Archmere Academy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Archmere Academy |
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Archmere Academy school crest
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| Address | |
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3600 Philadelphia Pike
, New Castle County
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Delaware
19703
United States
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| Coordinates | 39°48′07″N 75°27′18″W / 39.80194°N 75.45500°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, coeducational |
| Motto | Pietate et Scientia (Faith and Knowledge) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Denomination | Norbertine |
| Established | 1932 |
| CEEB code | 080010 |
| Rector | Rev. Fr. Joseph McLaughlin, O. Praem |
| Principal | Katie Eissler Thiel |
| Headmaster | Michael Marinelli |
| Chaplain | Father John Zagarella |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 514 (2020–21) |
| Average class size | 15 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 6:1 |
| Color(s) | Green and white |
| Mascot | Great auk |
| Nickname | Auks |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Publication | Tapestry |
| Newspaper | The Green Arch |
| Yearbook | The Patio |
| Tuition | Approximately $34,100 |
Archmere Academy is a private Roman Catholic high school in Claymont, Delaware, United States. It helps students get ready for college. In the 2020-2021 school year, about 514 students attended. Both boys and girls go to Archmere. The school is run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington.
Contents
History of Archmere Academy
Archmere Academy was started in 1932 by a religious group called the Norbertine order. At first, it was only for boys. The school began on a large property that used to belong to a famous American businessman, John J. Raskob. He lived there with his wife and their 12 children until 1931.
In 1932, Bernard Pennings bought the estate for $300,000. He was a leader of the Norbertine Order and also started St. Norbert College in Wisconsin. Archmere Academy officially opened in the fall of 1932. In its first year, only 22 students were enrolled. By 1934, the number of students grew to 72.
As more students joined, Archmere Academy slowly grew. They added small buildings for students who lived at the school. In 1939, they built their first gym. By 1940, the old mansion on the property became a science center. In the mid-1940s, the school focused only on preparing students for college. They stopped teaching 7th and 8th grades.
In 1957, Archmere Academy celebrated its 25th birthday. They started building St. Norbert Hall, which became the main academic building. It was finished in 1959. The school kept growing in the 1960s, with 394 students by the end of that decade. In 1973, the Justin E. Diny Science Center opened. It had classrooms for physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science. The old science center then became a place for arts, with classes for chorus, band, theater, and art.
The 1970s brought big changes. Archmere Academy stopped being a boarding school and became a day school only. In 1975, the school decided to allow girls to attend, and 50 girls joined. A group of trustees was formed for the academy in the late 1970s. This group helped expand the classes and activities offered. They also helped build new parts of the school, like an addition to St. Norbert Hall. In the early 1980s, a new auditorium that could seat 750 people was built, along with a new library.
In 2001, the school took control of the old Raskob residence, known as "the Patio." In 2003, Archmere started a big project to improve its facilities. This included expanding the Justin E. Diny Science Center, building a student life center, and updating the athletic fields.
In 2010, Dr. Michael Marinelli, an Archmere graduate from 1976, became the headmaster. He was the first headmaster who was not a Norbertine priest. Towards the end of the 2015-2016 school year, Archmere began major updates to Saint Norbert's Hall. This included changes to the library and every room in the building.
School Buildings and Design
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Archmere
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The Patio, country estate of John J. Raskob
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 Location in Delaware
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| Location | 3600 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, Delaware |
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| Area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Architect | Harper, Alexander James; McCure, Clay |
| Architectural style | Renaissance, Italian Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001143 |
| Added to NRHP | September 9, 1992 |
"The Patio" is one of the buildings at Archmere Academy. It was built between 1916 and 1918. It was the country home of John J. Raskob. He was a financier and helped build the Empire State Building. The name "Archmere" came from the natural arch of trees over the view of the Delaware River. The original building, "the Patio," was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. In 2009, Archmere Academy received a historical marker from the Delaware Public Archives.
What Students Learn at Archmere
Archmere students must take many different classes. These include eight semesters of English, seven semesters of religion, and six semesters each of mathematics, a foreign language, history, and science. Students can also choose elective classes. These include art, yearbook, band, chorus, and computer courses.
Archmere offers many AP courses. These are college-level classes that can earn students college credit. Some AP courses offered are Spanish, French, statistics, calculus, physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, art, computer science, English, US history, European history, and world history.
Music Program
The music program at Archmere Academy is an elective. It teaches students about music from different time periods, including Renaissance, 20th century, jazz, and Broadway. Students learn mostly by practicing and performing. There is also a music theory class for advanced students and a songwriting class.
Performing groups include the jazz ensemble, concert choir, stage band, and Mastersingers. The Mastersingers group started in 1988. It has 30 students who are chosen by audition. They perform at school events and community concerts. They also compete in national and international competitions. Archmere also has a special program where student musicians can study with the Serafin String Quartet.
Sports at Archmere
Archmere competes in the Diamond State Conference for many sports. These include American football, field hockey, basketball, rugby, soccer, swimming, diving, lacrosse, volleyball, golf, tennis, cheerleading, baseball, softball, cross country, track and field and wrestling.
The school campus has two artificial turf fields. These are used for American football, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey. There is also a baseball field, a softball field, six tennis courts, and a running track.
Archmere has won many state championships. These include cross country, volleyball, and rugby. From 1991 to 2013, Archmere won eight cross country championships. The girls' volleyball team won the state trophy in 2014. The rugby team won three state titles in a row in 2015, 2016, and 2017. They won again in 2019. The boys' soccer team won their first state title in 2019. They finished the season with 17 wins and only 1 loss. The rugby team continued to be strong in 2021, winning the Delaware 7s state title. In 2023, the Archmere rugby team won another exciting state title.
In the 1960 football season, Archmere's team had a perfect record of 8-0. This was a big change after many losing seasons. A famous player on that team was Joe Biden. He later became the 46th President of the United States.
In the 2021 football season, Archmere's varsity team was undefeated with a 13-0 record. They won their district and the Class 2A State Championship. The junior varsity (JV) team also had a perfect season with a 5-0 record.
In the 2022 Field Hockey season, Archmere's Varsity team reached the DII State Championship for the first time in 23 years. They had a strong regular season with 13 wins and 2 losses.
In the 2022-2023 Girls Soccer Season, Archmere's varsity team won the DII State Championship. They defeated St. Marks 6-1 in an amazing game. This was the first time the girls' soccer team won the championship in the school's history.
Famous People Who Went to Archmere
Many notable people have graduated from Archmere Academy, including:
- Joe Biden (1961) – He became the 46th President of the United States. Before that, he was the 47th Vice President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He also served as a United States Senator for Delaware for many years.
- Colm Connolly (born 1964) – A Chief United States District Judge.
- Dominic Pileggi (1975) – A politician from Pennsylvania.
- Stefan Roots – The Mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania.
- William H. Green (1979) – A chemical engineer and professor at MIT.
- Mark T. Smith (1986) – A painter known for his colorful artwork.
- Beau Biden (1987) – He was the Attorney General for Delaware. He was also the son of Joe Biden.
- Hunter Biden (1988) – A lawyer and lobbyist. He is also the son of Joe Biden.
- Erin Arvedlund (1988) – A financial journalist who has written for many well-known newspapers and websites.
- Meagan Miller (1992) – An American soprano singer who performs in opera and concerts around the world.
- Tom Coyne (1993) – A writer and English professor at Saint Joseph's University.
- Ashley Biden (1999) – An activist and daughter of Joe Biden.
