History

List of 6 items.

• The Early Years

  Magnificat High School was founded and sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in 1955. Located in the original Wooster Elementary School at the corner of Wooster and Center Ridge in Rocky River, the freshman class had 63 students taught by three HM Sisters. 
  
  

  Magnificat’s current classroom building on Hilliard Boulevard was completed in 1957 and dedicated by the late Archbishop Edward F. Hoban. Population increases in the western suburbs of Cleveland during the 1960s and 1970s were reflected in the enrollment at Magnificat, necessitating many additions and renovations over time.

• 1960s and 1970s

  The hallmark of education at Magnificat has always been excellence and caring. In the late 1960s, the school adopted a mosaic schedule to address the variety of learning rhythms of both students and teachers. In the early 1970s, reflecting the nature of the student body, Magnificat committed to a fully accredited college-preparatory curriculum. 
  
  

  With the passage of Title IX in 1972 and increased availability of college scholarships for scholar-athletes, Magnificat began to mount competitive teams. In 1973, Magnificat established the Genesis program, the first of its kind, involving seniors in a two-week community service and career exploration under a mentor in the broader community.

• 1980s

  In 1985, the school was honored as an “Exemplary Private School,” one of the original 26 non-public schools nationwide so named by the U.S. Department of Education. That same year, the administration embarked upon the school’s first capital campaign, which resulted in a new wing located at the east end of the building housing the Theology and Science Departments. The project also included classroom and office renovations in the main building and an athletic field for softball, soccer, and track and field. Two years later, the Activities Center and outdoor tennis courts, both located at the eastern end of the property, were completed.
  
  

  In 1986, the school was incorporated and a Board of Directors established to assure responsibility for the strategic direction of the corporation and to ensure a philosophy, mission and identity consistent with that of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary.

• 1990s

  1997 marked the transition to a President-Principal administrative model, facilitating more comprehensive planning for the future while maintaining a strong academic program. Beginning July 1, 2010, Magnificat High School announced an innovative leadership structure with the appointment of two deans, Dean of Faculty and Academics and Dean of Student Life and Formation, holding mutual, comprehensive responsibility for the day-to-day aspects of the school, its students, faculty and programs. The President has overall responsibility for the school community, its Mission, strategic direction, Board, constituent relationships and advancement. 
  
  

  In 1995, the first Named Endowed Scholarship (NES) was established. A range of merit and need-based scholarships complement the NES, including Alumnae, Marian, Academic and Lourdes Academy. 
  
  

  Education beyond the classroom has encompassed field trips to theaters, museums, universities, science and nature centers, as well as student cultural exchanges begun in 1999, with visits to schools in Barcelona. In 2000, summer immersion experiences were inaugurated and have included immersion retreats in El Salvador, Ecuador, Immokalee (Florida), Appalachia, the US-Mexico border, and Cleveland.

• 2000s

  In 2004, the Magnificat Center for the Performing Arts opened, providing state-of-the-art facilities for theater, music, and dance. Major renovation of the original structure brought a whole new look, from classroom windows to lighting. A newly expanded Chapel became the spiritual center of the school community.

• 2010s

  In 2010, The Rosemary Saas Center for Women of Faith in Leadership was established at Magnificat and supported initiatives in leadership development, including local and internationally noted speakers, scholarships, and alumnae connections. 
  
  

  The Family Mass Program was inaugurated in 2011 to celebrate the gifts of each class and the call to live Mary’s Magnificat in the world. Pendants are distributed by class: Learn; Serve; Lead; Symbol of Mary with Magnificat Anima Mea Dominum (My soul magnifies the Lord).
  In 2012, the Theology Department implemented the new Diocesan Theology Curriculum based on the Doctrinal Framework of the USCCB complemented with traditional units on Mary and the Magnificat, identity, history, heritage and Gospel justice.
  
  

  The school-wide recycling program, initiated by students in 2008, was the origin of the comprehensive sustainability approach that has given rise to composting, planting of a prairie, use of sustainable materials in construction, and awareness and advocacy fostering care for God’s creation. In October 2012, Magnificat High School, one of four schools in the nation, was designated a Fair Trade School by Fair Trade USA. In 2018 received a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon and was named a Cleveland Clinic Banner School.
  
  

  In March 2013, the Board of Directors approved a resolution naming the Surround Learning Center as the Humility of Mary Center, the Cafeteria as Marian Commons, and the Chapel as Lourdes Chapel in honor of the history and heritage of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, their sponsorship and enduring contributions to Magnificat High School since its founding.
   In 2013, the Genesis program was re-conceptualized as a project-based, personally envisioned interdisciplinary experience conducted across junior and senior year.