Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart

Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart
File:EHS VNameplate Blk Maroon RGB.jpg Veritas/Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare Truth/(Dominican): To praise, to bless and to preach
Address
2219 Monroe Street Madison, Wisconsin, (Dane County) 53711 United States
Coordinates
Information
Type	Private, Coeducational
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1881
Oversight	Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa
President	Michael Elliott
Chairperson	David Hackworthy
Principal	Robert Growney
Chaplain	Amy Richardson
Grades	9–12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	545 (2015-2016)
Average class size	23
Student to teacher ratio	1 to 12
Classes offered	132
Campus	55 acres, shared with grade school and college
Campus type	non-boarding
Color(s)	Maroon and gold
Slogan	A Motivating Educational Experience in a Caring Dominican Catholic Community
Song	All Hail, All Hail, Crusaders
Athletics	broad range of competitive sports for both boys and girls
Athletics conference	Badger
Mascot	Eddie Edgewood
Team name	Crusaders
Accreditation	Independent Schools Association of the Central States
Average ACT scores	26.3
Publication	Edge on the News monthly newsletter; Crusader Connection alumni newsletter; The Wayfarer student literary and arts magazine; Wings of Discovery journal of student scientific research
Newspaper	The Envoy
Yearbook	Crusader
Endowment	Approximately $6 million
Alumni	10,500+
Athletic Director	Chris J. Zwettler
Website	www.edgewoodhs.org

Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart is a private, Catholic, college preparatory school located in Madison, Wisconsin. Edgewood has been sponsored since its inception by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Wisconsin. Edgewood's mission is to educate the whole student for a life of learning, service and personal responsibility through a rigorous academic curriculum embracing the Sinsinawa Dominican values of Truth, Compassion, Justice, Community and Partnership. In the 2015-2016 school year, it enrolled approximately 550 students. Also on the Edgewood campus are Edgewood College and Edgewood Campus School, an elementary and middle school.

History

Edgewood has history dating back to Samuel Mazzuchelli. The school began in 1871 as Saint Regina Academy, an all-girls boarding school on West Washington Avenue in Madison. In 1881, Governor Cadwallader Washburn donated his official residence on Lake Wingra, "Edgewood Villa," after losing a bid for re-election. Saint Regina Academy continued to operate until a fire in 1893 destroyed the original building and a new building under construction. Less than a year after the fire, the school/convent was rebuilt and re-opened as Sacred Heart Academy. In 1927, the current high school’s original building was completed according to the design of Philadelphia architect Albert Kelsey, son-in-law of Governor Cadwallader Washburn, under the name Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart. An additional wing was completed in 1937 and a second addition with new classrooms, gymnasium, swimming pool and Commons was completed in 1967. In the 1990s the school added another gym (the Krantz Center) and shared in the construction of the Sonderegger Science Center, which is used cooperatively by the three Edgewood schools on the campus.

Academics

The Edgewood curriculum encompasses 132 credit-eligible courses across twelve departments. The school also teaches 12 AP (Advanced Placement) courses, including English, Calculus, 2nd Year Calculus Honors, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, European History, U.S. History, Spanish, French & Latin. The school's student literary magazine, musical productions, remote environmental science field course and Latin oratory are all award-winning programs. About 1/3 of juniors and 1/2 of seniors take at least one AP course. Edgewood also has programs for students with minor learning disabilities and challenges, which serve about 1/4 of its students.

Graduation requirements, including four credits of English, and three credits each of Math, Science and Social Studies, help ensure students have a college preparatory background. Edgewood has also has Public Speaking as a required course in addition to requirements in Religious Studies, Physical Education, Fine Arts and Computer Literacy, and offers Aviation as a unique elective. More than 95% of Edgewood's graduates go on to college, including having applied to and received acceptance to 85 of the Top 100.

Besides having strong curricular offerings, Edgewood also provides students options for expanding their academic pursuits. A robotics team, math team, Science Olympiad, National Honor Society, environmental club, honor societies for Spanish and Latin students, book club, strategy games club, political/current events club, multicultural club and other groups organize activities, trips and competitive opportunities. Key Club, STAR (Sisters Taking Active Roles), Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Class/Executive Council, Dominican Preaching Team, LINK Crew and Leadership Corps all provide opportunities to learn skills, exercise leadership and engage in personal growth activities.

Fine Arts

Music, art, drama and creative writing have been important components of the Edgewood curriculum since its founding. An annual Fine Arts Festival brings professional guest artists, performers and musicians to the school, offer a student talent showcase, includes a student/faculty hosted film festival with commentary, and exhibits a juried selection of two- and three-dimensional art.

The school has a strong reputation for graduating students who are better prepared for the rigors of college writing than many of their peers, and Edgewood’s student literary and art magazine has consistently earned a "Superior" rating from the National Council of Teachers of English; three times it has earned the NCTE’s "Highest Award" for exceptional quality of writing, typography and visual art. Students may enter a school-wide writing contest juried by outside professionals and some students have earned national recognition for their essays, poetry and other writing.

