Salesianum School
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Salesianum
| image =
| imagesize = 250px
| motto = Tenui Nec Dimittam
| motto_translation = I have taken hold and will not let go.
| song = "In the Shadows of the Night"
| established = {{start date and age|1903|p=1}}
| type = Private
| gender = Boys
| religion = Roman Catholic
(Oblates of St. Francis de Sales)
| accreditation = Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
| president = Tom Kardish
| principal = Rev. Chris Beretta, O.S.F.S.
| tuition = $21,200 (2025-2026){{cite web|url=https://www.salesianum.org/admissions/tuition-and-financial-aid|title=Tuition and Financial Aid|website=www.salesianum.org}}
| enrollment = 924
| ceeb = 080195
| team name = Sallies
| conference = Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association
| rival = St. Mark's
| yearbook = The Salesian
| newspaper = The Salesianum Review{{Cite web|url=https://salsreview.com/|title=Salesianum Review|accessdate=March 3, 2024}}
| streetaddress = 1801 North Broom Street
| city = Wilmington
| state = Delaware
| zipcode = 19802-2891
| country = United States
| coordinates = {{coord|39|45|39|N|75|32|58|W|type:edu_region:US-DE|display=inline,title}}
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.salesianum.org/}}
}}
Salesianum School is a Catholic independent school for boys located in Wilmington, Delaware. It is run independently within the Diocese of Wilmington and is operated by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales.
The current enrollment is about 930 students, declining from a peak of about 1,100 in recent years, from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Salesianum has established a close connection with Lycée Saint Michel, another Oblate high school, located in Annecy, France.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}} Salesianum was named one of the Top 50 Catholic High Schools in America by the Catholic Honor Roll in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicHSHonorRoll/Award/PreviousRecognizedSchools/2004HonorRoll.aspx|title=The Cardinal Newman Society > Error|work=cardinalnewmansociety.org|access-date=March 31, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222042714/http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicHSHonorRoll/Award/PreviousRecognizedSchools/2004HonorRoll.aspx|archive-date=February 22, 2014|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicHSHonorRoll/Award/PreviousRecognizedSchools/2007HonorRoll.aspx|title=The Cardinal Newman Society > Error|work=cardinalnewmansociety.org|access-date=March 31, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicHSHonorRoll/Award/PreviousRecognizedSchools/2008HonorRoll.aspx|title=The Cardinal Newman Society > Error|work=cardinalnewmansociety.org|access-date=March 31, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hockessincommunitynews.com/article/20091103/NEWS/311039942|title=St. Thomas More and Salesianum named among top 50 Catholic High Schools for 2009|work=Hockessin Community News|access-date=March 31, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicHSHonorRoll/Award/PreviousRecognizedSchools/2010HonorRoll.aspx|title=The Cardinal Newman Society > Error|work=cardinalnewmansociety.org|access-date=March 31, 2015}}
Campus
File:Salesianum front entrance, May 2007.jpg
The {{convert|22|acre|m2|adj=on}} campus is home to the school itself as well as a gymnasium. In addition to the campus, the athletic program also makes use of Wilmington's newly constructed Abessinio Stadium, formerly Baynard Stadium, which is located directly across from the school. In 2023, the school was given a $10 million donation by alumnus Anthony Fusco to build a new athletic facility.Marie, Deanna. "[https://wjbr.com/2023/05/08/salesianum-receives-10-million-donation-from-honorary-graduate/ Salesianum Receives $10 Million Donation From Honorary Graduate]". Mix 99.5 WJBR. May 8, 2023. Accessed: May 9, 2023.
