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Dear Father Ryan Community, 

Advent is a time of reflecting, looking forward, and celebrating the arrival of the Christ child. As we look back on our incredible 100 years of history and what has been a joyous and impressive fall semester, we look toward our next century of excellence in Catholic education. At this meaningful time of year, it is my privilege to share Father Ryan's first State of the School with you. In the semesters to come, the State of the School will become a regular communication to our community to better share and celebrate all the successes of Father Ryan and our students. 

As you read about our fall 2024 achievements, I hope you join me in feeling immense Irish Pride for all our community, particularly our students, is accomplishing. Their achievements are a testament to our commitment to our Tradition of Faith, Knowledge, Service every day.  

 
Celebrating 100 Years of Father Ryan 

Our centennial year kicked off on September 14 with our Community Celebration. To view a recap of the event and learn more about upcoming 100th activities, visit fatherryan.org/100.  

  • 1,000-plus people attended the Community Celebration 
  • 99 students and alumni performed at the Celebration 
  • 1 new Father Ryan Hymn, A Blessing, written by Randy Lancaster ’83 
  • 1 new Father Ryan Prayer, written by Father Luke Wilgenbusch ’11 and approved by Bishop Spalding
  • 1 special 100th edition of The Moina published 
  • 100 Masses to be said in Father Ryan’s honor through June 2026 around the greater Nashville area and the world
  • 2 new touchscreens installed on campus showcasing archival photos, videos, and information from the past 100 years 
 
Class of 2028 

We welcomed members of the Class of 2028 on August 12. This impressive class quickly embraced the Father Ryan culture and community. 

  • 211 students from 45 different schools and 35 different zip codes 
  • 94 Father Ryan legacies 
  • 50 hours of Freshman Seminar class through winter break 
  • 48 Freshmen in House leadership positions 
  • 34 Hayes Scholars 
 
Current Students 

Admissions and re-enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year were incredibly strong, resulting in a diverse, faith-filled community of students who are known and loved.

  • 830 students enrolled 
  • 125 different schools and 59 different zip codes represented  
 
Faith 

Faith based in the Catholic tradition is at the center of all we do at Father Ryan. Through this foundation, all students develop their faith in an inclusive and uplifting environment.

  • 1st All-School Spanish Mass in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, created by the Multi-Cultural Student Union and Campus Ministry with Father Rodolfo Rivera, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, joining Father Phan 
  • 413 students attended Campus Ministry Retreats this fall 
  • 1st Father Ryan Daily Advent Reflection Book created by students, faculty, and staff 
  • 133 current Juniors and Seniors made SEARCH, and 23 have been asked back to serve in leadership roles 
  • 11 first responder guests attended our All-School Mass in September honoring first responders  
  • 1 Father Ryan alumnus, Deacon Christian Hamrick '17, ordained into the Diaconate in Rome, Italy, in St. Peter's Basilica
 
Knowledge  

Supported by our dedicated teachers, we combine academic excellence with personalized learning paths to help each student reach his or her full potential.

  • 226 students enrolled in at least one fall 2024 AP class 
  • 1,096 college applications to 216 different colleges and universities submitted by the Senior class as of the end of November, with numbers expected to increase throughout the school year  
  • 4 students received National Merit Honors 
  • 1483 average SAT scored by top 10% of Seniors 
  • 31 average ACT scored by top 10% of Seniors 
  • 96.7 Average GPA earned by Hayes Scholars  
  • 42 students enrolled in our new Dual Enrollment Program, where seven college-level courses are taught by Father Ryan faculty on our campus for college credit 
  • 13 students and two faculty chaperones traveled to Greece during Fall Break, one of three study abroad opportunities this year
 
Service  

For the past century, Father Ryan has shaped students to be people for others and lead lives of servant leadership.

  • $142,000-plus raised during the 2024 Relay For Life, bringing our cumulative total raised to more than $2 million for cancer research since 2010 
  • 700-plus total service hours completed on House Service Day with students, faculty, and staff participating on and off campus at Room In The Inn, By Faith Farm, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Camp Widjiwagan, Heart of Mary House, Catholic Charities, and Ladies of Charity  
  • 9,000 snack packs assembled by our students to be distributed by Room In The Inn to people experiencing homelessness 
  • 10,743 service hours logged by our students this school year by the end of November, benefitting 79 unique service organizations in our community 
  • 2 trailers full of food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and more collected by the Football and Girls Soccer teams and delivered to communities affected by Hurricane Helene 
  • 60-plus veterans celebrated at our 19th Annual Veteran’s Breakfast celebrating 100 Years of Service to Country  
 
Irish Athletics 

Our student-athletes gain valuable experiences and learn lifelong skills, including discipline, selflessness, and teamwork, throughout their time at Father Ryan.

  • 2 State Titles earned in Girls and Boys Rugby 7's: 2nd State Title for Girls Rugby since program formed in 2021, bringing our total Team State Titles to 70
  • 7 student-athletes signed to play their sport in college on National Signing Day 
  • 4th place in State earned by our Volleyball team  
  • 1st win secured over MBA since 1997 by our Football team, 17-14  
  • 298 Irish athletes competed across 11 fall sports 
  • 1 new partnership formed with Big Board, an all-in-one online platform designed to support student-athletes through the college athletic recruitment process 
  • 2 full-time physical therapists on campus serving our student-athletes as part of our ongoing partnership with STAR Physical Therapy
 
The Arts 

Whether a student is interested in band, choir, dance, theatre, or the visual arts, Father Ryan offers a comprehensive curriculum that encourages individual growth through creative, personal, and spiritual development.

  • 4 shows of Our Town presented by cast and crew of 54 Purple Masque Players, a play chosen as a tribute to 100 Years of the Arts – in 1979, the Purple Masque Players first performed Our Town 
  • 6th in Jazz and 8th in Hip Hop in State earned by our Dance team as they prepare to compete at Nationals in Orlando at the end of January 
  • 200-plus students participated in our annual Christmas at Father Ryan production across dance, choir, and band, featuring our first-ever strings performance
  • 9 student acts performed at Showtime, the annual talent show organized by the House System
  • 37 visual and performing arts courses offered, the most of any private school in Middle Tennessee 
 
Foundation for the Future - School-wide Strategies and Accomplishments 

Last May, in anticipation of our centennial, the Father Ryan Leadership Team and Board launched a new, visionary five-year Strategic Plan to shape the next 100 years of fulfilling the school's mission. The following initiatives are designed to support this plan, and the various accomplishments showcase the results of this intentional work.

  • 1 new Feasibility Study launched to determine which future initiatives could benefit our community – results are being assessed, and we will communicate findings to the community after comprehensive evaluation

  • 3 new endowed scholarships created this fall, totaling $745,000 in gifts, which will benefit students for years to come
  • $1 million-plus raised for the 2023-2024 Annual Fund, a testament to the commitment our 13,000 alumni and thousands of parents and friends have for Father Ryan
  • #1 Best Private High School recognized by Nashville Scene's "Best of Nashville" issue
  • 5 blogs written as part of Irish Insights, the new Father Ryan blog, designed to share helpful information from the perspective of our expert administration, faculty, staff, and students on navigating the high school experience
  • 1st digital viewbook produced for prospective families to learn more about the Father Ryan experience

As we reflect on these achievements, our mission - to be an experience of the living Gospel while challenging students to reach their spiritual, academic, and personal potential - continues to inspire us and propel us forward to the next 100 years. I wish you and your family a blessed Advent Season, a joyous Christmas, and a prosperous New Year! We look forward to many more achievements in 2025. 

Sincerely, 

Paul Davis ’81 
President