West Catholic Preparatory High School Awarded $500,000 Grant From the Connelly Foundation to Launch the De La Salle Academic Support Program
The school will also rename its Learning Commons to the Connelly Center for Academic Excellence.
West Catholic Preparatory High School (WCPHS) has received a $500,000 grant from the Connelly Foundation for the 2024-2025 academic year. The funding will establish the De La Salle Academic Support Program.
The program consists of three major transformative components that will enrich the learning experience for WCPHS students. It will allow for comprehensive renovations of a dedicated academic and support facility space, provide the ability to hire a Director of the De La Salle Academic Support Program, and integrate cutting-edge individualized technology components that complement an innovative curriculum.
The Connelly Foundation of West Conshohocken is inspired by its Catholic heritage to improve the quality of life for people in the Philadelphia region by supporting charitable organizations in the areas of education, human services, and culture and civics that strengthen resilience and help people to flourish.
Tom Riley, President of the Connelly Foundation, said of the award, “The Connelly Foundation is pleased to partner with West Catholic Preparatory High School in the important work of the De La Salle Academic Support Program. It is difficult to overstate the importance of West Catholic’s presence in its community, and the profound positive impact it has on the students and families of West Philadelphia. We look forward to the way this program will further West Catholic’s support of student academic achievement.”
Mr. Andrew Brady `02, President of West Catholic Preparatory High School said, “I am grateful to the Connelly Foundation for its generosity and commitment to our school and advancing our mission of providing a quality Catholic education grounded in strong Lasallian values. The grant provides us with the ability to launch the De La Salle Academic Support Program and to enhance the academic assistance we provide to our students.” He went on to say, “This program will also allow us to offer customized learning pathways for each student to receive support specific to his or her unique learning style. This initiative will help prepare each student to become a strong, independent leader who takes charge of their own life.”
In addition, the school will rename the space currently known as the Learning Commons to the Connelly Center for Academic Excellence. It will house four dedicated classrooms for academic support sessions including an area for tutoring as well as secluded spaces designed to facilitate highly targeted academic interventions and an environment conducive to testing.
Background information on West Catholic Preparatory High School:
West Catholic Preparatory High School has proudly served West and Southwest Philadelphia for over 100 years since opening in the fall of 1916. In 1926, the De La Salle Christian Brothers arrived at what would become West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys, then located on 49th Street between Chestnut and Market Streets. In 1989, the Brothers of the Christian Schools (F.S.C.); the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (I.H.M.); and the Sisters of Saint Joseph (S.S.J.), along with over 1,000 students, merged the Boys and Girls Schools, to become West Philadelphia Catholic High School at the present location of 4501 Chestnut Street.
The school’s primary mission is to prepare each student to face the challenges of everyday life, to embrace leadership positions in society, and to value service in an ever-changing global society. For additional information about WCPHS, please visit, www.westcatholic.org/.
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Editor’s Note:
For information about Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia please visit, aopcatholicschools.org/.
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