St. John Vianney High School (Kirkwood, Missouri)

Last updated
St. John Vianney High School
VianneyStLouis.png
Address
St. John Vianney High School (Kirkwood, Missouri)
1311 South Kirkwood Road

, ,
63122

United States
Coordinates 38°33′38″N90°24′29″W / 38.56056°N 90.40806°W / 38.56056; -90.40806
Information
Type Private, All-Boys
MottoVerso l'alto
(To the highest)
Religious affiliation(s) Catholic
Established1960
PresidentRichard P. Davis
PrincipalIan Mulligan
Grades 912
Enrollment635
   Grade 9 139
   Grade 10 161
Average class size135
Hours in school day8:15 AM - 2:45 PM
Campus
St. John Vianney High School Campus DJI 20240111171100 0524 D.jpg
St. John Vianney High School Campus
Color(s) Black and Gold   
SloganMen of Character and Accomplishment
Athletics conference Metro Catholic Conference
Nickname Golden Griffins
Team nameGriffins
RivalChaminade College Preparatory School, Saint Louis University High School
Accreditation North Central Association of Colleges and Schools [1]
NewspaperThe Griffin
YearbookThe Talon
Tuition$18,150
Dean of StudentsDr. Will Armon
AdmissionsDirector, Tom Mulvihill
AthleticsDirector, Michael Potsou
Website Vianney

St. John Vianney High School (a.k.a. Vianney High School, or simply Vianney) is a Marianist private, all-boys Catholic college preparatory school in Kirkwood, Missouri. The school was opened in 1960 by the Society of Mary, a religious order of priests and brothers who continue to run the school, and is part of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis, along with the Marianists' Chaminade College Preparatory School and St. Mary's High School.

Contents

History

The creation of a new school was needed in the late 1950s to cater for the increasing population of Baby Boomers. It was founded by Archbishop Joseph Ritter as a private, Marianist, Catholic high school for boys. The school has grown over time, changed its curriculum and adapted to educational trends.

Some of the notable events include the introduction of female teachers in 1973, lighting of the football field in 1977 and sale of part of the campus to Lutheran Church in 1980. The school has undergone several expansions and renovations including a new entrance, commons area, media center and state-of-the-art classrooms added in 2007. Subsequent updates included improvements to sports facilities, STEM labs, baseball fields and creation of an Esports Center in 2021.

Over the years, this school’s ability to adapt and grow with financial support has made it thrive. Major renovations and upgrades have been done such as HVAC system updates, window installations and a $1 million STEM labs upgrade. The most recent renovation in 2021 involved converting original locker rooms and weight rooms into a modern facility for student training that includes unique locker rooms, fitness equipment and dressing rooms for Griffin Theatre. [2]

Athletics

Vianney sponsors athletic teams in football, soccer, cross country, basketball, swimming, wrestling, baseball, golf, tennis, track and field, volleyball. There are also club teams for outdoor lacrosse, bowling, chess, lacrosse, racquetball and ice hockey.

In 2011 and 2013, the Varsity Chess Team won the National Championships.

Vianney is a member of the Metro Catholic Conference of private Catholic high schools, along with:

State championships

National championships

School mascot

The school mascot is the Golden Griffin: half lion and half eagle. The school colors, black and gold, reflect the colors of the Griffin. The school states that the Griffin represents certain virtues in all of its students.

School fight song

The St. John Vianney High School fight song, written by former guidance counselor Brother Harold Lootens. is often sung at football and basketball games and at pep rallies: "We are the black and gold of Vianney. We are the Golden Griffins of Vianney High. Half Lion, half Eagle, so the Griffin can roar, so the Griffin can soar above the lightning and the thunder. We will win, win, win, yeah Vianney. Oh hear the din, din, din, of our clamor and cheers. We want the world to be told about the black and the gold of old Vianney, Vianney, Vianney, Hey!"

Controversy

In 2006, Vianney President Fr. Robert Osborne (1933-2014) was accused in a civil lawsuit of sexual misconduct with a student. [3] Osborne stepped down temporarily, then the school fired him after another accuser stepped forward. [4] The school later settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. [5] [6] Osborne was investigated by the Kirkwood Police but not charged with a crime. [7] A subsequent Marianist investigation found "no credible or substantiated allegation of abuse", but the following year, the order stripped him of his priestly faculties. [4]

In 2023, a nurse at the school was terminated from her position for alleged inappropriate contact with a student. [8] St. Louis County later charged her with two felony sex crimes. [9]

Notable alumni

Sports and entertainment

Arts and sciences

Law and government

Notable faculty

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaminade University of Honolulu</span> Marianist university in Hawaii, U.S.

