# Kennedy Catholic High School (Hermitage, Pennsylvania)

Kennedy Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie.

## Background

Kennedy Catholic was established as Kennedy Christian High School in 1964. The original name of the proposed school was changed from Shenango Catholic Prep to Kennedy Christian High School after the death of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. The school first began classes as Kennedy Christian High School in the old Saint Bartholomew Elementary School in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania in the Fall of 1964. In the Fall of 1965, the Kennedy Christian High School opened at its current site at: 2120 Shenango Valley Freeway Hermitage, Pa. 16148. The school was renamed Kennedy Catholic in 2001, by Bishop Emeritus Donald Trautman. In 2011, it was announced that Kennedy Catholic High School would become the sole high school of the newly formed Shenango Valley Catholic School System (also known as the Kennedy Catholic Family of Schools), along with the newly created Kennedy Catholic Middle School and Blessed John Paul II Elementary School, which were created from a restructuring effort following declining enrollment at St. Joseph's School and Notre Dame School, the area's two (former) parish schools.

## Headmasters

* Monsignor Edward Latimer (1964 - 1973)
* Father Andrew Karg (1973 - 1980)
* Father Henry Krebs (1980 - 1982)
* Father Eugene Kole (1982 - 1984)
* Pete Iacino (1984 - 2011)
* Father Marc Stockton (2011 - 2013)
* Father Michael P. Allison (2013 - 2016)
* Father Jason A. Glover (2016 - 2019)
* Vincent F. Cardamon (2019 - 2020)
* Mark A Ferrara (2020 - 2021)
* Melissa Joseph (2021 - 2022)
* Karen Ionta (2023 - 2024)
* Joe Kenneally (Present)

## Academics

The school has had a history of promoting academic excellence. The honors level/advanced placement courses are designed for the academically gifted, the high above average, and the very highly motivated student. Admission to honors level and advanced courses are by invitation based on standardized testing, performance, and recommendation of the department. The college preparatory level is for the strong average to above average student. It is designed to challenge the student and to prepare the student well for admission to and success in college. It is a well-rounded “liberal arts” education on the secondary level. The general academic level is designed for the average and below average student with the goal of providing the student with basic and fundamental knowledge, information, and skills necessary to pursue a career, technical or trade education, or further education on a junior college level. The latest data (2009) indicates that the current percent of Graduates who enroll in college is 98.

## Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association State Championships

Boys Basketball -
1986 1987 1998 1999 2000 2001 2016 2017 2018 2019
Girls Basketball -
2001 2023 2024

## Notable alumni

* Michael Gruitza, Pennsylvania House of Representatives member
* Joe Lombardi, professional basketball player
* Nolan Reimold, former professional baseball player
* Sean O'Brien (Ohio politician), current member of the Ohio Senate and former Ohio House of Representatives member
* Sagaba Konate, professional basketball player for the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League
* Oscar Tshiebwe, professional basketball player for Indiana Pacers