Our Class

This is Mrs. Toner's  ninth grade class. We have 33 students and we all love it here! There is always something new and exciting to learn, like expanding our classroom to connect with you.

The Class:

  Some classroom life.

Day in the Life of a Bonner & Prendie Student

The life of a student at Bonner-Prendie

In the morning, we usually wake up around 7 o'clock, but some people wake up earlier depending on how far away they live from school. We get ready, and go to school, since we have to be there by 7:50 am. Our first class starts at 8:09 am and our last class ends at 2:30 pm, except on Thursdays because school ends at 1:50 pm on that day. After school, many students stay for the variety ofsports/activities that they're involved in- such as football, soccer, baseball/softball, rugby, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, dance team, the school play, and game clubs. There are many students dedicated to this school and stay here until late at night. Our school is really like a family and we would love for you to learn more about it! 

*Our Football team.

Our field hockey team

Interview with our classmates:

* How do you like attending MBAPCHS? (Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School)

"It's fun; we all come together as a community to learn and we find the true meaning of family." - Chris (Freshman)

"It's a good learning environment, and everyone is really welcoming. It's like a second home."  - Allison (Freshman)

* How do you feel about staying late after school for sports/activities?

"It's tiring, but worth; it if you put in the hard work and dedication, you are bound to win." -Jack (Freshman)

"It gets you closer with your team, and other teams too. You have a better connection with your school. I'm here more than I'm at home." - Monica (Freshman)

* How do you enjoy teaching at MBAPCHS?

" It's very exciting here and there's always something new to learn. After many years, I still love my job very much and feel blessed to be working here." -Mrs Toner (ELA Teacher)

What is a normal day at your school like?

Our School History

Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast History

In 1850 Christopher Fallon built a mansion known as "Runnymede" on our grounds. In 1882, the building was bought by Colonel Anthony Drexel. The mansion stood on what was called "The Hill of Drexel"  and our surrounding area became known as Drexel Hill because of this. In 1908 the mansion burnt down completely and only the gatehouse (which still stands) was left. In 1917 Archbishop Edmond Prendergast purchases the land (33 acres) and announced that he would be constructing an orphanage called "St Vincent's Orphanage" on the grounds where the mansion once stood. From 1920 through 1952, St. Vincent's remained open. As the number of orphans dwindled, Cardinal O'Hara the remaining orphans to another place and St. Vincent's became Archbishop Prendergast School for Boys. Three years later a newer school was built nearby and called Monsignor Bonner. Bonner was designated for the boys and Prendergast (Prendie) for the girls. The two schools served thousands of student for over 50 years as independent schools. In 2006, the schools were combined with both buildings remaining in use In 2012 Bonner and Prendie was in danger of being closed by the Archdiocese. We made a plan to appeal this closing and many donations were made to save our school. On February 24, 2012, we were told we were staying open. Bonner and Prendie combined into one school,becoming Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School. We all moved into Bonner's building and our enrollment is increasing again and our future looks secure!

There are currently:

Freshman (grade 9)- 248 students
Sophomore (grade 10)- 212 students
Junior (grade 11) - 224 students
Senior (grade 12) - 223 students
Total = 907 students

Teachers- 47

The classes we take are:

THEOLOGY I

First Semester: The Revelation of Jesus Christ in Scripture
Second Semester: Who is Jesus Christ

E.L.A (ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS)

Critical Reading, Writing, and Speaking Supported Through Genre Studies
(Mrs. Toner's favorite)

WORLD HISTORY 1

Through a chronological treatment of Western and non-Western civilization from ancient Greece to the age of Napoleon, this course provides students with the historical background that enables them to understand the modern world. 
(Dennis's favorite class of the day!)

ALGEBRA I

Based on the Common Core Standards, students enrolled in Algebra I will examine structure in equations, and will create equations that describe numbers or relationships.
(Laura's & MaryKate's favorite)

PHYSICAL SCIENCE

Physical Science is an introduction to principles of physics and chemistry. Strong emphasis is placed on basic science skills, problem solving and the metric system. Demonstrations and experiments are included to reinforce concepts taught in the classroom.

HONORS BIOLOGY

This biology course investigates life from a cellular and molecular point of view. It studies the basic biological concepts of genetics, diversity, microbiology, biochemistry, and ecology with evolution and the relationship between structure and function as the unifying themes. Labs are designed to emphasize these topics.

WORLD LANGUAGE

Students must take either Spanish, French, or Italian for two years here at Bonner and Prendie.

(Ben's Favorite)

The extracurricular activities we participate in are:

Sports

• Softball: Laura
• Volleyball: MaryKate
• Basketball: Laura
• Soccer: Ben
• Football: Nathan
• Hockey
• Lacrosse
• Rugby: Nathan
• Field Hockey
• Baseball: Ben
• Tennis
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Cheer leading
• Wrestling
• Crew
• Bowling
• Swimming
• Golf
• Track: MaryKate
  Activities
  • Community Service Corps: Dennis
  • Yearbook
  • Gang Green
  • Drama: Nathan
  • Panda Pride
  • Dance Team
  • Hi-Q         
  • Creative Writing
  • Mathletes
  • Student Council
  • MBAPTV
  • Stage Crew
  • Mock Trial
  • Respect Life
  • National Honor Society           
  • Step Team
  • Newspaper
  • Chorus
  • Orchestra
  • Jazz Band: Nathan
    
    
    
    
    What do you do at your school that's different from ours?