Athletics
Salesianum School has won 200 Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) approved boys' state championships as of summer 2025, with particular success in cross country, swimming, lacrosse, and soccer.{{Cite web |title=Athletics {{!}} Salesianum |url=https://www.salesianum.org/take-hold/involvement-and-activities/athletics |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=www.salesianum.org}} Salesianum won its first state championship in basketball, led by Donte DiVincenzo and Brian O'Neill (American football), in 2014{{cite news|url=http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=57477|first=Sean|last=Greene|title=Salesianum wins 1st basketball championship|date=8 March 2014|newspaper=WDEL|access-date=7 April 2014|location=Wilmington, DE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328223949/http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=57477|archive-date=March 28, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} and latest one in 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.wdel.com/news/salesianum-holds-off-william-penn-to-claim-3rd-diaa-boys-basketball-championship/article_8fece5b6-c078-11ed-a9e8-d36491069684.html | title=Salesianum holds off William Penn to claim 3rd DIAA Boys Basketball Championship | date=March 11, 2023 }}
Salesianum's historical rival is St. Mark's High School, which is located in Newark, DE. Their fall meeting in football is commonly referred to as "The Holy War".{{cite news|url=http://www.newarkpostonline.com/archives/article_e1c8d5cd-e35c-518e-ba57-4dbb68539fef.html |title=As season comes ends, 3 local teams hope to play on |first=Jon |last=Buzby |date=November 12, 2009 |newspaper=The Newark Post |location=Newark, DE}}{{cite web |url=http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/diaa/sports/default.shtml |title=State of Delaware - Sports |publisher=Doe.k12.de.us |access-date=March 17, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819200205/http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/diaa/sports/default.shtml |archive-date=August 19, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}
The soccer team won 11 state championships between 2002 and 2014, and in 2013 defeated Saint Benedict's Preparatory School, the top ranked high school program in the nation, on a game-winning goal scored by Joseph Dolce. They finished the season ranked as the number two high school team in the country.{{cite news|url=http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/6207566545901144211/salesianum-dela-1-at-st-benedicts-0-boys-soccer/ |access-date=March 17, 2014 |title=St. Benedict's Prep winning streak ends at 71 games after 1-0 defeat to Salesianum of Delaware |first=Jason |last=Bernstein |newspaper=Star-Ledger |location=Newark, NJ |date=October 22, 2013}} The 2016 soccer team finished the season ranked sixth in the nation by USA Today on its final Super 25 Expert Rankings.[http://usatodayhss.com/rankings/expert/boys/soccer/2016/13 Super 25 Expert Rankings for 2016-17 Boys Soccer Week 13], USA Today. Accessed May 2, 2017.
The cross country team has won 37 of the 42 DIAA state boys' championships, losing only five years between 1972 and 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/diaa/files/CrossCountryDI.pdf |title=DIAA State Boys' Cross Country DI Champions |publisher=Delaware Department of Education |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812182012/http://www.doe.k12.de.us//infosuites/students_family/diaa/files/CrossCountryDI.pdf |archive-date=August 12, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}
The Salesianum swimming team has won ten consecutive state boys' championships between 2005 and 2015, and 11 of 12 from 2005-2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/students_family/diaa/files/2013DIAABoysChamps.pdf |title=DIAA- Boys' Swimming & Diving Champions |publisher=Delaware Department of Education }}{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
History
File:Original Salesianum - 8th and West Streets.jpg
Salesianum (Latin for "House of Sales", referring to St. Francis de Sales) was founded in 1903 and was located at 8th and West Streets until the move to its current location in 1957. In 1950, Rev. Thomas Lawless, OSFS, a 1908 graduate of Salesianum, admitted five African American students four years prior to the Brown v. Board of Education decision which made it mandatory, thus making Salesianum the first racially integrated school in the state of Delaware. The school was recognized for this with a historical marker.{{cite web |date=4 December 2018 |title=Remember the Salesianum students who stood against Delaware school segregation |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/readers/2018/12/04/remember-salesianum-principal-who-fought-school-segregation/2203535002/ |access-date=September 4, 2022 |work=The News Journal |publisher=Gannett |location=Wilmington, DE}}
In August 2012, the Wilmington/Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales published a letter stating, "Since 2004, the Wilmington/Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales has been named in lawsuits in the Superior Court of Delaware filed by 40 plaintiffs, each of which contained allegations of sexual abuse of a minor." The letter named 12 oblates who had been involved and expressed regrets, stating, "The abuse of children by priests and other clergy is shocking, reprehensible, and devastating to all whose trust has been shattered by their selfish deeds."{{cite web |url=http://www.oblates.org/healing/healing_letter_oct_2012.htm |title=Healing Letter |date=August 2012 |first=Very Rev. James J. |last=Greenfield |publisher=Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Wilmington-Philadelphia Province |access-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111111006/http://www.oblates.org/healing/healing_letter_oct_2012.htm |archive-date=January 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} This followed a settlement in August 2011 of 39 lawsuits against the school and the order, with the order and its insurers paying $24.8 million to be shared between the plaintiffs.{{cite news|title=Oblates settle abuse suits, paying $24.8 million|url=http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/oblates-settle-abuse-suits-paying-248-million|access-date=January 11, 2014|newspaper=National Catholic Reporter|agency=Catholic News Service|date=August 22, 2011}}
Notable alumni
= Academia =
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first=Donald E.
