Gloucester Catholic High School is a co-educational six-year Catholic high school located in Gloucester City, in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school is managed by the Diocese of Camden.Schools, South Jersey Catholic Schools. Accessed February 21, 2023. The school serves students in seventh through twelfth grades. Gloucester Catholic High School has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1991.Gloucester Catholic High School, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Accessed December 13, 2022.
As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 270 students and 19.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.6:1.School data for Gloucester Catholic, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2025. The school serves students who feed into the high school from 50 different parochial and public schools within the Diocese of Camden.At a Glance, Gloucester Catholic High School. Accessed February 21, 2023. "The student body of this comprehensive high school consists of students from more than 50 parochial and public schools."
For the class of 2017, 90% of the students went on to college (56% to 4-year institutions, and 34% to 2-year institutions), while 10% into the military, trade schools or the workforce. Scholarship and grant money awarded to this class totaled over $14 million.
History After opening in 1926, the school had its first graduating class of 27 students in June 1930. Through the 1940s, the school's enrollment varied between 150 and 200. After World War II, the school added a gymnasium and classrooms to its building on Cumberland Street, to accommodate enrollment that rose as high as 300 during the 1950s, and reached 700 in the 1970s.History, Gloucester Catholic High School. Accessed August 7, 2013. Under the leadership of John Colman, who became the school's first lay principal in 1999, enrollment at Gloucester Catholic had grown to 850 at its height. Students came to GC from Gloucester County, as well as from Burlington, Camden and Salem counties.
In the 2000s, the Diocese of Camden explored possibilities to move the school to Gloucester County, New Jersey. After a two-year study the diocese promoted the idea of moving the school to Deptford Township. Due to legal disputes, in 2005 the diocese announced that it would not build a new school in Deptford Township. Andrew Walton, the spokesperson for the diocese, said that the diocese would either renovate and/or expand the existing Gloucester Catholic or move it elsewhere. Walton added that the district would likely not take both actions at the same time.Graham, Kristin A. and Terry Bitman. "Diocese nixes high school in Deptford; It said it would either build elsewhere or stay in Gloucester City. But it probably will not do both, a spokesman said". Philadelphia Inquirer. January 12, 2005. Accessed February 22, 2012. "Spokesman Andrew Walton said the diocese would also consider renovating and expanding Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester City instead of building a new school. But it probably won't do both." In 2008 the diocese announced that the district agreed to purchase a farm on a site along Route 77 and across from the Gloucester County 4-H grounds in the Mullica Hill community of Harrison Township for $5,000,000 and move Gloucester Catholic to the site by 2010. The new campus would be the first Catholic high school campus built in around 40 years. Walton said in 2008 that 60% of the families with children in the school live in Gloucester County.Hefler, Jan. "Camden Diocese plans for new high school." Philadelphia Inquirer. June 18, 2008. A01."New Catholic High School Planned for Gloucester County, NJ." KYW 1060. Wednesday June 18, 2008. The diocese said that a survey polling parents from 15 elementary school and 30 parishes indicated support for the idea of relocating the school."Survey finds support for proposed Catholic high school in Gloucester County ." Diocese of Camden. June 19, 2008. A junior high (7th and 8th grades) was added in Spring 2011 following the closing of Saint Mary's Elementary School.
Athletics Gloucester Catholic High School RamsGloucester Catholic High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. compete as one of the member schools in the Tri-County Conference, which is comprised of public and private high schools located in Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.Member Schools, Tri-County Conference. Accessed November 18, 2020. The conference is overseen by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA).League & Conference Officers/Affiliated Schools 2020-2021, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. With 333 students in grades 10–12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools).NJSIAA General Public School Classifications 2019–2020, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed November 20, 2020. The football team competes in the Horizon Division of the 94-team West Jersey Football League superconferenceGloucester Catholic Rams, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023.Home Page, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023. "The WJFL is a 94-school super conference that stretches from Princeton to Wildwood encompassing schools from the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conference, the Tri-County Conference, the Colonial Conference, and the Cape Atlantic League. The WJFL is made up of sixteen divisions with divisional alignments based on school size, geography and a strength-of-program component." and was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group B (equivalent to Group I/II for public schools) for football for 2024–2026, which included schools with 140 to 686 students.NJSIAA Football Public School Classifications 2024–2026, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
The school was recognized as the Group B winner of the NJSIAA ShopRite Cup in 2006–07. The award recognized the school for achieving first-place finishes in baseball and boys' golf; second in boys' bowling and boys' tennis; and ties for third place in girls' soccer, boys' swimming, boys' basketball and softball.Fourth Annual ShopRite Cup: 2006-2007 Final Standings, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
Through the 2016–2017 school year, Gloucester Catholic had won 59 state titles, including baseball (18 - most in NJ), football (10), girls' basketball (10), softball (8), girls' soccer (6), boys' basketball (3), golf (2), and boys' track and field (2).
