Bishop O'Connell High School

Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School is a faith-filled community of learning, rooted in a tradition of service and excellence. Founded by six local parishes in 1957, our school was built to serve the rapidly growing suburban Catholic population in the Washington, D.C. area. Today, our student body of over 1,100 reflects the diversity of this community. The spiritual atmosphere at O'Connell is enriched by the presence of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who have served the school population since its doors opened in 1957.

Our mission is to provide students an education rooted in the life of Christ and to foster the pursuit of excellence in the whole person. Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School, a Catholic coeducational community of students, faculty, administrators, and staff, supports and complements the family, the parish and the larger community as each seeks to educate young people while challenging them to live the Gospel of Christ. The O'Connell community respects and values each member as one created in the image and likeness of God.

This educational community recognizes five dimensions of the person: spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional and physical. To encourage spiritual development, the administration, faculty, and staff work to provide an atmosphere of true Christ-like compassion and concern in which students may experience the Gospel message. This atmosphere allows the students to recognize themselves as personally redeemed by Christ and to generate a response rooted in knowledge and love and manifested in service.

Each faculty member provides quality academic instruction in order to inspire students with a love of learning and to give them knowledge and skill in specific disciplines. Each teacher presents to the students the opportunity to develop reason, to find truth, to express their thoughts clearly, and to be able to comprehend the development of ideas presented by others. The administration, faculty and staff strive to adapt this instruction to the intellectual needs of the individual students so that they may become more confident and therefore better prepared to face the challenges of society.

The school provides students with a variety of extra-curricular activities in order to help them become aware of their individual talents and limitations. These activities challenge students to contribute to the needs and spirit of the school and the community, making them more aware of their responsibilities to others. The students' emotional needs are met through the combined efforts of professional counselors and faculty. The students' physical needs are addressed by physical education, intramural, and inter-scholastic athletic programs.

Bishop O’Connell High School will be known as the Catholic, co-educational college preparatory high school that fosters academic excellence and educates the whole person within a supportive environment that helps students grow in their Faith and emphasizes service to others. Bishop O'Connell will distinguish itself through innovations in STEM fields, global studies enrichment opportunities and university partnerships that enable students to extend their horizons as they prepare for college and beyond.

Bishop O’Connell’s commitment to the development of the whole person—mind, body and soul—flows from its unique identity as a Catholic school. Bishop O’Connell is large enough to offer a wide array of experiences to students, but small enough to ensure a personalized experience for each student. From the availability of the sacraments made possible by the presence of a full-time Chaplain, to the focus on their individual development offered by classroom teachers, counselors and coaches, students at Bishop O’Connell benefit from the school’s commitment to the whole child. This dedication is reflected beyond the classroom by the way that the school’s mission is supported in extracurricular activities from fine arts, to athletics, to student clubs. A commitment to helping students grow in virtue permeates the entire experience of a student at Bishop O’Connell.

The academic program at Bishop O’Connell is distinguished by the way it balances an excellent grounding in the liberal arts with a dynamic curriculum that leverages alumni, parent and community networks and provides opportunities for students to further develop critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration skills. A superb faculty has built O’Connell’s reputation for excellence in the core subject areas and these same teachers are the innovators behind creative programs in science, engineering, and global studies among others. O’Connell’s academic partnership with Marymount University is helping students earn college credit while preparing them further for success in an ever-changing world.

Bishop O’Connell’s unique Global Studies Certificate Program allows students to explore global issues more deeply in the areas that interest them most: politics and law, health and environment, faith and humanitarian, arts and humanities, etc. As Bishop O’Connell grows this program beyond its current parameters, all students will gain essential skills for understanding, categorizing and analyzing global phenomena.