Founded on Four Pillars
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Faith, Academic Excellence, Service and Community
Rice Memorial High School is a private Catholic college preparatory school that prepares young men and women to excel in any endeavor by providing a strong faith-based education, teaching personal accountability, and offering opportunities to pursue personal interests in a supportive environment. Rice trains students to be active members of the community, treat others with respect, and foster ideas related to diversity, equity, inclusivity and social justice grounded in the teachings of the Catholic church.
Founded in 1917 as Cathedral High School, our school was renamed Rice Memorial High School after moving to the current location in 1959. We are one of only two Catholic high schools in Vermont and the only one serving Vermont's largest city, Burlington.
Our mission is to guide our students toward the realization of their God-given potential. Rice teaches students to recognize and develop their gifts by inspiring them to love learning, to serve others and to seek God through Jesus Christ and his Church. We do this by focusing on four pillars: faith, academic excellence, service and community.
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Faith
Our students and their families embrace our mission to love learning, seek God and serve others. It is weaved into every aspect of life at Rice and reflected in the character our students develop and how they carry themselves inside and outside of school.
Our foundation is built on kindness, respect and trust. Each day begins with a moment of silence, a reading from the Bible and Rice's Mission Prayer. School-wide Masses are offered monthly. Students are required to take religion classes every year they are enrolled at Rice.
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Academic Excellence
With SAT scores higher than the state average and over 90 percent of graduates attending college, Rice students embody the pursuit of academic excellence. Our college prep curriculum focuses on providing the skills necessary for students to be successful with the rigors of college.
Rice has 13 Honors classes and 15 AP classes accessible to all students. Rice is the only school in Chittenden County offering the prestigious Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma. This Program fosters critical thinking and research skills that college admissions offices value.
For more information about Rice's pursuit of academic excellence, including a list of our Honors and AP classes, click here.
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Service
Students at Rice are required to perform over 80 hours of community service between freshman and senior year. By placing the needs of others ahead of themselves, students develop valuable experience and learn immeasurable lessons about their place in the world.
Our Campus Ministry office facilitates much of this service activity, providing opportunities for community involvement at the Lund Home, COTS, King Street Youth Center, the Special Olympics, and their family parishes.
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Community
Rice offers a nurturing and caring learning environment where students make connections that last a lifetime. Stunt Nite is just one example of how students leave the classroom and collaborate with the community. A Rice education goes beyond high school!
“Community” is a phrase often used in schools. At Rice, it’s a way of life. With 400 students – nearly 1/3 the size of most local public high schools – a sense of belonging is established quickly. Small classes allow teachers an opportunity to really know their students. Underclassmen are recognized and mentored by older students. And, respect for one another is expected, allowing students the freedom to try something different, often discovering new gifts and talents along the way.
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