| Mount Saint Charles Academy | |
| Location: | 800 Logee Street |
| County: | (Providence County) |
| Zipcode: | 02895-5599 |
| Country: | USA |
| Type: | Private, Catholic, Coeducational junior/senior high school institution |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic, (Brothers of the Sacred Heart) |
| Established: | September 14, 1924 |
| President: | Alan Tenreiro[1] |
| Principal: | Julie Beauvais |
| Enrollment: | 850 |
| Campus Size: | 22acres |
| Colors: | - - |
| Team Name: | Mounties |
| Accreditation: | New England Association of Schools and Colleges[2] |
| Newspaper: | The Hilltopper |
| Yearbook: | Excelsior |
| Website: | www.mountsaintcharles.org |
Mount Saint Charles Academy is a private, Roman Catholic, co-educational junior and senior high school academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.[3]
On September 14, 1924, French Canadian migrant and local clergyman Monsignor Charles Dauray and the congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart opened Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Brother Josephus, SC, served as the first principal.[4]
The gymnasium was added in 1927, followed by the Brother Adelard Ice Hockey Arena in 1963. The arena, named after the "Father of Schoolboy Hockey," Brother Adelard Beaudet, https://riheritagehalloffame.com/Brother-Adelard-Beaudet/was the first hockey arena built for the exclusive use of one school.
By the 1970s, the academy transitioned to a Grade 7–12 co-educational day school. The transition occurred concurrently with the closing of the all-girls high school in the city. This marked the beginning of a decline of Catholic schools in America,[5] followed by a diminished interest in boarding schools. By 2015, Mount Saint Charles was expanded, including the 6th grade.[6]
The school was accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in 2019[7] and has been recognized twice as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education.[8]
In 2009, the school announced that Mr. Hervé Richer Jr. would become the first lay president of Mount Saint Charles. Mr. Edwin Burke, the former assistant principal, assumed the role of the principal.
In March 2016, it was announced that the school would not enroll transgender students. This was also included as a statement in the school's handbook. Alumni of the school used social media and created a petition to oppose this announcement.[9] The school released a response, stating that their intent was not discriminatory, and that their facilities could not accommodate gender diverse students.[10] [11] The school cancelled the policy three days afterwards.[12]
In 2017, Hervé Richer stepped down as president. Alan Tenreiro, a 1992 graduate of the school, was selected as the third president of Mount Saint Charles Academy.[13] Tenreiro was named National Principal of the Year in 2016 by NASSP for his contributions to Cumberland High School.[14]
In 2019, the school received $3.7 million from Educational Institutional Revenue Bonds in order to create a new residence hall. The residence hall was opened in October 2019 to house 70 students for the first time in nearly 50 years.[15]
The school offers the following arts programs:
In collaboration with the Religious Studies Department, the Office of Campus Ministry provides a range of experiences intended to form a more reflective faith community. Campus ministers oversee activities such as the Mission Drive, Annual Christmas Baskets, and Days of Recollection.
The Mount Saint Charles Academy boys' hockey team won twenty-six consecutive state titles from 1978 to 2003 and four consecutive titles from 2008 to 2011. Over the years, 20 alumni have entered into the NHL. Alumni Brian Lawton and Bryan Berard were drafted 1st overall in the NHL Entry Draft. The school's hockey program is recorded in the book "Pride on the Mount" by John Gillooly. The current coach, Normand "Bill" Belisle, has a record of 990 wins, 183 losses, and 37 ties. In 2006, a documentary was created called Ice Kings, which encompasses the material covered in the book, including insights from alumni and Coach Belisle.
The school won back to back Division II state titles in boys soccer 2004 and 2005 before moving up to Division I in 2006.
The swim team had a leap from Division III to Division I, making it the first team in RIIL history to move two divisions in a year.
In 2015, the boy's varsity soccer team won the Division II state championship over Moses Brown.[16]
In 2021, Mount St. Charles Hockey Academy was one of two schools to have all four tournament bound teams (18U, 16U, 15O and 14U) qualify for their respective National Tournaments.
In 2022, the boy's Varsity Lacrosse team was the first team in RIIL history to win two back-to-back State Championships in 2 separate divisions (Division IV in 2021 and Division II in 2022).
In 2023, the school announced that it was leaving the Rhode Island Interscholastic League to play for the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council.[17]
| State Championships | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Sport | Number of Championships | Year |
| Fall | Soccer, Men's | 5 | 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2015 |
| Tennis, Women's | 5 | 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 | |
| Volleyball, Women's | 2 | 1995, 2009 | |
| Winter | Hockey, Men's | 45 | 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1968, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2022 (18U National Championship) |
| Basketball, Women's | 1 | 2001 | |
| Swimming, Men's | 3 | 2002, 2003, 2004 | |
| Swimming, Women's | 1 | 2003 | |
| Hockey, Women's | 6 | 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011 | |
| Spring | Lacrosse, Men's | 3 | 2008, 2021, 2022 |
| Volleyball, Men's | 5 | 2001, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2018 | |
| Baseball, Men's | 3 | 2009, 2010, 2015 | |
| All | Cheerleading | 4 | 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011 |
| Total | 83 | ||