Fontbonne Hall Academy

{{short description|Private high school in Brooklyn, New York, US}} {{Multiple issues| {{promotional|date=December 2020}} {{Self-published|date=August 2025}} }} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox school | name = Fontbonne Hall | native_name = | latin_name = | image = | image_size = | caption = | location = | address = 9901 Shore Road | city = [[Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn|Fort Hamilton]], [[Brooklyn]] | state = [[New York (state)|New York]] | zipcode = 11209 | country = | coordinates = {{coord|40|36|50|N|74|2|11|W|type:edu_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}} | district = | authority = | religious_affiliation = {{ubl | [[Catholic Church]] | [[Sisters of St. Joseph]]}} | oversight = | affiliation = | superintendent = | trustee = | founder = | president = | head_of_school = | head_teacher = | headmaster = | head_label = | head = | chairperson = | principal = Rocco Gentile | dean = | administrator = | rector = | chaplain = | director = | custodian = | staff = | USNWR_ranking = | faculty = | teaching_staff = | enrollment = | MOE = | ceeb = | school_code = | local_authority = | ofsted = | test_average = | test_name = | national_ranking = | avg_class_size = | ratio = | type = [[Private school|Private]] | gender = [[Single-sex education|Girls]] | system = | fees = | tuition = $17,000 | endowment = | grades = [[sixth grade|6]]–[[Twelfth grade|12]] | campus = | campus_size = | campus_type = | athletics = | slogan = Women of faith and vision ... building tomorrow TODAY! | fight_song = | motto = {{lang|la|Ex Fide Fortis}} | motto_translation = From Faith Comes Strength | accreditation = [[Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools]]<ref name="MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools">{{cite web |url=http://www.css-msa.org/search.php/ |title=MSA-Commission on Secondary Schools |access-date=2009-05-27 |author=MSA-CSS |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514215741/http://www.css-msa.org/search.php |archive-date=2011-05-14 }}</ref> | rival = Xaverian High School | mascot = Elephant | mascot image = | sports = {{Hlist | Basketball | cheer | golf | lacrosse | soccer | softball | swimming | tennis | track | volleyball}} | patron = | team_name = | nickname = Bonnies | athletic_conference = [[Catholic High School Athletic Association|CHSAA]] Brooklyn-Queens Section | colors = [[Navy (color)|Navy]] and [[Grey|Gray]] {{color box|navy}}{{color box|gray}} | yearbook = ''Fountain'' | publication = | newspaper = ''Folio'' | established = {{start date and age |1937}} | status = | closed = | alumni = | nobel_laureates = | enrollment_as_of = | grade9 = | grade10 = | grade11 = | grade12 = | other_grade_label = | other = | communities = | feeder_schools = | free_label = | free_text = | free_label1 = | free_text1 = | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | free_label3 = | free_text3 = | free_label4 = | free_text4 = | free_label5 = | free_text5 = | footnotes = | picture = | website = {{Official URL}} }}

'''Fontbonne Hall''' is an all-girls, [[private school|private]], [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[High school (North America)|high school]] in [[Brooklyn, New York]], United States. Established in 1937 by the [[Sisters of St. Joseph]], <ref name="Fontbonne-71 Years of Excellence">{{cite web|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/index_files/Page353.htm |title=Fontbonne-71 Years of Excellence |access-date=2007-08-01 |publisher=Fontbonne Hall website |author=FHA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122202754/http://fontbonne.org/index_files/Page353.htm |archive-date=January 22, 2009 }}</ref> it is located within the [[diocese of Brooklyn]].

In 2013, celebrating its 75th year, school leadership noted that throughout its history, Fontbonne had educated nearly 10,000 women who “have become noted doctors, lawyers, engineers, leaders in business and the arts, educators, mothers, and even, like Sister [[Ita Ford]], class of 1957, martyrs for their cause.”<ref name="The Tablet">{{cite web|title=Fontbonne Closes Observance of 75 Years|url=http://thetablet.org/fontbonne-hall-closes-observance-of-75-years/|work=The Tablet}}</ref>

Making reference to the [[boroughs of New York City]], Fontbonne's students predominantly come from southwest Brooklyn, southern Queens, and Staten Island.<ref name="Welcome to Fontbonne">{{cite web|title=Welcome to Fontbonne|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/Welcome_to_Fontbonne/Welcome_to_Fontbonne|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy|access-date=2014-04-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140412221114/http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/Welcome_to_Fontbonne/Welcome_to_Fontbonne|archive-date=2014-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Curriculum== Students may earn a Fontbonne Hall Regents Diploma or Fontbonne Hall Advanced Regents Diploma, which requires eight NYS Regents Exams in English, history, mathematics, science and language.<ref name="School Handbook 2013-2014">{{cite web|title=School Handbook 2013–2014|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/files/_sbCma_/4e03ef8d368e65c93745a49013852ec4/CALENDAR_2013-2014_Handbook.pdf|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In recent years, the curriculum was expanded to include courses, such as Forensic Science, Child Development, American Sign Language, and Accounting and Law.<ref name="Romano">{{cite web|last=Romano|first=Denise|title=Changes in leadership at Fontbonne Hall|url=http://www.homereporternews.com/news/general/changes-in-leadership-at-fontbonne-hall/article_2e27f840-bf1e-11e2-9970-0019bb2963f4.html|work=The Home Reporter and Sunset News|access-date=2014-04-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140412181703/http://www.homereporternews.com/news/general/changes-in-leadership-at-fontbonne-hall/article_2e27f840-bf1e-11e2-9970-0019bb2963f4.html|archive-date=2014-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===College Prep===

