Bishop Connolly High School

Bishop Connolly High School is a co-educational Catholic high school in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Bishop Connolly High School
Address
373 Elsbree Street

Fall River
,
(Bristol County)
,
Massachusetts
02720

United States
Coordinates41°42′55″N 71°7′16″W
Information
TypePrivate, Coeducational
MottoNon auditores tantum, sed factores verbi.
(Not only hearers, but doers of the word." (from James 1:22))
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1967
PrincipalE. Christopher Myron
ChaplainNone (since 2018), rotating series of priests
Grades9–12
Enrollment306 (2008)
CampusSuburban
Color(s)Red, White and Gold    
Athletics conferenceMayflower
Team nameCougars
AccreditationNew England Association of Schools and Colleges[1]
Tuition$11,000
Websitewww.bishopconnolly.com

History

In 2020 Connolly took the high school students from Coyle And Cassidy School, which closed.[2]

Campus and building

Connolly's campus is approximately 60 acres (240,000 m2). The campus is adjacent to Bristol Community College and B.M.C Durfee High School, Fall River's public high school is located directly across Elsbree Street. The campus contains a football field with bleachers and a concession stand, a soccer field, an outdoor non-rubber track, six tennis courts, a baseball field, a softball field and several practice fields.

The main school building is composed of three sections. The activities section contains a 1000-seat gymnasium, an 800-seat auditorium, and 200 seat cafeteria at the far west end. The middle academic wing contains the classrooms and most offices. At the far east end is the former faculty house, which is now the Cardinal Medeiros residence, a retirement home for diocesan priests. The library is located in a circular building in back of the main building and was renamed the "Academic Achievement Center" in 2012.

Academics

Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, Bishop Connolly will divide its curriculum into three departments: Humanities (English, History, Foreign Language, Religion), Math & Science, and Fine Arts/Athletics, each headed by one of three academic deans. Aside from college preparatory classes, Connolly has extensive honors and advanced placement offerings, including Calculus AB/BC, Biology, Chemistry, English Literature, and US History. The average class size is 22-25 students. Honors sections average 15-18 students, while AP courses tend to number 8-11 students or less.

Bishop Connolly High School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Athletics

Connolly offers 23 different interscholastic sports for boys and girls and 38 separate teams throughout the year. Connolly is a member of The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Associations's Mayflower League. The athletic squads are called the Cougars.

During the 1990s, Bishop Connolly's athletic squads routinely qualified for state tournament play. In 1993, the hockey program became the first Southeastern Massachusetts school to win a state championship. The Cougars have also won state championships in baseball (1990) and boys' tennis (1992); as well as south sectional titles in basketball, hockey, baseball, cross country, and tennis.

In 2003 Connolly fielded its first football team in school history.

In its first season in the Mayflower Athletic Conference, the Cougar lacrosse team won the league championship with a league record of 13-1 and an overall record of 14-4 which included a 1-1 record in the MIAA Division 3 tournament. The team was led by 4th year head coach, Justin Shay.

In the 2009-2010 academic year, the boys' basketball and lacrosse teams were Mayflower League Champions.

In the 2010-2011 academic year, a banner was raised in every single season. In the fall, the boys' soccer team had a 12-3-3 record on their road to their Mayflower League Championship, which was the first boys' soccer title since 1993. The girls' basketball team won the Mayflower League title in the winter and the softball team also won a title in the spring. In the winter of 2011, the boys' basketball team won the Mayflower League Championship under new first year head coach Matt Coute, who is the all-time leading scorer at Bishop Connolly and was the replacement of the longtime coaching legend Billy Shea. In the spring of 2012, the Bishop Connolly baseball team won the Mayflower League Championship and made an unforgettable run to the Division 4 South Sectional Finals after defeating Cape Cod Tech, Pope John Paul II, and West Bridgewater.

On March 13, 2013, the boys' varsity basketball team won the Division IV State Championship at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Bishop Connolly was recognized by Fall River Mayor William Flanagan and numerous state representatives.

In 2015, the Cougars football team completed an undefeated regular season and won the Mayflower League championship. They qualified for the MIAA Division 6 playoffs, and drew the #3 seed in the tournament. The Cougars face off against small school powerhouse, and eventual state champions, Mashpee in the first round. The Cougars took a 7-6 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Falcons scored two fourth quarter touchdowns and upset the previously undefeated Cougars, 20-7. The Cougars were placed into the consolation bracket after being eliminated from the state playoffs, and they continued to dominate opponents. The Cougars football team finished the 2015 season with a 10-1 record, the best record in school history to date.

Athletic Accomplishments

  • Football - League Champions (2015)
  • Football - Playoff Qualifier (2014, 2015)
  • Boys' Soccer - League Champions (1993, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017)
  • Cross Country - South Sectional Champions (1997)
  • Boys' Basketball - State Champions (2013)
  • Boys' Basketball - League Champions (2010, 2011, 2014, 2016)
  • Girls' Basketball - League Champions (2011)
  • Boys' Hockey - State Champions (1993)
  • Boys' Hockey - South Sectional Champions (1992, 1995)
  • Boys' Lacrosse - League Champions (2005, 2010)
  • Baseball - State Champions (1990)
  • Baseball - South Sectional Finalists (2012)
  • Baseball - League Champions (1990, 2012)
  • Softball - League Champions (2011)
  • Boys' Tennis - State Champions (1992)
  • Boys' Tennis - League Champions (2016, 2017)

Clubs and activities

Students at Bishop Connolly have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including

  • Student Government
  • Student Ambassadors
  • Theatre Company
  • Chorus
  • Cheerleading
  • National Honor Society
  • Debate Team
  • Math Team
  • Mock Trial
  • French Honor Society
  • Spanish Honor Society
  • Portuguese Honor Society
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Tennis
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Track and Cross Country
  • Unified Track
  • Softball, Baseball
  • Volleyball

Notable alumni
  • David Gauvin (1964- ), former Welterweight boxer
  • A. R. ("Bob") Tavares, (1964- ), former Rhode Island resident, current ASCAP songwriter.

Notes and references
  1. NEASC-CIS. "NEASC-Commission on Independent Schools". Archived from the original on 2009-06-16. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
  2. "Coronavirus Impact: Coyle And Cassidy, St. Margaret Catholic Schools Closing For Good". WBZ CBS Boston. 2020-04-16. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
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