Considering a journey back to 1949 at De Lasalle High School. De La Salle High School opened its doors. It welcomed a freshman class of 74 boys.
De La Salle High School is a private Catholic secondary school. It is run by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The school’s campus is on St. Charles Avenue. It is near the Audubon/University District. De La Salle High School offers grades 8 through 12 now.
De La Salle High School is named after St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle. He founded the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. This makes De La Salle High School a Lasallian education institution.
The founding faculty included four De La Salle Christian Brothers. Brother Ernest Cocagne was De La Salle’s first principal. Other brothers were August Faure, John Devine and Francis Vesel. Classes were first held in an old home on Pitt Street. In 1951 De La Salle High School moved to its current building on St. Charles Avenue.
Over the years De La Salle High School has grown. A wing of eight classrooms was added on Leontine Street in 1957. A gymnasium and student chapel followed in 1961. The Brother Arsenius Center was built in 1980. The Buck Seeber Health and Fitness Center opened in 2003. The Life Sciences Center was completed in 2008. The Shane and Holley Guidry Baseball and Softball Complex was added in 2009.
Initially De La Salle High School was an all-boys school. In 1992 it became coeducational.
After Hurricane Katrina De La Salle High School was the first high school to reopen in New Orleans. It welcomed students from across the city.
De La Salle High School’s athletic programs compete in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. The Cavaliers were in the New Orleans Catholic League from 1955 to 2003. De La Salle has 17 sports teams. There are 10 boys’ teams and 7 girls’ teams.
The Shane and Holley Guidry Batting Facility supports baseball and softball. It features batting cages with pitching simulators. There is also an area for golf and tennis.
De La Salle High School aims to guide students to develop spiritually, intellectually and socially. It offers college preparatory programs.
De La Salle High School excels academically. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The school is deemed a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. It provides a college preparatory program with multiple level courses. Sixty percent of the faculty hold advanced degrees. The average class size is 21 students.
De La Salle High School’s curriculum follows a college model. It uses a 90-minute class schedule each semester.
Notable alumni include John Arthurs a former NBA player. Lance Dunbar is an NFL running back. Robert M. Groves was a United States Census Bureau Director.
From its humble beginnings to its current status De La Salle High School embodies faith education and community. De La Salle High School continues to shape future generations.