The History of Christ the King

 

April 28, 1961              Feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort.  The contracts were signed to begin building the school.  The Architects were Stickle and Associates.

 

September, 1962          The shell of the building was finished and the workmen went inside.

 

September, 1962          Christ the King’s first freshman class with their teachers started school in Astoria at Mater Christi High School.

 

May 6, 1963                Classes were held for the first time at Christ the King.

 

 

October 18, 1963        The hand carved Stations of the Cross and all the beautiful painted wooden statues arrived from Italy.

 

February 3, 1964         The Library opened its doors to faculty and students.

 

April 26, 1964              Just three years later, almost to the day, the Dedication Ceremony took place.

 

June 23, 1966               The very first Graduation took place. There were 840 graduates: 420 boys, 420 girls.  It was a day of great rejoicing!

 

October 9, 1970          The faculty of the Boys’ Division met with the faculty of the Girls’ Division to discuss the possibilities of having a co-ed school.  Some co-ed classes already existed.

 

Saving the School 1970-1971

                                    Mr. Hugh Kirwan visited the Girls’ Division of Christ the King several times.  The Daughters of Wisdom to whom the Girls’ Division was entrusted to, no longer felt in a position to continue to administer the school.  There were just two Daughters of Wisdom Principals - Sr. Lorraine Lecorie and Sister Margaret Array.

 

September, 1971          Mr. Hugh Kirwan accepted the Principal position of the Girls’ Division of CK.

 

September, 1973         Christ the King began operating under one administrative body and one faculty.  It became one school.  Mr. Kirwan was appointed Principal of the joint school.

 

September, 1973         The school came to a halt until the differences between the Henry Hald Association representing the Diocese and the LFA representing the teachers could be settled.  The school year began just one week after the opening date.

 

September, 1975          This year no agreement could be reached between the dioceses and the teachers’ union.  No contract was signed and all bargaining and negotiations stopped.

 

October 6, 1975          The Bishop informed Mr. Kirwan that Christ the King High School was to be closed.  The senior class could finish out their year at the school.  All other students were to be transferred out and placed in other diocesan schools.

                                    This plan did not sit very well with the students.  They went on strike.  They refused to vacate the building.  They were soon joined by their parents who gathered in the cafeteria with the CK faculty, friends and sympathizers.  The Committee to Save Christ the King was formed.  Senator Serf Maltese, a parent, and at the urging of Councilwoman Rosemary Gunning, went to the mike and thus a committee was formed to save the school.  They re-opened the school and started negotiations with the Henry Hald Association and the LFA representatives.  For the first time, the parents and students were represented at the meetings.

 

September, 1976         Christ the King Diocesan High School became Christ the King Regional High School; independent of the Henry Hald Association.

 

June, 1997                   Mr. Hugh Kirwan retires after 25 years of dedicated service as principal.

 

September, 1997          Mrs. Elizabeth Lawlor becomes Principal of Christ the King Regional High School.  She had served the school as both Social Studies Teacher, Sophomore Dean and Assistant Principal for Student Personal.

 

September 1998 –

June 1999                    Christ the King Regional High School began a year long self-evaluation for Middle States Accreditation under the leadership of Mrs. Lawlor.

 

Spring 2000                 Christ the King Regional High School was granted Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

 

 

 

September 2000-

June 2006                    Mr. Michael J. Lynch becomes Principal of Christ the King Regional High School.  He served the school in this capacity until his retirement in June of 2006.

 

September 2006 –

Present                         Mr. Peter J. Mannarino, distinguished member of the Board of Trustees, assumes the role of Principal of Christ the King Regional High School.

 

A firm foundation for a solid Christian Education at Christ the King was laid down by a dedicated diocesan clergy and by two great religious congregations – the Marist Brothers and the Daughters of Wisdom.

 

The prayerful, sacrificed lives of these learned, spiritual women and men created the prayerful learning environment, the caring, secure atmosphere, the Christ-like milieu where spontaneous giving, loving, sharing and communication could take place; and the Lay Faculty, staff and parents who joined their ranks from day one, imbibed their spirit and caught their fire to bring about the transformation necessary to create cohesiveness, unity, stamina and courage to weather every storm.  They knew how to endure and to create a new tomorrow every day.

 

A large number of Christ the King graduates are now members of the Christ the King faculty and staff at the school.

 

Christ the King Regional High School is very proud to "Remember its Past, Celebrate its Present and Believe in its Future”.