Cardinal O'Hara High School

Cardinal O'Hara High School was opened in September, 1963 with 1738 freshmen and sophomores. During the next five years, the enrollment increased and reached a peak of 3940 students in 1967. During the 2008-2009 school year there are more than 1600 students attending the school. Rev. Paul P. Maloney was principal from 1963 - 1969. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph C. McCloskey (1969-1971), Msgr. James E. Mortimer (1971-1980), Rev. Philip J. Cribben (1980-1988), and Rev. Joseph J. McLaughlin (1988-1993). For the 1993-94 school year, the secondary schools established a new administrative structure for the school with a president and a principal. Monsignor Joseph P. McFadden, who is now Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, served as President from 1993 to 2001. Beginning in 2001, Dr. William J. McCusker, who served as Principal from 1993-2001, assumed the role of President. Rev. Michael P. O'Malley, Ed.D served as Principal from 2001-2004. He was succeeded by Mr. William J. Miles. (2004-2007 In 2007 Mr. George Stratts became our Principal. The school has acquired a reputation for excellence. In sports, the students have won many Catholic League Championships. The O'Hara Band has played for Pope John Paul II, and in 1996, 1997, 2003 and 2006 won superior ratings at national competitions in Walt Disney World, Cleveland, Montreal and Charlottesville. The great tradition of O'Hara Theatre continues with two productions each school year. In November 1971, Cardinal O'Hara High School was visited and accredited by the Middle States Association. As a result of the school's self-study in preparation for the visit, and recommendations of the visiting committee, the school changed from a co-institutional school (where the female students were educated in the Springfield wing and the male students were educated in the Marple wing) into a co-educational school. As a result of the 1981 evaluation and accreditation, greater emphasis was placed on the core curriculum, and graduation requirements were increased from two years to three years in both mathematics and science. Following a visit from the Middle States Association of College and Schools in November, 2001, O'Hara has been re accredited until 2007. he school followed the new, forward-visioning process known as Accreditation for Growth (AFG). As a result of the process, the school took ownership of four objectives in the areas of Academics, Technology, Prayer and Service, and Tolerance and Diversity. Currently we are in the midst of the Accreditation for Growth process again, with a planned visit from the Middle States visiting team in the Spring of 2009.