St. Thomas Aquinas HS More than a Football Champ

2008 National Grid Champions Represent an Academically Proud School

Dec 22, 2008

The Ft. Lauderdale, Florida school boasts National Merit finalists, high SAT scores, an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio, 171 courses, and more than 40 student clubs.

High school football champions are sometimes looked upon as "football schools," but 2008 national champ St. Thomas Aquinas defies that label. The 15-0 Raiders from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida represent one of the nation’s leading parochial schools, one with a proud academic record, that offers a well-rounded student life and is a tough school to get into.

On its website, St. Thomas Aquinas defines itself as "a four-year (grades 9 through 12), college-preparatory, coeducational secondary school in the Catholic tradition of youth formation." Its 2008-09 enrollment was 2152.

The school’s 2008 class topped the national average SAT scores by 61 points in mathematics, 76 in reading and 84 in writing. Ninety-two percent of the most recent graduating class matriculated to 4-year colleges and seven percent moved on to 2-year colleges.

30 National Merit Finalists

In the Class of 2008 Class, there were 30 National Merit finalists, three semifinalists, one National Achievement finalist, two National Achievement semifinalists, three National Achievement participants and 30 National Merit commended students.

St. Thomas Aquinas is headed by a monsignor who serves as supervising principal, a priest who serves as assistant supervising principal, a female lay principal and two male assistant principals, each of whom has a doctorate degree.

18-to-1 Student-Teacher Ratio

The full-time professional staff includes three members of a religious order and 118 lay persons, providing an 18-to-1 ratio of students to teaching faculty. The faculty averages 20 years teaching experience, 12 of those years at St. Thomas Aquinas.

The school is located on a 24-acre campus. It draws its students, all of whom have to pass entrance exams and provide letters of recommendation, from 71 schools, 46 Catholic parishes and three Florida counties.

It is operated by the Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and holds membership in the National Catholic Educational Association, Southern Association of Independent Schools, Florida Association of Academic Non-Public Schools, Florida Catholic Conference, Broward County Non-Public School Association and The College Board

Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

The U.S. Department of Education has twice named St. Thomas Aquinas a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. For the past four years, it has been named one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the nation.

The school offers 171 different courses in nine subject areas, including computer science, foreign language, fine arts, theology and physical. education. Students can pursue advanced placement, honors and college preparatory tracks.

To graduate, a student must achieve 24 credits, including four each in English, mathematics and theology, three each in science and social studies and two in foreign languages.

Appropriate dress ("khakis, dress pants and a skirt or dress") is required even for taking the entrance exam. T-shirts, jeans and tennis shoes are not allowed. Pre-exam visits to the school are recommended to make sure the student will be comfortable in the St. Thomas Aquinas environment.

More Than 40 Student Clubs

Tuition is $7,200 for families belonging to a Catholic parish and $9,000 for non-members. That’s in addition to uniforms, textbooks and other fees. However, members of the Class of 2008 received approximately $32 million in academic, athletic, military and "special talent" scholarships.

In addition to football, St. Thomas Aquinas fields male and female teams in basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, track and volleyball, as well as male teams in baseball, ice hockey and wrestling and female teams in softball and water polo.

The school recognizes 22 academic clubs, 12 service clubs and eight fine arts clubs. It has a marching band and a concert band/orchestra.

However, even academic and student achievements as impressive as those of St. Thomas Aquinas will seldom draw the attention that a national football championship generates.

"No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas rolls over No. 6 Lakeland to win Florida 5A title," by Woody Wommack, USA TODAY, Dec. 20, 2008

The copyright of the article St. Thomas Aquinas HS More than a Football Champ in High School is owned by Carroll Trosclair. Permission to republish St. Thomas Aquinas HS More than a Football Champ in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.