The Drama Department stages two productions a year, involving more than 100 students in each, either on stage or on technical crews. Since the inception of the Overture Center for the Arts Tommy Awards in 2009-2010, Edgewood High School musicals have earned "Outstanding Musical" honors for Anything Goes (2010), Hairspray (2011), West Side Story (2012), Guys and Dolls (2013) and Mary Poppins (2015). A long string of individual acting, directing, technical dance and other individual and ensemble Tommy Awards have also been earned. In addition, set construction for shows have earned dozens of 1st Place and 2nd Place awards from Sceno Graphics.

Co-curriculars include an improv comedy troupe, Laughing Stock, and One Act play competitions. In addition, Edgewood participates in the Young Playwrights program as part of a course in which students write their own one-act plays which are entered into competition against other participating schools for professional readings/performances.

Through the years, Edgewood has had a strong music program. At one time there was a marching band that performed at athletic events, in parades, and at other venues. Today, students choose from instrumental ensembles including concert bands, orchestra, jazz ensembles, chamber music ensembles (woodwinds, brass, percussion, small combos), pep band, pit orchestra and handbells. Group and individual piano classes are also offered. Vocal ensembles include the Edgewood chorus, concert choir and Crusader Singers show choir. In addition, as a co-curricular, students may choose to join the Edgetones a capella group that performs original arrangements. Edgewood music students benefit from guest clinicians, student exchanges with other area schools and from the school’s collaboration in a consortium of high schools that annually commission a work from a composer who works with students in presenting the composition. A significant number of students attend Conference and State juried festivals each year, with many of them performing and earning top scores at the highest level of difficulty.

Visual/studio arts range from photography, drawing, painting and commercial design to jewelry, architecture and ceramics. The school participates in the annual Badger Conference Art Show and the Congressional Art Show and students have claimed numerous awards in a variety of media. Art students enter works in a juried show during annual Fine Arts Festival, participate in the construction of sets and promotional signage for drama productions, and have their work incorporated in The Wayfarer literary and art journal.

Ballroom Dance is offered as a physical education option.

Service

All Edgewood students complete a minimum of 100 hours of community and school service as a graduation requirement. Volunteerism is perceived by most as enhancing their lives and nearly a third of students graduate having doubled the required number of hours, with some having participated in 500 or more hours of service. Edgewood participates in a school-wide day of service, Edgewood in the Community, during which students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni join together to provide more than 3,500 volunteer hours at more than 40 different locations annually in a single day. Service is also incorporated into the school’s program of grade-level retreats.

Athletics

Previously a member of the now-defunct WISAA, Edgewood athletics moved to the WIAA and the Badger South Conference in 1999. As of January 2015, the Crusaders have since amassed nearly 100 conference championships, 24 state championships in nine different sports, additional individual state championships, and been state runner-up 29 times in 12 different sports. In 2013, Crusader girls' teams took the team state title in three fall sports — golf, cross country and tennis — and also had the diving champion and runner-up. Their wins were followed by the boys' swimming team taking the 2014 title.

The girls' cross country team took the Division 2 sectional and state titles in 2013.

The boys' baseball team won the state championship in 2004 and in 2009.

The boys' basketball team won the state title in 2002 and won back-to-back Badger Conference titles in 2003 and 2004. In 2009, the Crusaders tied with Monroe for the Badger South Conference championship.

The girls' basketball team won the Badger South Championship in the 2005-2006 and 2008-2009 seasons, tying with Monroe both times. In 2015 the team advanced to the Sectional Semi-finals and in 2016 they advanced to the State semi-finals, falling to eventual State Champions Hayward High School 50-49.

The girls' dance team has captured titles in Jazz and Poms. Members of the team have also been invited to perform at Disney parks in Orlando.

The boys' football team advanced to the third round in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons and to the state semifinals in 2011.

The boys' golf team won the 2009 and 2010 WIAA Division 2 state championships.

The girls' golf team has won the state title 14 times in 15 years, nine times consecutively (2001–2009). They lost by one stroke in 2010, but took back the title by winning again in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. This leads all schools in number of team championships in that sport. It is also the longest consecutive championship streak for any girls' sport in state history.

The boys' hockey team advanced to the state title game in 2008, finishing as runner-up to Eau Claire Memorial High School.

The alpine ski racing team (for both boys and girls) has had individual competitors place in the top four in conference standings.

The girls' soccer team won the 2009 and 2011 State Championships.

The boys' swim and dive team was Division 2 state champion in 2014.

The girls' swim and dive team took the state team title in 2015.

The boys' tennis team has made several state tournament appearances, finishing as high as runner-up.

The girls' tennis team were state champions in 2013 and 2015.

The girls’ volleyball team has been conference champions 12 of the past 13 seasons.

The Ultimate Frisbee team advanced to the state title game in 2016, finishing as runner-up to Madison West High School.

Notable alumni

• Chris Farley, Class of 1982; actor and comedian
• Georgia O'Keeffe, artist
• Jeffrey Straubel, Class of 1994; co-founder and chief technical officer for Tesla Motors, Inc.
• John F. Tefft, Class of 1967; U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania (2000-2003), Georgia (2005-2009), Ukraine (2009–2013), Russia (2014–present)

External links

• Edgewood High School website