|last=Pease
|year=1963
|nota=Professor of English and comparative literature at Dartmouth College. Scholar on Dr. Seuss.
{{mem/a2
|first=F. Gregory
|last=Gause III
|year=1976
|nota=Professor of International Affairs and Head of the International Affairs Department at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M.
|ref={{cite web | url=https://bush.tamu.edu/faculty/ggause/ | title=F. Gregory Gause }}}}
}}
= Arts, Entertainment, Media, and Literature =
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first=Bernie
|last=McInerney
|year=1954
|nota=actor
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Bill
|last=Press
|year=1958
|nota=political commentator and talk radio host, chair of the California Democratic Party (1993–1996)
{{mem/a2
|first=Thomas
|last=Turcol
|year=1971
|nota=1985 Pulitzer Prize winner for General News Reporting
|ref={{cite web|url=http://udspace.udel.edu/bitstream/handle/19716/12218/udr_110_51.pdf?sequence=1 |title=Newspaper facsimile |date=April 26, 1985 |website=udspace.udel.edu |format=PDF |access-date=2019-09-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pulitzer.org/awards/1985|title=The Pulitzer Prizes - Awards|work=pulitzer.org|access-date=March 31, 2015}}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Bill
|last=Marsilii
|year=1980
|nota=screenwriter
|ref=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1319490/}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Patrick
|last=Kenney
|link=Simon Diamond
|year=1986
|nota=professional wrestler
{{mem/a2
|first=David
|last=Acord
|year=1989
|nota=Emmy award winning sound editor
{{mem/a2
|first=Christopher
|last=Castellani
|year=1990
|nota=novelist
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=David James
|last=Kelly
|year=1995
|nota=screenwriter, Robin Hood (2018)
|ref={{cite news | url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/entertainment/2018/11/26/hollywood-new-robin-hood-film-co-writer-delaware-native/2064842002/ | title=This Sallies grad helped craft new 'Robin Hood' film starring Jamie Foxx | newspaper=The News Journal }}https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3598916/}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Tom
|last=Welling
|year=1995 (attended as freshman, 1991-1992)
|nota=actor
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Will
|last=Fetters
|year=1999
|nota=screenwriter
|ref=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3391497/https://www.salesianum.org/news-detail?pk=1065071}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Neil
|last=Casey
|year=2000
|nota=actor and writer
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Bill
|last=Rivers
|year=2006
|nota=novelist, Last Summer Boys (2022)
|ref=https://www.salesianum.org/news-detail?pk=1374475}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Charlie
|last=McDermott
|year=2008 (attended for two years, left in 2006)
|nota=actor
|ref=}}
}}
= Business =
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first=Miguel
|last=Bezos
|year=1963
|nota=adoptive father of Jeff Bezos
}}
= Government=
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first=William M.
|last=Duffy
|year=1936
|nota=served as the President Judge of the Delaware Superior Court, the Chancellor of the Court of Chancery, and later as a Justice on the Delaware Supreme Court; co-author of [https://courts.delaware.gov/supreme/history/history2.aspx The Supreme Court Until 1951: The "Leftover Judge" System] and [https://courts.delaware.gov/supreme/history/history3.aspx The Supreme Court of Delaware After 1951: The Separate Supreme Court]
|ref={{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/SalesianumSchoolAlumniAssociation/posts/salesianum-inducted-its-13th-hall-of-fame-class-on-saturday-june-4-during-a-cere/10150823747684999/|title=Facebook|website=www.facebook.com|accessdate=March 3, 2024}}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Joseph T.
