As Msgr. McClancy prepares for a reception and open house event on Thursday, January 19, for students who were accepted into their 2012 freshmen class, the addition of girls to the school for the first year promises a new look the administration is embracing.

In May 2011, school officials at the formerly all-boys high school, which was founded in 1956, announced that it would accept girls as part of its incoming class for the fall of 2012. After an overwhelming response at the school’s open house in October 2011, applications from 8th grade girls was even higher than expected.

"Results of the admissions process this year has shown a keen interest from girls and more interest from boys," said school president, Brother Joseph Holthaus, at an interview on Thursday afternoon at the East Elmhurst campus.

Although the admissions office would not discuss specific numbers of applicants to the school, the number of interested families who attended an open house in October doubled from previous years.

"We look forward to our reception on Thursday, and our plans to introduce girls to all our programs has made for a very exciting winter," said Holthaus.

This past Thursday was the day Brooklyn Diocese schools sent letters of acceptance and scholarship offers to 8th graders. Many 8th graders were waiting anxiously to hear from McClancy.

Bianca Mistretta, an 8th grader from St. Stanislaus School in Maspeth, told us she made McClancy her first choice on the TACHs exam.

"I received my letter today and can't wait to go,” she said in a telephone interview from her home. “I love the school because I liked the teachers we saw at the open house and it’s nice and small. You can’t get lost there. I might try out for the softball team, but I liked that they offered a lot of college courses. I can’t wait.”

Spyro Kostaras, an 8th grader from Astoria, also got a letter last week.

“I am going to the reception on Thursday with my parents and I think adding girls at the school can’t hurt,” he said. “I have been going to the summer camps at McClancy for years, and love the feeling I get when I walk through the halls. It feels like home for me and I can’t wait to start my new school.”