Cascia Hall Preparatory School

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Cascia Hall Preparatory School
Established	1926
Type	Roman Catholic, Augustinian, Private secondary
Students	approximately 600
Grades	6-12
Location	Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Oversight	Rev. Bernard C. Scianna, O.S.A., Ph.D.
Mascot	Commandos
Yearbook	The Towers
Newspaper	The Cascian
Website	[1]

Cascia Hall Preparatory School was established by the Augustinians as a Catholic school for boys in 1926 by Francis Driscoll in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the request of Bishop Francis Kelley. It is accredited by the North Central Association. The school is run independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa.

Notable alumni include former Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating, former Mayors of Tulsa Robert LaFortune and Bill LaFortune, and Bill Hader, cast member of Saturday Night Live. Tulsan, Bob Oertle Motorsport and Motorcycle Free Style event producer. In addition,Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith's first head coaching job was at Cascia.

Student Enrollment is approximately 600. The school is one of four Catholic high schools in Oklahoma, the other three being Bishop Kelley, also located in Tulsa, Mount St. Mary's and Bishop McGuinness are located in Oklahoma City. The two Tulsa schools often conduct spiritual programs such as retreats, together.

Cascia Hall prides itself on academic excellence and athletic superiority, of which National Merit Finalists and state championships result. In 2007, Cascia Hall had six National Merit Semifinalists and won the state championship in Boys' and Girls' Soccer, Tennis, and class 2A Football.

[edit] Patron Saint

Saint Rita of Cascia

St Rita of Cascia was wife, mother (of twins), and after the murder of her husband and the death her two sons, she spent 40 years as a nun living the Rule of St. Augustine in the monastery of Saint Mary Magdalen at Cascia. She now is a pre-eminent Augustinian saint, canonized in 1900.

[edit] The Augustinians in North America

The North American foundation of the order happened in 1796 when Irish friars arrived in Philadelphia. Michael Hurley was the first American to join the Order the following year. Friars established schools, Universities and other works throughout the Americas, also including Villanova University in Philadelphia (USA) and Merrimack College (USA). Malvern Preparatory School was founded in 1842 alongside Villanova University, and by 1909 two Augustinian houses and a school had been established in Chicago, 1922 in San Diego, by 1925 a school in Ojai and Los Angeles; 1926 this school in Oklahoma; 1953 a school in Pennsylvania; and 1962 a school in Illinois.