Woodside Priory School

Woodside Priory School (The Priory)
Address
302 Portola Road
40 minutes south of San Francisco, California
Portola Valley, California, (San Mateo County), 94028
United States
Coordinates 37°22′32″N 122°12′46″W / 37.37556°N 122.21278°WCoordinates: 37°22′32″N 122°12′46″W / 37.37556°N 122.21278°W
Information
Type Private, Coeducational, day & boarding school
Motto Ora Et Labora
(Prayer and Work.)
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic;
Benedictine
Patron saint(s) Saint Stephen the King
Established

1957

Notable
Founder Father Egon Javor, OSB
Oversight Board of Directors and Board of Trustees
Head of school Tim Molak
Faculty List of Faculty
Grades 6-12
Enrollment 370[1] (2010-2011)
Average class size 15-18[1]
Student to teacher ratio 6:1[1]
Campus Rural/Suburban
Campus size 51 acres (210,000 m2)
Color(s) Black and Blue         
Slogan Wisdom-Passion-Service; A Modern Renaissance
Athletics conference CCS - Central California Section
Mascot Panthers
Team name Panthers
Accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges[2]
Average SAT scores 1920[1]
Newspaper The Priory Post
Yearbook Omnibus
Tuition 2010-2011 School Year
$37,500 (Day)
$51,100 (Boarding)
Affiliation Saint Anselm Abbey; Goffstown, NH
Head of Upper School/Academic Dean Brian Schlaak
Dean of Students Matt Lai
Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Al Zappelli
Athletic Director Mark Stogner
Dean of Residential Life Michelle Taffe
Middle School Head Caitha Ambler
Website http://www.prioryca.org

The Woodside Priory School, commonly known as The Priory, is an independent, coeducational, Roman Catholic, college preparatory, day and boarding school in the Benedictine tradition located in Portola Valley, California in the United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco.

History

The Priory was founded in 1957 by a group of seven Hungarian Benedictine Monks from Saint Martin's Archabbey in Pannonhalma, Hungary. In 1974, the monks affiliated with Saint Anselm Abbey in Goffstown, New Hampshire.

The school began on an 18-acre (73,000 m2) ranch and over the years has expanded significantly to the point where the campus now encompasses some 50 acres (200,000 m2). Originally the school was made up entirely of all-male boarders, but over the years the ratio of boarders to day students changed to the point where today the boarding school accounts for a smaller percentage of the high school student body. In the early 1990s, the school began admitting females to the day program, with the first coed senior class graduating in 1995. The Priory's boarding program was expanded to include girls in 2004.

The Priory was granted a six year accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Catholic Education Association in June, 2012.

Student body

The enrollment of the Priory is 370 students spanning grades 6-12. The major population of the student body is from the Bay Area; however, international students are from 16 countries including South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, India, Hungary, Germany, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia.

Athletics

The Priory offers football, track and field, basketball, soccer, volleyball, cross country, equestrian, swimming, golf, baseball, water polo, lacrosse, and tennis. In 2000, the girls' volleyball team won the state championship for Division V.

The school competes in Central Coast Section (CCS) post-season competition.

Student activities

The school's newspaper is "Priory Post". The school has a number of yearly events such as the dodgeball tournament, fashion show, and the three plays.

Performing Arts

The school offers Orchestra, Choir, Dance, Drama, and Tech. Three buildings were completed in 2009: orchestra and choir rooms; a Drama Practice room or Black Box; a theater, equipped with modern sound and lighting as well as a music lab.

Robotics

The Priory fields an award winning Robotics team that competes regionally and state-wide.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Priory - Fast Facts". Woodside Priory website. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
  2. ↑ WASC-ACS. "WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools". Retrieved 2009-06-05.

References

External links