La Salle Begins School Year With 156 Freshmen

La Salle High School welcomed 156 freshmen into its student ranks when it started its school year on Thursday. To help the new kids acclimate, an orientation earlier in the week paired groups of them with "buddies" from the senior class. From there, freshmen got a tour of campus, video presentations and a rundown of how classes will go. Then came pizza for lunch, and a rally.

According to a release from La Salle, here's a rundown of some facts:

• There are 680 students from ninth through 12th grade, most of them from the San Gabriel Valley. Brother Christopher Brady starts his second year as the school's principal.

• Nearly two thirds of the student body is Catholic.

• In the last five years, 99.5 percent of La Salle grads go to college, with 87.5 heading to four year institutions.