Faith, Family And Service Define Cardinal Newman High School
By Fiona Slusarev
Selecting a high school is a deeply personal decision for families and teens. It’s not only about choosing the place to spend the next four years, it’s about deciding the type of learning foundation that students will carry forward in life.
Cardinal Newman High School, a private Catholic school in West Palm Beach, has been committed to producing prepared and well-rounded young adults for decades through its faith-based education program that nurtures the whole person in spirit, mind and body. With a family-centered atmosphere, rigorous academics, athletics, arts and service, Cardinal Newman creates college-bound students ready to lead a life of purpose.
With a total enrollment of 800 students, this grade 9-12 college preparatory academy has a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1 on a 45-acre campus. Classes are structured to be an hour long with a study period during the day. Offering 22 Advanced Placement (AP), honors and dual-enrollment courses, Cardinal Newman ensures that students are not only adequately challenged but also enter college prepared.
“I think the key distinguishing characteristic is the faith dimension of the school,” Cardinal Newman President Charles “Chuck” Stembler said. “We lead with the fact that we are a Catholic school. In addition to that, it is about the opportunities that we have. Some students come here because of the scholars program, some because of robotics or band, and some for athletics.”
An Array of Opportunities — In addition to the humanities, sciences and mathematics courses, students have opportunities to delve into the fine arts, performing arts, music, religious studies and more. The teachers take learning a step further at Cardinal Newman to help students develop critical-thinking and communication skills, as well as establish strategies for good study habits, organization and time management. School counselors hold meetings with each student multiple times each semester to review academic progress and provide social and emotional support.
The school provides excellent additional academic support to students with learning differences like dyslexia and dysgraphia through the new Cupertino Program. The program, led by an Orton-Gillingham-certified educator, works in tandem with the curriculum through a dedicated academic support class offering individualized instruction in reading, spelling, vocabulary, writing and morphology. The goal is to build an encouraging environment and a firm foundation of reading and spelling skills that will carry forward to greater academic independence.
“It’s geared toward students with a language-based learning difference — they’re really smart kids, they just learn differently. If you help those students learn how to build their skills, they really are incredibly successful,” Stembler explained.
College Prep Support — As a college preparatory institution, Cardinal Newman supports students through the college application process with one-on-one counseling, college workshops, financial aid planning and campus college fairs.
The combination of a rigorous academic environment with thoughtfully integrated guidance creates students who are ready for life beyond high school. It’s no wonder that the 2026 graduating year saw a 100 percent college acceptance rate.
“We have two full-time college counselors. All they do is work through the college process,” Stembler explained. “We are helping to make that process much easier and essentially position our students much better for the colleges they want to be a part of.”
While Cardinal Newman’s foundation in Catholicism shapes everyday life with the campus ministry, prayer, Mass, retreats and service, the school welcomes students of all faiths. All students are required to take one theology credit per year in order to graduate.
“For us, we are a Catholic school. It’s who we are and what we are. But, if you’re not Catholic, you don’t feel out of place because, ultimately, what we’re trying to do is take everybody along on their faith journey,” Stembler explained.
A Culture of Character Excellence — The community culture emphasizes compassion, integrity and community service. This creates students who learn to recognize the needs of others and take action to help through organizations like clubs and volunteer programs. Each year, a student is required to complete at least 25 hours of service. At Cardinal Newman, academic success is only part of the equation — a thriving student is developing a strong character influenced by faith, family and servant leadership.
This commitment to academic and character excellence is also seen through Cardinal Newman’s continued investment in the campus. In 2024, the Rocco A. Marcello Family Academic Building was unveiled, giving students access to state-of-the-art science labs, modernized learning environments, and a hands-on innovation lab for robotic and technological study.
Outside of academics, Cardinal Newman has numerous athletic and club offerings for students to broaden their interests. In 2025, the Crusaders won the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 1A state football championship. In beach volleyball and boys lacrosse, the Crusaders made it to their first-ever district championships last spring. Likewise, girls track and field earned its first district title in 25 years.
Meanwhile, a new athletic pavilion is expected to open at Cardinal Newman in February 2027, bringing baseball batting cages, an outdoor weight room, a golf simulator, and space for training drills supporting football, soccer, lacrosse and other sports.
Financial Support Available — Making quality, faith-grounded education available to more students is a priority at Cardinal Newman. The cost of materials, class retreats and athletic fees are included in tuition. Additional scholarships and need-based financial aid are also offered. The school accepts external private school scholarships through Step Up for Students, providing approximately $8,000 annually toward tuition and eligible fees for approved students.
“I really do believe that educating young people, as I say to parents, is a partnership with all of us: it’s your son or your daughter, it’s you, it’s us,” Stembler said.
Cardinal Newman High School is located at 512 Spencer Drive in West Palm Beach. For more information, to schedule a tour or apply, call (561) 683-6266, contact admissions@cardinalnewman.com or visit www.cardinalnewman.com.
