The Heights School is a preparatory school for boys in grades 3–12 in Potomac, Maryland, United States. Its mission is to assist parents in the intellectual, spiritual, and physical education of their sons. The Heights School offers a liberal arts curriculum in English, mathematics, classics, history, religion, science, Spanish, art, computers, and music.[5]
| The Heights School | |
|---|---|
 The Heights School | |
| Address | |
 | |
10400 Seven Locks Road , 20854-4085 United States | |
| Coordinates | 39°1′42″N 77°9′52″W / 39.02833°N 77.16444°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, day |
| Motto | "Crescite" (grow; increase, multiply (Genesis 1:28)) |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1969 |
| School district | Independent |
| Headmaster | Alvaro de Vicente |
| Chaplain | Rev. Diego Daza[1] Rev. Rene Schatteman[2] |
| Faculty | 62.1 (FTE)[3] |
| Grades | 3–12 |
| Gender | Boys |
| Enrollment | 538[3] (2017–18) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 8.7:1[3] |
| Color(s) | Red and white |
| Slogan | "Men Fully Alive" |
| Song | "To The Heights" |
| Athletics conference | Washington Catholic Athletic Conference |
| Mascot | Cavalier |
| Team name | Cavaliers |
| Accreditation | AdvancED[4] |
| Newspaper | The Heights Herald |
| Affiliation | Opus Dei |
| Website | www |
As of 2017–2018, the school had an enrollment of 538 kids and 62.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 8.7.[3] Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Catholic Church, supervises the school's religious orientation and spiritual formation. The local church authority, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, however, does not include the Heights in their list of Catholic schools.[6][7] Still, the faculty for the Catholic doctrine program as well as the curriculum are reviewed and approved by the Archdiocese of Washington.[8][better source needed]
Athletics
editThe Heights School currently has 13 different sports teams : cross country, golf, soccer, basketball, squash, swimming, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse, tennis, track and field, rugby, and rock climbing.
The Heights School is known for fielding especially strong soccer teams. Products of The Heights program include former national team and professional player Freddy Adu. Players from The Heights are often recruited by top programs.
In the fall of 2018 – the first year of membership in the WCAC – The Heights varsity soccer team won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship following their undefeated season. The team was ranked #16 in the nation, and #2 in The Washington Post rankings. The Heights followed that incredible inaugural season with another WCAC conference championship in 2023, in which they finished 17-1-1, allowing just five goals in conference play and none during the postseason; the team ranked #1 in The Washington Post rankings.
The Heights also has a successful rock climbing team, which competes in the Washington Area Interscholastic Climbing League (WAICL). The league competes at indoor rock climbing gyms across the Washington DC metropolitan area, focusing on bouldering and top rope. Within the WAICL, the Heights fielded the top championship teams during the 2017/2018 and 2023/2024 seasons.
History
editA group of Catholic laymen, many belonging to the Prelature of Opus Dei ("Work of God"), founded the Heights as a middle school in Northwest Washington, D.C. in 1969. Among these was author and parenting expert James Stenson.
In 1978, The Heights purchased their campus in Potomac, Maryland and started the lower school.[9] By 1983, construction of the main building allowed the entire school, grades three through twelve, to be united on the Potomac campus.[9]
Scholarships
editThe Peter Vincent Galahad Blatty scholarship is given once every four years to an outstanding student in honor of William P. G. Blatty, son of the author of The Exorcist and member of the Class of 2005, who died of a heart condition.
Notable alumni
edit- Freddy Adu, professional soccer player; attended but eventually transferred[10][11]
References
edit- ^ "Rev. Diego Daza – the Heights School".
- ^ "Rene Schatteman – the Heights School".
- ^ a b c d Search for Private Schools: The Heights School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 2, 2020
- ^ AdvancED website
- ^ "The Heights School".
- ^ "ADW Catholic High School Directory", 2019–2020 edition, Archdiocese of Washington.
- ^ "Faith – The Heights School". heights.edu. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
Although The Heights is not officially (canonically) a Catholic School, it does offer classes in Catholic doctrine as well as Catholic sacraments and liturgy.
- ^ "Faith – The Heights School". Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ a b "History – The Heights School". heights.edu. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
- ^ Sports Illustrated online: "Who's Next? Freddy Adu". "In his first organized basketball game two years ago, a J.V. contest for The Heights School in Potomac, Freddy scored 28 points." Accessed June 4, 2008.
- ^ Goliath.com - Adu completes high school. Accessed June 4, 2008.
External links
edit- The Heights School official website