|last=Walsh
|year=1948
|nota=Justice on the Delaware Supreme Court (1985-2005)
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Joseph
|last=diGenova
|year=1963
|nota=United States Attorney for the District of Columbia (1983-1988)
{{mem/a2
|first=Orlando J.
|last=George Jr.
|year=1963
|nota=Served in the Delaware House of Representatives from 1974 to 1995. President of Delaware Technical Community College from 1995 to 2014.
|ref={{Cite web|url=https://www.delawarepublic.org/2014-01-28/long-time-del-tech-president-stepping-down|title=Long-time Del Tech president stepping down|work=Delaware Public Media|date=January 28, 2014|access-date=May 28, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.arcarofuneralhome.com/obituary/orlando-lonnie-george-jr|title=Orlando "Lonnie" George Jr.|work=Charles P. Arcaro Funeral Home|access-date=May 28, 2024}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KjIQw7WL7x4C|title=Fifty State Systems of Community Colleges: Mission, Governance, Funding and Accountability|page=99|first1=Terrence Alfred|last1=Tollefson|first2=Rick L.|last2=Garrett|first3=William G.|last3=Ingram|publisher=Overmountain Press|date=1999|isbn=9781570720925|via=Google Books}}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Richard S.
|last=Gebelein
|year=1964
|nota=Politician and jurist who served as the Attorney General of Delaware from 1979 through 1983, as a judge on the Delaware Superior Court from 1984 through 2005, and as an international judge in the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2005-2006).
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=E. James
|last=Burke
|year=1967
|nota=Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court (2014-2018)
|ref=}}
}}
= Military =
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
File:John Francis Regis Seitz (1908–1978) at West Point in 1929.png]]
File:Francis D. Vavala (3).jpg]]
File:Vice Adm. Timothy G. Szymanski.jpg]]
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first=John F. R.
|last=Seitz
|year=1925
|nota=Major General, United States Army. Commanded an infantry battalion at Schofield Barracks at Oahu, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Commanded the combat team at Omaha Beach during the Normandy landings on D-Day, in the breakout from Normandy and at the approach to close the gap in the Falaise Pocket
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=James J.
|last=Connell
|year=1957
|nota=Lieutenant commander in the United States Navy, recipient of the Navy Cross. POW in the Vietnam War. Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame inductee.
|ref={{cite web | url=https://www.dahf.org/2019_Connell.html | title=James Connell - 2019 Inductee }}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=James V.
|last=Fiorelli
|year=1958
|nota=Colonel, United States Air Force. Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame inductee.
|ref={{cite web | url=https://www.dahf.org/2013_Fiorelli.html | title=James V. Fiorelli- 2013 Inductee }}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Edward J.
|last=Scully
|year=1958
|nota=Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army. Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame inductee.
{{mem/a2
|first=Albert “Jim”
|last=Madora
|year=1964
|nota=Major General, United States Army
|ref={{cite web | url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/143502 | title=Albert Madora - Recipient - }}{{https://www.salesianum.org/list-detail?pk=219602}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Francis D.
|last=Vavala
|year=1964
|nota= United States Army Lieutenant General and adjutant general for Delaware
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Hugh T.
|last=Broomall
|year=1966
|nota=United States Air Force Major General
{{mem/a2
|first=Charles J.
|last=Dunlap Jr.
|year= 1968
|nota=Major General, United States Air Force JAG Corps; professor at Duke University law school
{{mem/a2
|first=Timothy
|last=Szymanski
|year=1980
|nota= vice admiral, United States Navy. Commander of United States Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado, California.
|ref={{cite web|last1=Naval Special Warfare Editor|title=Naval Special Warfare Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony|url=https://ethoslive.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/naval-special-warfare-command-holds-change-of-command-ceremony/|publisher=Naval Special Warfare Command|access-date=14 January 2017|date=4 August 2016}} }}
}}
= Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine =
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first=John M.