The school offers various Advanced Placement courses, including English Language, English Literature, U.S. History, Calculus, Statistics, Biology, Italian and Spanish.<ref name="School Handbook 2013-2014" /> Eligible students can also participate in the St. John’s University College Advantage Program (CAP) to earn college credits.<ref>{{cite web|title=Course Selection Book: Academic Year 2014–2015|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/files/_yFJCN_/c507d1a2e6f2877c3745a49013852ec4/COURSE_SELECTION_2014-2015.pdf|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> CAP courses include English 12, Religious Studies 12, Italian 4, Spanish 4, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, and Anatomy and Physiology.<ref>{{cite web|title=College Advantage Program|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/files/_yFJCt_/4a9190dc7c8643773745a49013852ec4/CAP_-_SJU.pdf|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The school encourages students to pursue academic and career interests, as well as self-improvement and community engagement over summers.<ref>{{cite web|title=For Fontbonne Hall students, a summer of service and studies|url=http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/fontbonne-hall-students-summer-service-and-studies}}</ref> Students enroll in leadership and pre-college programs at [[Boston University]], [[Columbia University]], [[Cornell University]], [[Fordham University]], [[Georgetown University]], [[Long Island University]], [[New York University]], [[Stony Brook University]] and [[Vassar College]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Summer Enrichment Programs|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/files/_xYFB2_/9a19fd72edfca13d3745a49013852ec4/SummerPrograms.pdf|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===STEM Programs===

Fontbonne students participate in the ACE mentor and [[Manhattan College]] engineering programs.<ref name="Romano" />

Fontbonne students also recently started participating in a STEM Workshop at CUNY Graduate Center and Techweek NYC.<ref>{{cite web|title=STEM Workshop at CUNY Graduate Center|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/NHC_and_SAC/STEM_Workshop_at_CUNY_Graduate|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy|access-date=2014-04-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140412222800/http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/NHC_and_SAC/STEM_Workshop_at_CUNY_Graduate|archive-date=2014-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Techweek NYC Launch Expo|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/NHC_and_SAC/Techweek_NYC_Launch_Expo|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy|access-date=2014-04-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140412222813/http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/NHC_and_SAC/Techweek_NYC_Launch_Expo|archive-date=2014-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The school is collaborating with St. Francis College and NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering to provide more learning opportunities for students interested in the STEM fields.<ref name="March Parent Newsletter">{{cite web|title=March Parent Newsletter|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/files/_yfLUW_/18200907a30c1d993745a49013852ec4/March_Parent_Newsletter.pdf|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Spiritual life==

Fontbonne’s culture is tied to the Catholic tradition. At school Masses, students and faculty sing the hymn, “The Servant Song,” to express a spirit of service to other members of the Fontbonne family and to the larger community.

Four years of Religious Studies are required, beginning with the Sacred Scriptures in freshman year and ending with a course in Loving Relationships in senior year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Departments and Course Offerings|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/Curriculum/Departments_and_Course_Offerin|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy|access-date=2014-04-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140412222651/http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/Curriculum/Departments_and_Course_Offerin|archive-date=2014-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fontbonne students have a day retreat for three years and an overnight retreat in their last year.<ref name="Campus Ministry">{{cite web|title=Campus Ministry|url=http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/Campus_Ministry|work=Fontbonne Hall Academy|access-date=2014-04-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140412222754/http://www.fontbonne.org/pages/FontbonneHallAcademy/Campus_Ministry|archive-date=2014-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>

School Masses are held for major holidays, including Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as to celebrate Catholic feast days, such as the Feast of St. Joseph.<ref name="Campus Ministry" />

==Sports== Fontbonne offers a wide variety of sports. The school is known for its outstanding basketball, softball, volleyball, and soccer teams who have been champions in their divisions for the last four years. Fontbonne also has a competitive cheerleading team. Four out of 10 students are on athletic teams that compete on the local and state levels.<ref name="Romano" /> In addition, Fontbonne has tennis, swim, golf, lacrosse, and track teams.

The first Fontbonne student was named to the All-New York City girls' volleyball team selection by MSG Varsity in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Puccini Tugander|first=Juliette|title=Fontbonne Bonnies explore legal careers|url=http://www.homereporternews.com/news/school_news/fontbonne-bonnies-explore-legal-careers/article_d443c09e-846f-11e3-a912-0019bb2963f4.html|work=The Home Reporter and Sunset News|access-date=2014-04-12|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140412222601/http://www.homereporternews.com/news/school_news/fontbonne-bonnies-explore-legal-careers/article_d443c09e-846f-11e3-a912-0019bb2963f4.html|archive-date=2014-04-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Notable alumni== * [[Maria Bartiromo]], television financial journalist * [[Kerry Butler]], Broadway and TV actress * Sister [[Ita Ford]], [[Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic|M.M.]], missionary

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website}} {{Education in Brooklyn}} {{Diocese of Brooklyn|state=collapsed}} {{Girls' schools in New York City}}

[[Category:1937 establishments in New York City]] [[Category:Bay Ridge, Brooklyn]] [[Category:Catholic high schools in Brooklyn]] [[Category:Diocese of Brooklyn]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1937]] [[Category:Girls' schools in New York City]] [[Category:Sisters of Saint Joseph schools]]