Bishop Ireton High School

Bishop Ireton High School is a Roman Catholic high school located in Alexandria, Virginia, less than one mile from Old Town Alexandria. The school was founded in 1964 by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, and named in honor of Peter Leo Ireton, Bishop of Richmond from 1945 to 1958.[5] The school originally admitted only male students. Bishop Ireton, more commonly known as "BI" or simply "Ireton", became coeducational in 1990 after the closing of sister school, St. Mary's Academy. In 2008, the Oblates withdrew their presence from Ireton[6] and the school is now managed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

Bishop Ireton High School
Address
201 Cambridge Road

Alexandria
,
Virginia
22314

United States
Information
School typePrivate, high school
MottoAdvance Always
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s)St. Francis de Sales
Established1964 (1964)
FoundersOblates of St. Francis de Sales
OversightDiocese of Arlington
PrincipalDenise Tobin
Head of SchoolKathleen McNutt[1]
Teaching staff70.0 (FTE) (2015–16)[2]
Grades9–12[2]
GenderCoed[2]
Enrollment813 (2015–16)[2]
Student to teacher ratio11.6∶1 (2015–16)[2]
Color(s)     Cardinal
     Gold[3]
Athletics conferenceWashington Catholic Athletic Conference
NicknameCardinals
AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools[4]
NewspaperThe BI Word
WebsiteOfficial website

The patron of Bishop Ireton High School is St. Francis de Sales, a 16th Century apologist and writer of mystical theology, a Doctor of the Church, and patron saint of writers and journalists. As a Salesian community of learning, Bishop Ireton is dedicated to the intellectual and spiritual formation of young men and women, challenging them to Advance Always in scholarship, service, and in the love of God and one another. The school is accredited by the Virginia Catholic Education Association and AdvancED.

The school offers a challenging academic environment along with an outstanding quality of student life. Bishop Ireton has a strong focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses, critical writing across the disciplines, fine arts, and athletics. A charitable spirit rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, church doctrine and sacraments, and Salesian pedagogy is at the core of the school's identity. Bishop Ireton's top-tier status is reflected in its talented faculty and staff, who take great pride in witnessing every graduate head to college. Graduates attend some of the most prestigious universities, colleges, and service academies nationally and across the globe. Recent graduates have attended: Boston College, William and Mary, MIT, University of Virginia, The University of Edinburgh, UPENN, UC Berkeley, University of Toronto, Yale, George Washington University, CalTech, U.S. Naval Academy, The Catholic University of America, Johns Hopkins, La Salle University, U.S. Coastguard Academy, Belmont Abbey, Virginia Tech, University of Manchester, Duke, Loyola Chicago, De Sales University, Drexel, Fordham, U.S. Air Force Academy, American University, Saint Joseph's University, Tulane University, Princeton University, Berkeley, Cornell .

Administration

The school is administered by the Head of School, a presidential position responsible for institutional advancement. A Board of Governors appointed by the Bishop of Arlington serves as an advisory council to the Head of School. The Principal is the school's chief academic officer responsible for overseeing all student programs. Other members of the Senior Administrative team include the Chaplin/Director of Campus Ministry, the Director of Advancement, the Director of Operations, the Director of Athletics, the Director of Admissions, and the Director of Finance. The Principal is also supported by the Assistant Principal for Academics and the Assistant Principal for Student Life.

Student Council Association (SCA)

Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors are elected by their classmates and two upperclassmen (Juniors or Seniors) are elected as student body President and one Vice President. The class officers are organized as follows:

  • One President and three or four officers for each class

The SCA meets once a week and plans important events, such as Homecoming Week, Adopt a Family, Dress Out Day Fundraisers, the Winter Ball, and the Lenten Service Drive. These students also have a prominent role in graduation, processing first carrying flags and gonfalons.

Academics

· The school offers 22 Advanced Placement courses and 41 honors courses and two dual enrollment courses with Northern Virginia Community College.

· More than 85% of Bishop Ireton faculty and staff have advanced degrees. Five hold a Ph.D.

· The school's unique advisory program matches students and teachers in partnerships for all four years.

· Academic Enrichment is a program for students needing personalized learning and extra academic support to help reach their potential.

· Nine Ireton students have been appointed to U.S. Service Academies the last two years.

