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Our mission is to provide students with an education rooted in the life of Christ and to foster the pursuit of excellence in the whole person.
Community
Students
Encouraged to be the “salt of the earth and light of the world” (Matthew 5:6), our students enhance their faith, develop their minds and embrace their peers with a warm and welcoming presence. With our belief that a student’s potential is enhanced by positive relationships, mutual respect and a diverse community, the core of Bishop O’Connell - student, parent, faculty and staff walk together and grow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Faculty & Staff
Our committed faculty and staff is comprised of Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) sisters, a priest, and lay men and women. Together this group of well trained and accomplished professionals, many of whom hold advanced degrees, share their knowledge and encourage student development both in and outside of the classroom.
Parents
Since the beginning, our parents have been the root of our school community and are the lifeline for support as we partner in building the kingdom of God. Parent involvement maintains support programs such as the PTO, Athletic Boosters and Fine Arts Boosters. Parent-led fundraising events such as the Gala and Golf Tournament provide valuable resources that enhance our educational and extracurricular programs.
Alumni
As much as our school is a community of the here and now, it is also firmly rooted in our past. Many of our alumni send their own children to Bishop O'Connell. Others have returned to their alma mater to teach and carry on the O’Connell tradition. Alumni give generously of their time, talent and treasure as they too strive to further our mission by continued support of our programs and activities.
Spirituality
Faith
We deepen our faith on a daily basis. It all starts with prayers that serve as the opening moment of each class and continues through each student’s school life in daily religion class, weekly opportunities for reconciliation and for Eucharistic adoration, monthly Mass, and annual retreats for every class.
Action
We both require and encourage our students to perform service. Our students have established traditions such as the annual Chunky Soup food drive which brings in over 10,000 cans of soup for the homeless and hungry, and the SuperDance which has raised over $3 million since 1976 to further research for a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. These valued traditions, along with many other opportunities, allow our students to engage the entire school while helping others.
Academics
Excellence
In 1993, the Department of Education recognized Bishop O'Connell High School as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence for its commitment to academic achievement, community service, and overall student involvement. With each successive year we have improved our college preparatory program in order to ready our graduates for entrance into our nation’s colleges and universities.
Curriculum and Instruction
Bishop O'Connell provides a solid core curriculum supplemented with a wide range of elective course offerings including more honors level and Advanced Placement courses than any other school in the area.
Support Programs
Academic support for students with special needs is offered through our Muller Academic Services Program. The Muller Center ensures that each student will have the chance to be fully prepared for the next level of education before they leave Bishop O'Connell.
Activities and Athletics
Student Life
One thing is for sure: our students are busy. With well over 100 clubs, organizations and athletic teams available, the opportunity for our students to become engaged in a wide variety of extracurricular activities as a way of building up not only particular skills, but relationships with others, is virtually endless.
The Arts
The extensive arts programs at Bishop O'Connell features orchestra, drama, choir, photography, studio art, video production and graphic design. With a theatre that seats an audience of nearly 1,500, our school is able to showcase the artistic expression of our students through music recitals and concerts, theatre productions, art and photography exhibitions, and dance performances throughout the school year.
Athletics
Charter members of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, the Bishop O'Connell Knights are rich in history and tradition. Each year several of our teams receive national ranking and many of our nationally recognized athletes receive athletic scholarships to top colleges and universities. Over 50 teams provide competition at the freshman, junior varsity and varsity levels. In addition, several sports have a “no cut” policy. With more than half of our students participating in athletics, it is a great place to become involved.
Clubs
The majority of our students are involved in at least one of the nearly 70 clubs that are available. From faith to service, to academic and artistic, the range of these clubs is remarkable. Our students also produce a school newspaper, literary and art magazine and the yearbook. Each of our clubs is moderated by a faculty member which serves to further student-teacher relationships.