Our Hometowns

Here is our view of the city of Philadelphia

Drexel Hill is the community our school is located in. It sits just minutes away from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We can even see the city from our windows!

Drexel Hill is home to about 28,000 people of many different races, religions, and cultures. In size, it’s about 3.2 sq. miles (8km sq.) large. Most residents are part of a working, middle class.

There are a few historic sites scattered around and many iconic businesses that we know and love. A lot of the students in our school live here and regularly commute via the “trolley," which has a stop right down the street from the school. The trolley tracks run throughout Drexel Hill and the surrounding towns.

Here is a picture of a trolley stop in Drexel Hill:

A movie was just filmed on the tracks shown above as well as in front of our school! (Silver Linings Playbook)

All of the surrounding towns have unique features and we all have different reasons why we like living there. If you asked us about our hometowns, most of us would tell you about   some of the beautiful scenery, friendly people, and welcoming atmosphere.

To give you an idea of what some of our hometowns look like, here is a picture of a monument in a public park in a town called Glenolden:

Quotes from group members:

"I've lived here all my life and love Drexel Hill."

- Andrew

"I live in Folcroft, Pennsylvania. It's not the most interesting place, but I like living there because I've come to know and appreciate all the people and places that make it unique."

-Mike

"Drexel Hill is a pretty nice place to live!!!!!!!!!!"

-Alli

" East Lansdowne is my true home. I couldn't see myself living anywhere else. They say home is where the heart is, and East Lansdowne sure has my heart."

-Brian

" I live in Glenolden, Pennsylvania and i'ts a nice place to live because i'ts small and you can get to know all the people.”  -Colleen

         

 We’d like to thank you all and leave you with a question.

What are your hometowns like?

Our Music

Our class listens to many music genres and artists. We all find music in all our lives that has played a part some way or another. Music allows us to relax, have fun, and make a situation bearable.There are many different types of music that we like to listen to in America. There's so so many different genres of music that it can get confusing. Today, the majority of people enjoy Pop, or popular music. Pop is full of catchy beats and famous bands and artists like Maroon 5 or Katy Perry. Rap is another popular genre; rap consists of a artist speaking quickly and in rhythm to a certain beat. Some popular rappers include Mac Miller and 2 chainz. Another genre that is quickly becoming popular is alternative. Alternative is becoming increasingly liked in America, spearheaded by bands such as Imagine Dragons and The Lumineers. Other notable genres that you may have heard of are rock, oldies, punk and metal.

*You can click the blue ones to listen!

Genres

• Pop
• Rap
• Alternative
• Rock
• Country
• Punk
• Oldies(music from past generations)
• Metal

Artists

Pop

• Maroon 5  
• Kesha  
• Katy Perry 
  

  

    

Rap

• 2 Chainz  
• Mac Miller   
• Drake    
  
  

Alternative

• Imagine Dragons
• Mumford and Sons    
• Lumineers  
  

  

  
  

Rock

• Green Day   
• Tenacious Dave    
• Black Keys    

Country

• Rascal Flatts    
• Blake Shelton
• Luke Bryan
  
  

  

    

Punk

• Fall Out Boy   
• Panic at the Disco    
• Linkin Park   

Oldies

• Beatles    
• Frank Sinatra    
• Rolling Stones
  

  

    

Metal

• Iron maiden   
• Godsmack    
• Five finger death punch   

  
  

  Class Quotes On Music:
  

  
  

  "Music has my soul"-Mary Kate, freshman

  "Music is like a way to express our feelings through rhythm and rhymes."-Dan, freshman

  
  

  "It's good"-Sean, freshman

  "it inspires me to be myself"-shadow, 8th grade

  "Music changed my life"-Dennis, freshman

  
  

  
  

  
  

What types of music do you listen to?

Classroom Culture

​In the American culture, multimedia and social networking are a big part of how teenagers associate. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter are great ways of how we connect and share what we do. Some other popular websites in the United States are Instagram and the latest Apple application Vine. As of right now, popular movies are Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Les Miserables, and Transformers:Dark of the Moon.

Most American teenagers read books often but we also get a lot of our information through movies, magazines and the Internet. Movies, books, and magazines are ways Americans relax, blow off steam, and express their creative interests. With a lot of technological devices like the iPhone and iPad, it is easier for us to connect with thousands of people.

Our school has currently received iPads that enable us to work more socially, and share information, just like we are sharing information with you!

Examples of some of these multimedia sources:

Websites

Google

YouTube

Wikipedia

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Vine

Movies

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 ($381 million)

2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($352 million)

3. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 ($276 million)

4. The Hangover Part II ($254 million)

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ($241 million)

Magazines

1.Time

2.Sports Illustrated

3.People

4.Entertainment Weekly

5.National Geographic

Books

Hunger Games

Crank

The Giver

Gregory the Overlander

Twilight Series

The Fault In Our Stars

The Catcher and the Rye

What do you like to do in your free time?