|last=Byrne
|year=1967
|nota=Distinguished Professor of Energy and Climate Policy at the University of Delaware. Contributed to Working Group III of the United Nations-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 1992. The panel was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
|ref={{cite web | url=https://www.salesianum.org/alumni/hall-of-fame | title=Salesianum Hall of Fame }}{{cite web | url=https://www.bidenschool.udel.edu/people/jbbyrne?uid=jbbyrne&Name=John%20Byrne#biography | title=Bio2 }}{{cite web|url=https://jbyrne.org/wp-content/uploads/Byrne_personal-site.pdf|title=John Byrne|website=jbyrne.org|access-date=3 March 2024}}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Anthony
|last=Monaco
|year=1977
|nota=geneticist, President of Tufts University
}}
= Sports =
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
File:20170213 Villanova-Depaul Donte DiVincenzo watches free throw.jpg]]
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first=Edward J.
|last=Michaels
|link=Eddie Michaels
|year=1932
|nota=American professional football guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, and Philadelphia Eagles
|ref=https://desports.org/edward-eddie-michaels/}}
{{mem/a2
|first=John
|last=Tosi
|year=1933
|nota=NFL offensive lineman
|ref={{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81038033/the-news-journal/|newspaper=The News Journal|via=Newspapers.com|author=Zabitka, Matt|author-link=Matt Zabitka|title=Ed Pankowski reminisces|date=November 22, 1990}} {{Open Access}}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Victor
|last=Zwolak
|year=1956
|nota=1964 Olympic runner
{{mem/a2
|first=Edgar
|last=Johnson
|link=Edgar Johnson (coach and athletic director)
|year=1962
|nota=University of Delaware swimming and cross country coach and long serving Athletic Director from 1984-2009
|title=Edgar Johnson Announces Retirement AS Delaware Athletic Dirctor|work=CAA|access-date=19 November 2021}}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Ken
|last=Szotkiewicz
|year=1965
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Kevin P.
|last=Reilly
|link=Kevin Reilly (American football)
|year=1969
|nota=NFL linebacker
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Joseph
|last=Campbell
|link=Joe Campbell (American football, born 1955)
|year=1973
|nota=NFL player, Super Bowl champion (XV) with Oakland Raiders.
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Michael
|last=Reed
|link=Michael Reed (American football)
|year=1990
|nota=NFL player, defensive back coach at Clemson University
{{mem/a2
|first=Cesidio
|last=Colasante
|year=1993
|nota=NPSL
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Steve
|last=Casula
|year=2005
|nota=NCAA football coach
{{mem/a2
|first=Andrew
|last=Szczerba
|year=2007
|nota=NFL tight end
|ref=}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Brian
|last= O’Neill
|link=Brian O'Neill (American football)
|year=2014
|nota= NFL offensive lineman
{{mem/a2
|first=Troy
|last=Reeder
|year=2014
|nota= NFL linebacker. Super Bowl champion (LVI).
|ref= {{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Mike |date=December 19, 2013 |title=Salesianum's Reeder wins 2013 DeLucia Sportsmanship Award |url=http://thedialog.org/our-diocese/salesianums-reeder-wins-2013-delucia-sportsmanship-award/ |access-date=September 5, 2019 |website=The Dialog |publisher=Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington}} }}
{{mem/a2
|first=Donte
|last=DiVincenzo
|year=2015
|nota=NBA player and 2021 NBA Champion with the Milwaukee Bucks
|ref={{cite web|title=10 Donte DiVincenzo|url=http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/donte_divincenzo_979537.html|website=Villanova Wildcats|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-date=June 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613014725/http://www.villanova.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/donte_divincenzo_979537.html|url-status=dead}}}}
{{mem/a2
|first=Stephen
|last= Mallozzi
|year=2019
|nota= NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver
}}
= Other =
{{mem/a2start
|ilist=
|alist=
{{mem/a2
|first= Paul Anthony
|last= Ciancia
|year= 2008
|nota=terrorist shooter at Los Angeles International Airport in 2013
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Salesianum}}
- {{Official website|https://www.salesianum.org/}}
{{Wilmington, Delaware}}
{{Education in New Castle County, Delaware}}
{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington|state=collapsed}}
{{Boys' schools in Philadelphia}}
{{Salesians|state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Educational institutions established in 1903
Category:Boys' schools in Delaware
Category:High schools in New Castle County, Delaware
Category:Salesian secondary schools
Category:Catholic secondary schools in Delaware
Category:Schools in Wilmington, Delaware