· The Class of 2018 received nearly $20 million in scholarships to colleges and universities with 100% college acceptance.

Athletics

Bishop Ireton competes in the WCAC Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and VISAA, Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association. Several athletes each year attend college on athletic scholarships. Among the many sports played at Ireton are football, field hockey, cheerleading, cross country, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, track and field, wrestling, ice hockey, golf, swimming & diving, volleyball, soccer, tennis, softball, rowing, water polo, and indoor track. Almost 9 out of every 10 students at Ireton will have been engaged in an athletic activity at least once in their high school career.

Mascot

The Big red

Fine and Performing Arts

Music

The Bishop Ireton Music Department offers students the opportunity to explore their passion for music. The school offers a variety of musical groups including: the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz and String Ensembles, Guitar Performers, and the Choir. In 2016, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and members of the Concert Choir played in the Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center. Each year over Spring Break, the Wind Ensemble has the honor of performing internationally. Recent trips have taken the group to France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. The 2018 tour will take the Wind Ensemble back to France. Past performance venues for Bishop Ireton Chamber Ensembles have included the White House, French Embassy, National Building Museum, Lee Fendall House, and the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.

Theater
The cast and crew of Something's Afoot at Bishop Ireton High School were nominated for 13 Cappies Awards, a record high for the school.

Bishop Ireton Theatre Arts award-winning program stages two main stage shows each season - one play and one musical. In addition, the student-run Bishop Ireton Drama Club holds many events throughout the year, including a trip to New York. Hundreds of students have passed through Ireton's drama program and many students are currently enrolled in acting, stage crafts, and costuming classes. Other drama events include the annual Evening of the Arts where student-directed one acts are displayed. Bishop Ireton's Garwood Whaley Auditorium is home to the Bishop Ireton theatre program. The 783-seat space[7] is a fully equipped theatrical venue that plays host to many other functions within the school.

Studio Art

Since 1964, Bishop Ireton has been known for producing artists across many media and is a haven for helping students discover their creative potential. The school offers a robust arts curriculum, including:

  • Principles of Art
  • Advanced Painting and Drawing
  • AP Studio Art 2-D Designs
  • AP Studio Art Drawing
  • Honors Portfolio Preparation / Senior Studio
  • AP Art History

Student Life

Students are provided leadership activities, opportunities to pursue their passions, develop new interests, and enjoy all of the fun that high school provides. Each year celebrations include Spirit Week, Homecoming, Feast Week, Winter Ball (all proceeds benefit BI's sister school, the Louverture-Cleary School in Haiti. Mass is celebrated each morning in the chapel. At least once per month the entire school community gathers for Mass in the auditorium. Students participate in Christian Service and retreats all four years. Monthly dress-out days raise money for local and international charitable organizations. Student leaders plan retreats, lead school prayer services, organize tutoring for their peers, and volunteer in the community.

Clubs
Graduation 2017 at the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C.

Almost every Bishop Ireton student participates in at least one of the nearly 60 clubs on campus, including Women in Science, Coding Club, and Girls Who Code. The school hosted a regional Hackathon in 2017 and 2018.

Senior All Night Grad Party

This is a signature annual event held off campus the evening of graduation. Recent graduates enjoy swimming, laser tag, a casino, obstacle courses, karaoke, and prizes. It is generally not over until 5:30 the following morning.

Notable alumni

References
  1. Bigelow, Jennifer (May 15, 2019). "Bishop Burbidge Appoints New Head of School for Bishop Ireton Catholic High School" (Press release). Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  2. "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for School Detail for Bishop Ireton High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  3. "Bishop Ireton High School Football". Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  4. SACS-CASI. "SACS-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  5. History of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales at Bishop Ireton
  6. "Principal, Oblates to Leave Bishop Ireton HS". Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  7. "Online Exclusive: Whaley Auditorium at Bishop Ireton High School". Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  8. Harrington, Richard (April 27, 1988). "The Making of `Muldoon'; Jon Carroll & Brian Ruberry's Musical Connection". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  9. Azzerrad, Michael (1993). Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana. Doubleday. p. 148. ISBN 0-385-47199-8.
  10. "Grad Glimpses". The Cardinal Connection (Winter 2009/2010): 6. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  11. "Bishop Ireton High School Announces Andrew Rodriguez, '08 wins Campbell Trophy". Bishop Ireton High School. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
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