catholic High School. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for est Catholic High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
^ "Campus & Facilities". West Catholic High School. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
^ NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
^ "Membership". Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools (MANS). Retrieved March 4, 2023.
^ "The Cardinal Newman Society - Past Honor Roll Awardees". The Cardinal Newman Society. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
^ "America's Most Challenging High Schools". Washington Post. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
^ "Team Champions | Boys Cross Country | MHSAA Sports".
^ "Michigan High School Athletic Association, 2003 Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals". www.mhsaa.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2005.
^ "MITCA Team State - 5/29/2004". Kent City Boys Track and Field Home Page. May 29, 2004. Archived from the original on October 23, 2005.
^ "MITCA Division III Team State Championships - 5/24/2008". Hy-Tek's Meet Manager. May 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
^ "MITCA Division III Team State Championships - 5/24/2008". Hy-Tek's Meet Manager. May 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
^ "Olivet Eagles vs GR West Catholic (Nov 27, 2010)". Michigan High School Athletic Association. November 27, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
^ Frank, Tom (2007, 08, 14). Catholic Schools. The Grand Rapids, p. B2.
^ "Profile: Marathon man Greg Meyer keeps going and going". MLive. April 20, 2008. He helped the West Catholic Falcons win the state Class B championship in 1970 ...

External links[edit]

Official website

[wchs.staffdirectory-1] "Staff Directory". West Catholic High School. Retrieved March 4, 2023.

[nces_psch-2] "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for est Catholic High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved March 4, 2023.

[wchs.campus-facilities-3] "Campus & Facilities". West Catholic High School. Retrieved March 4, 2023.

[NCA-Council_on_Accreditation_and_School_Improvement-4] NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.

[mans.members-5] "Membership". Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools (MANS). Retrieved March 4, 2023.

[6] "The Cardinal Newman Society - Past Honor Roll Awardees". The Cardinal Newman Society. Retrieved April 5, 2017.

[7] "America's Most Challenging High Schools". Washington Post. Retrieved April 5, 2017.

[8] "Team Champions | Boys Cross Country | MHSAA Sports".

[9] "Michigan High School Athletic Association, 2003 Lower Peninsula Cross Country Finals". www.mhsaa.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2005.

[10] "MITCA Team State - 5/29/2004". Kent City Boys Track and Field Home Page. May 29, 2004. Archived from the original on October 23, 2005.

[11] "MITCA Division III Team State Championships - 5/24/2008". Hy-Tek's Meet Manager. May 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2008.

[12] "MITCA Division III Team State Championships - 5/24/2008". Hy-Tek's Meet Manager. May 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2008.

[13] "Olivet Eagles vs GR West Catholic (Nov 27, 2010)". Michigan High School Athletic Association. November 27, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2023.

[14] Frank, Tom (2007, 08, 14). Catholic Schools. The Grand Rapids, p. B2.

[mlive.meyer.2008.04.20-15] "Profile: Marathon man Greg Meyer keeps going and going". MLive. April 20, 2008. He helped the West Catholic Falcons win the state Class B championship in 1970 ...

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids
Bishops	Ordinaries Henry J. Richter Michael J. Gallagher Edward D. Kelly Joseph G. Pinten Joseph C. Plagens Francis J. Haas Allen J. Babcock Joseph M. Breitenbeck Robert J. Rose Kevin M. Britt Walter A. Hurley David J. Walkowiak Auxiliaries Charles A. Salatka Joseph C. McKinney
Churches	List List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Andrew, Grand Rapids Notable parishes Basilica of St. Adalbert, Grand Rapids
Higher education	Colleges Aquinas College
Secondary education	Diocesan high schools Catholic Central High School, Grand Rapids West Catholic High School, Grand Rapids Parish high schools St. Patrick High School, Portland Sacred Heart Academy Classical Highschool Private high schools Muskegon Catholic Central High School, Muskegon
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