# St. Mary Academy – Bay View

St. Mary Academy – Bay View is an all-girls Catholic school, serving girls and young women from pre-school through grade twelve. Bay View is located in Riverside, Rhode Island. It was founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1874. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.

## History

St. Mary Academy – Bay View was founded in 1874 by the Sisters of Mercy. From 1892 to 1910 Mary Matthew Doyle, founder and first president of Salve Regina University, taught at Bay View.
In the spring of 1991, the United States Department of Education recognized St. Mary Academy-Bay View as a Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence and the school was renewed as a Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence in 2002.

## Campus

The St. Mary Academy – Bay View campus is 20 acres (81,000 m$^2$) found on Pawtucket Avenue in Riverside, Rhode Island. There are four buildings: St. Joseph Hall, Mercy Hall, McAuley Hall, and the Athletic Wellness Center.

## Spirit Week

Spirit Week takes place in late September/early October and throughout the week, the Middle and Upper School students wear accessories of their class color and participate in various fun activities.
Newcomers' Welcome is the last day of spirit week. Each class dresses in their assigned colors (Upper School: blue, green, pink, and red; Middle School: purple, yellow, and orange). Seniors wear clothing that they tie-dyed at a previous party. Out of respect and tradition, only seniors wear tie-dye. The Upperclasswomen put on skits.

## Athletics

2004: Division I Swim, State Champions; Cross Country, 4th in State 2005: Women's Hockey, State Champions 2006: Division I Basketball, State Champions 2007: Division I Swim, State Champions; Division I Basketball, State Runner-up; Division I Softball, State Champions; Division II Soccer, State Champions
2008: Division II Soccer, State Champions
2018: Division II Swim, Division Champions

## Manhattan at the Bay

Since 1983, the Bay View Players of St. Mary Academy – Bay View have been performing a cabaret show at the school's annual Manhattan at the Bay event. The show is the main attraction for this fundraising event, with all of the proceeds going directly to the school. Over 100 St. Mary Academy – Bay View students participate in the performance as singers, dancers or members of the technical crew. A small number of male students from local high schools supplement the cast. The show is directed by the school's Fine Arts faculty and supported by parent volunteers. Students help build the sets and run the lighting and sound during the show. Manhattan at the Bay includes six performances of the cabaret over one weekend, typically the last weekend of April or the first weekend of May. In addition, supplemental fundraising events are held on campus throughout the weekend.
The Manhattan at the Bay cabaret production has contributed to St. Mary Academy – Bay View's reputation as one of the top theatre programs in the state. Over the years, the Bay View Players have received numerous awards at the state Drama Festival. They have performed at the Providence Performing Arts Center, the now-defunct Warwick Musical Theatre, and the American School in Paris. The St. Mary Academy – Bay View Chamber Choir has also received considerable recognition: the group has performed in Italy and appeared as the backing choir for shows at the Providence Performing Arts Center, including the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and for singers Judy Collins and Clay Aiken.
In 2013, Manhattan at the Bay and the Bay View Players Cabaret celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Cabaret.

## Notable alumnae

* Danielle Lacourse ('04), Miss Rhode Island USA 2007, 1st Runner-Up at Miss USA 2007
* Elisabeth Hasselbeck ('95), Survivor (U.S. TV series) contestant; former co-host of ABC's The View.
* Maureen McKenna Goldberg ('69), Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
* Lt. Col. and Senator Martha McSally ('84), US Air Force pilot, first woman to fly a solo combat mission, highest ranking woman in the United States Air Force. She won suit against the Department of Defense after she was required to wear the body-covering abaya while stationed in Saudi Arabia. United States Senator from Arizona 2019–2020.
* Eileen S. Naughton, Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
* Olivia Culpo ('10), Miss Rhode Island USA 2012, Miss USA 2012, Miss Universe 2012.
* Pamela J. Lauria('88), Rhode Island State Senator from District 32 since 2023.
* Gina Tognoni ('91), actress and Daytime Emmy award winner

## Bay View in fiction

Bay View was referred to on the show Brotherhood, when a character's daughter attended "St. Mary's Academy at the Bay View". The portion of the show which occurred at "St. Mary's Academy at the Bay View" was filmed at Bay View.