Cistercian Preparatory School
Encyclopedia
Cistercian Preparatory School is a Roman Catholic school for boys located in Irving, Texas
, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
. Serving grades five through twelve (though previously having a 4th grade pre-form), the school has a population of about 350 boys. Each grade is assigned a priest or a dedicated teacher as a "Form Master," who follows the class over the years and is responsible for building a feeling of community.
The school's roots lie with a group of Cistercians who came to Texas in 1956 to help found the University of Dallas
, located adjacent to what would become the Cistercian campus. Later that year, an uprising
in communist
Hungary
allowed a group from Zirc Abbey
in western Hungary to escape, and they joined their colleagues in Texas. The monks of Zirc
had a long tradition of teaching in the abbey's college preparatory schools, so in 1962 they started Cistercian Preparatory School to continue their work in secondary education.
, which hosts championship tournaments and meets at the end of every season. In 2005, the Varsity Football team had an undefeated 11-0 record, defeating Austin St. Stephen's in the SPC Division II Championship Game by a score of 35-0.
School-sponsored sports are available to both Upper and Middle School students, beginning in the Third Form (7th grade). Students in Forms III and IV, and those not wishing to participate in organized sports or wanting to take advantage of the study hall given by only one athletics period, take a physical education class while their classmates are participating in athletics practices.
The school's mascot is the Hawk. Its colors are black and white.
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on July 15, 1890 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese's cathedral is the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe....
. Serving grades five through twelve (though previously having a 4th grade pre-form), the school has a population of about 350 boys. Each grade is assigned a priest or a dedicated teacher as a "Form Master," who follows the class over the years and is responsible for building a feeling of community.
The school's roots lie with a group of Cistercians who came to Texas in 1956 to help found the University of Dallas
University of Dallas
The University of Dallas is a private, independent Catholic regional university located in Irving, Texas, established in 1956, which is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. According to U.S...
, located adjacent to what would become the Cistercian campus. Later that year, an uprising
1956 Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution or Uprising of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the government of the People's Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956....
in communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
allowed a group from Zirc Abbey
Zirc Abbey
Zirc Abbey, formerly also Zircz Abbey, also known as Zircensis or Boccon, is a Cistercian abbey, situated in Zirc in the Diocese of Veszprém, Hungary.-First period:...
in western Hungary to escape, and they joined their colleagues in Texas. The monks of Zirc
Zirc
-Attractions:*Zirc Abbey, a Cistercian abbey*Zirc Arboretum*Bakony Museum of Natural Sciences, situated in the territory of Zirc Abbey-External links:*...
had a long tradition of teaching in the abbey's college preparatory schools, so in 1962 they started Cistercian Preparatory School to continue their work in secondary education.
Curriculum
All Cistercian students follow a schedule of eight-period days. In the Middle School, the classes required include Latin, Religion, English, English Lab, Computer, Art, Health, Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science (2 years), Eastern Civilizations, Western Civilizations, and American History (2 years). In the Upper School, the classes required include English (4 years), Moral Theology, Systematic Theology, Church History, American History, World History (2 years), Government, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. In addition, an Upper School student must choose either Spanish or French for four years (though given a teacher and a petition with 10 signatures, any other language may be taken), either Physics II, Chemistry II, or Biology II for senior year, and one elective every semester (though in special cases it is allowed for a student to replace or shorten his lunch period in order to take more than one elective class).Athletics
Students are encouraged to participate in sports in every season. Cistercian fields teams in eight varsity sports in three athletic seasons: football and cross country (fall); basketball, soccer, and swimming (winter); baseball, track & field, and tennis (spring). The school is a member of the Southwest Preparatory ConferenceSouthwest Preparatory Conference
The Southwest Preparatory Conference is an athletic conference for certain private high schools in Texas and Oklahoma. It is composed of the following schools:*All Saints Episcopal School in Fort Worth, Texas*Casady School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, which hosts championship tournaments and meets at the end of every season. In 2005, the Varsity Football team had an undefeated 11-0 record, defeating Austin St. Stephen's in the SPC Division II Championship Game by a score of 35-0.
School-sponsored sports are available to both Upper and Middle School students, beginning in the Third Form (7th grade). Students in Forms III and IV, and those not wishing to participate in organized sports or wanting to take advantage of the study hall given by only one athletics period, take a physical education class while their classmates are participating in athletics practices.
The school's mascot is the Hawk. Its colors are black and white.