Boys' basketball The boys' basketball team won the Non-Public Group B state championship in 1964 (defeating St. Aloysius High School in the tournament final), 1970 (vs. Saint Joseph of the Palisades High School) and 1972 (vs. Paterson Catholic High School).NJSIAA Boys Basketball Championship History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed August 10, 2023.
Gloucester Catholic's first state championship was delivered by the 1964 basketball team, who won the Group B title in Atlantic City Convention Hall. They were led by Bill Somerset, Mike Baker, Jack Fink, Bud Shodder, and John Murphy. As South Jersey's number one-ranked team, Coach Ray Ford's team posted a 22–1 record during "that championship season."Staff. "Championship memories, After 40 years, Gloucester Catholic alums celebrate an amazing state-title season.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 8, 2004. Accessed February 22, 2012. "Oh, and the Gloucester Catholic High boys' basketball team was putting together a season for the ages, a 19-1 campaign that ended with a convincing victory over St. Aloysius of Jersey City in the NJSIAA Parochial B state final."
A crowd of more than 7,500 at Convention Hall in Atlantic City watched the 1970 team finish the season with a record of 21-5 after winning the Parochial B state title with a 71–59 win against St. Joseph's.Burrows, Walt. "Gloucester Catholic Wearing NJ State Crown; Overcomes Delay and St. Joe's 71-59", Courier-Post, March 21, 1970. Accessed March 11, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "The Rams experienced a 50-minute delay in their championship game against St. Joseph's of West New York here last night and the outcome was similar to that of 1964.... They roared to a 71-59 victory and the Group B championship before a crowd of 7,762 in Convention Hall."
The boys' basketball team, under the direction of Coach Ralph Saquella, won the Parochial B state championships in 1972, defeating Paterson Catholic by a score of 44–39 in the championship game.Ostrum, Gus. "1972 Boys' Basketball State Championship Team Honored; Rams Top Glassboro", Gloucester Catholic High School, February 6, 2012, backed up by the Internet Archive as of December 13, 2013. Accessed September 16, 2016. "GCHS's 1972 boys' basketball team, which captured the NJSIAA Parochial B state championship that season, returned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of a glorious season, which was capped off by a 44-39 state title win over Paterson Catholic at Princeton University's Jadwin Gymnasium.... The state title win at Princeton was the school's third in its history after winning crowns in 1964 and 1970." Coach Saquella, who won his 100th career victory in 1972, went on to become the head coach at Glassboro State College.
Girls' basketball The team won the Group I state championship in 1976 (defeating runner-up St. Anthony High School in the tournament final), 1977 (vs. Mother Seton Regional High School), 1978 (vs. Mother Seton), 1979 (vs. Eastern Christian High School), 1981 (vs. Benedictine Academy) and 1982 (vs. Morris Catholic High School), and won the Non-Public Group B title in 1983 (vs. St. Anthony). The program's seven state titles are tied for seventh-most statewide.Girls Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024.
Bertha "Bert" Nolan won an estimated 500 games as coach during her career, leading the Lady Rams basketball team to win the 1973 state championship, the first offered in the sport, repeating as winners of the state title in 1976."Bertha 'Bert' Nolan, Retired Gloucester Catholic Teacher & Coach; All American Field Hockey Player", Gloucester City News, October 11, 2007. Accessed August 8, 2013.
Using its speed, the 1976 team beat St. Anthony 63–52 to pull away and win the Group I championship game against St. Anthony of Jersey Cityvia Associated Press. "B-R East romps to girls title", The Record, March 21, 1976. Accessed February 1, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "In the Group 1 championship game, Gloucester; Catholic used its rebounding strength to fastbreak, and took advantage of poor foul shooting by St. Anthony's of Jersey City, 63-52. St. Anthony's went cold with 5:40 left in the game and the score 49-43."