St. Augustine Prep Marks 60th Year in 2019-20
St. Augustine Preparatory School is pleased to announce the celebration of its 60th Anniversary during the 2019-2020 academic year.
The school was founded in 1959 by Augustinian Friars with the intention of establishing a school for young seminarians and traditional students. The first graduating class in 1963 had only 15 students and all lived in either Atlantic or Cumberland County. Now, the school’s enrollment, consistently averaging 650, has students representing eight New Jersey counties (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem).
“To know we were building something, a small school in South Jersey that could someday be a premier Prep school for boys in the state of New Jersey, it was a motivating factor,” founding faculty member Anthony Spina said.
Over the years, St. Augustine Prep has enjoyed a history of significant growth and expansion, both in academic and co-curricular offerings and also in the learning environment. The 118-acre campus started with one building (it now serves as the Allegrini Monastery for the five Augustinian Friars who presently work at the school).
Today, the school features six buildings with a pedestrian lane in the middle of the campus.
“Throughout the history of the Prep, expansion, and building is done to transform the campus into an ideal and vibrant educational environment,” Father Robert Murray O.S.A., Head of School, said. “The 60th Anniversary provides the school community the opportunity to celebrate the many people in our history who have made what students today enjoy, and to appropriately prepare for the next generation of St. Augustine Prep students and families.”
A St. Augustine Prep education features rigorous academics, robust co-curricular offerings, and a ministry program that focuses on spiritual growth and character development. The spirit of Brotherhood is evident in nearly every facet of the school experience.
“We are one big family at St. Augustine Prep,” said Christian Carmolingo, St. Augustine teacher and a 2012 alumnus. “As a member of the Hermit Alumni, and especially now as an Augustinian educator myself, I see very clearly that Brotherhood is what makes St. Augustine Prep unique. Our whole community—from students to parents to teachers to alumni—come together to celebrate Mass, cheer for our brothers at sporting events, and to support one another in times of adversity.”
The tradition and history of St. Augustine Prep is rich and focused on the education of the Christian Gentleman and the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Perhaps no one is more familiar than Paul Rodio, a 1970 graduate, 44-year faculty member, administrator, and the winningest coach in South Jersey history.
“The pride I have for where this school has come from to where it is today is difficult to express,” Rodio said. “Despite the new buildings, a larger campus, and the increased enrollment, the values have remained the same. The people have made the difference here. The students who walked these hallways and are now leaders, quality contributors to our society. It makes me proud to have played a small part in the growth of this incredible school.”
St. Augustine Preparatory School is a private, all-male Roman Catholic four-year college preparatory school rooted in the Augustinian Tradition. Located in the Richland section of Buena Vista Township on 118 acres, the Prep has been serving the families of Southern New Jersey since 1959. Named after their patron, St. Augustine of Hippo, the Prep educates young men in grades 9-12 under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden with special emphasis on the Augustinian Core Values of Truth, Unity, and Love. Enrollment has consistently expanded over the sixty-year history of the school. Students, known as the Hermits, experience a unique, personalized education focused on the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. For more information on St. Augustine Preparatory School and all 60th Anniversary celebration events, visit the website: hermits.com