Chaminade University of Honolulu is a private Marianist university in Honolulu, Hawaii. Founded in 1955 by the Society of Mary, Chaminade is located in Kaimuki, Honolulu at the base of St. Louis Heights. Chaminade offers bachelor's degrees in 23 fields of study and 5 master's degree programs. Chaminade University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Joseph Chaminade</span> French Catholic priest

Guillaume-Joseph Chaminade, SM was a French Catholic priest who survived persecution during the French Revolution and later founded the Society of Mary, usually called the Marianists, in 1817. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 3 September 2000. His feast day is celebrated on 22 January.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Louis School</span> Private school in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Saint Louis School, located in the neighborhood of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys. It was founded in 1846 to serve Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii. Located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, it is affiliated with the Society of Mary, a religious order of brothers and priests called the Marianists who also administer Chaminade University of Honolulu, formerly the college section of Saint Louis School. It is located near Sacred Hearts Academy, a girls' school founded by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and both schools hold joint programs such as cultural festivals and the JROTC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Society of Mary (Marianists)</span> Clerical religious congregation

The Society of Mary abbreviated SM is a clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men commonly called the Marianists or Marianist Brothers and Priests. Its members add the nominal letters "'S.M.'" to their names to indicate their membership in the Society. The Society was founded by William Joseph Chaminade, a priest who survived the anti-clerical persecution during the French Revolution. The Society is one of the four branches of the Marianist Family. Along with the other branches, the Marianist Brothers and Priests look to Mary as a model of faith and spirituality. They believe that the best ways to live a spiritual life are to share their faith with others, work with the poor, and educate and nourish the mind, the body, and the soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaminade College Preparatory School (Missouri)</span> Private, all-boys school in Creve Coeur, Missouri, United States

Chaminade College Preparatory School is an independent, Catholic school, administered by the Marianist Order for boys in grades six through twelve in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The school is located in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

The Saint Louis Priory School, a Catholic secondary day school for boys, is located on a 150-acre campus in Creve Coeur, St. Louis County, Missouri, within the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. The school is run by the Benedictine monks of Saint Louis Abbey as part of their religious ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Charles Preparatory School</span> Private school in Columbus, , Ohio, United States

Saint Charles Preparatory School is a four-year Catholic college preparatory school in Columbus, Ohio, US. It was founded in 1923 by the fourth bishop of Columbus, James J. Hartley, as a Roman Catholic college and high school seminary. Today, it is an all-male high school serving the Catholic Diocese of Columbus.

Cor Jesu Academy is a Catholic college preparatory high school for young women located in Affton, Missouri, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis. It was founded in 1956 by the Apostles of the Sacred Heart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaminade College Preparatory School (California)</span> Private Catholic high school in Los Angeles

Chaminade College Preparatory, formerly Chaminade High School for Boys, is a private Catholic preparatory school with two campuses in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Brothers College High School</span> Private school in Town and Country , Missouri, United States

Christian Brothers College High School is a Lasallian Catholic college preparatory school for young men in Town and Country, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis and is owned and operated by the De La Salle Christian Brothers Midwest District and is the second oldest Lasallian school in the United States.

St. Patrick High School is an all-boys college preparatory Catholic high school located in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. Opened in 1861, it is among the oldest continuously open high schools in the Chicago area.

Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory (CMCP) is a private Marianist school located in Hollywood, Florida, United States, on Chaminade Drive, in front of Nativity Catholic School in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami. Covering high school and college preparatory curricula, it runs from 9th grade to 12th grade. The school has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1921 and is a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School</span> Private coeducational school in Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School is a private Roman Catholic college-preparatory high school located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The school's name is commonly abbreviated VASJ. It was formed by the 1990 merger of Villa Angela Academy and St. Joseph High School. It is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. The school's core values are grounded in those of the religious orders which had administered the two predecessor schools: the Society of Mary (Marianists) and the Ursulines.

Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School is a private, co-educational, center-city, Catholic high school. It is located in downtown Dayton, in the U.S. state of Ohio, and is owned and operated by the Society of Mary and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. It is named after Blessed William Joseph Chaminade and St. Julie Billiart.

Prince of Peace Catholic School is a Catholic high school in Clinton, Iowa, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's High School (St. Louis)</span> Private, all-boys school in St. Louis, Missouri, United States

St. Mary's High School is a Catholic, archdiocesan, all-boys high school rooted in the Marianist tradition. It has a comprehensive college prep curriculum and offers an honors program along with college credit courses. It is situated on a 27-acre campus in the Dutchtown neighborhood of South St. Louis.

The Metro Catholic Conference (MCC) is a high school athletic conference in Greater St. Louis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webster Groves High School</span> Public secondary school in the United States

Webster Groves High School is a public secondary school in Webster Groves, Missouri, United States. It is located at 100 Selma Ave, Webster Groves, MO. The school is part of the Webster Groves School District and its current principal is Matt Irvin.

Brother Mel Meyer was an artist who created an estimated 10,000 pieces of art during his career. He was a Marianist brother based out of Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Cepicky</span> American politician

Scott Cepicky is an American politician and former athlete who serves in the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing the 64th district. Cepicky is a member of the Republican Party.

References

  1. NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  2. "Our History - St John Vianney High School". www.vianney.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  3. St. Louis Post Dispatch, February 24, 2006, C5
  4. 1 2 msorkin@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8347, Michael D. Sorkin (28 April 2014). "Priest removed after accusations of abuse at Vianney High School has died". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2022-07-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. St. Louis Post Dispatch, June 27, 2007, C8
  6. "Kirkwood priest removed after abuse complaint dies". AP NEWS. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  7. St. Louis Post Dispatch, October 12, 2006, C1
  8. Cummings, Travis (2023-04-26). "Former school nurse fired for inappropriate contact with student at Vianney High School". KSDK. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  9. Benchaabane, Nassim (5 May 2023). "Former St. John Vianney school nurse charged with sex crimes against underage student". STL Today. Ray Farris. Retrieved 25 May 2023.