Our History

1960s: At the invitation of Cardinal Richard Cushing and the Archdiocese of Boston, Austin Preparatory School was established by the Order of Saint Augustine, Province of St. Thomas of Villanova. The Augustinians welcomed 176 freshman and 24 sophomore boys in the school’s inaugural year, graduating the first class of 18 students in 1966. We continue to live out this heritage as a school “in the Augustinian tradition” today.

1970s: Facing declining numbers in vocations, the Augustinians planned to close several of their schools, including Austin Prep. Amidst growing concerns, a group of dedicated parents, students, and faculty staged protests, orchestrated petitions and appeals, and brokered a deal with the Order to save the school. The Augustinians, hoping to keep the school alive, agreed to a buyout, and the school was transferred to a new lay Board of Trustees. Austin became a fully incorporated Catholic independent school.

1980s: To help ensure enrollment numbers remained sustainable for future admission cycles, the Board approved the addition of a Middle School. Still an all-boys school, Austin now served young men in grades 6 through 12.

1990s: Amid concerns of declining enrollment, Catholic and independent schools across the country looked for new ways to bolster their numbers. Austin made the decision to open its doors to young women. Austin’s first alumna graduated in 1993. Today the school’s enrollment is split evenly between boys and girls. Once again on the cutting edge of educational advances, Austin reorganized class schedules into 90-minute academic periods. The school also kicked off its first capital campaign to build the Multipurpose Facility.

2000s: The campus underwent its first major construction project since 1961. The long-awaited Multipurpose Facility was completed. The school also renovated the science laboratories and classrooms to incorporate state-of-the-art technology and equipment. A second capital campaign got underway to renovate the unused Monastery Wing into arts classrooms, music classrooms, an art gallery, dance studios, a technology lab, and an expansion of the Fr. Smith Library & Media Center.

2010s: Austin Prep celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2011. After serving as Head of School for 25 years, Paul J. Moran retired. The Board conducted a national search and appointed James Hickey, Ph.D., from The Pennington School in New Jersey, as Austin’s 10th Head of School in 2013. The school undertook a major capital campaign and gave a “facelift” to its beloved Fr. Seymour Field. The new synthetic turf stadium includes lights, a new sound system with a state-of-the-art scoreboard, an amenities building housing a concession stand and restroom facilities, and stadium seating for 1,100. The new track is also state-of-the-art and includes space for the shot put and javelin. The football team hosted its first Friday night game ever on Fr. Seymour Field on November 25, 2015, before a sold-out crowd of 1,500 alumni, families, and friends. In fall 2016, the school renamed the Multipurpose Facility for alumnus Richard J. Meelia ’67. In recognition, His Eminence Seán Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, celebrated Mass at Austin Prep and blessed Richard J. Meelia ’67 Hall. In 2018, the Dining Hall and the David E. Nelson Fitness Center were dedicated.

2020s: Campus growth continued as the lower field athletic complex was completed, featuring baseball, field hockey, soccer, and a six-court tennis complex. Paired with the expansion of Austin Prep’s athletic facilities was the transition from the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) in the fall of 2022. Austin Prep also welcomed the Daughters of Mary to the school community, highlighted by the commissioning of the Sisters by His Eminence Seán Cardinal O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, at the 2021 Convocation Mass.