Cistercian Preparatory School
Cistercian Preparatory School is a private school for boys, located in Irving, Texas. The school follows the Cistercian tradition and offers a rigorous academic curriculum alongside a strong emphasis on character development and spiritual growth. Cistercian Preparatory School is renowned for its commitment to fostering intellectual curiosity, personal responsibility, and ethical leadership among its students.
| Cistercian Preparatory School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
3660 Cistercian Road , 75039 United States | |
| Coordinates | 32°51′19″N 96°55′17″W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private[1] |
| Motto | Ardere et Lucere (To Enkindle and Enlighten) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic Cistercians |
| Established | 1962 |
| CEEB code | 443-558 |
| Headmaster | Rev. Paul M. McCormick, O.Cist.[2] |
| Teaching staff | 53 (2020-21)[1] |
| Grades | 5–12[1] |
| Gender | Boys[1] |
| Enrollment | 355 (2020-21)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 7∶1 (2020-21)[1] |
| Campus size | 82 acres (33 ha)[2] |
| Color(s) | Black White [3] |
| Athletics conference | Southwest Preparatory Conference[3] |
| Mascot | Hawks [3] |
| Accreditation | Independent Schools Association of the Southwest[4] |
| Publication | Reflections (literary/art magazine) |
| Newspaper | Informer |
| Yearbook | Exodus |
| Website | school |
History
Cistercian was founded by a group of monks from Hungary's Zirc Abbey, who had fled Hungary from ongoing Soviet pressure following WWII. In 1948, Cistercian secondary schools in Hungary had been closed, and in 1950, their monasteries had been confiscated. Zirc monks began immigrating, with many of them ending up in Dallas, where they created a new abbey and found leadership and teaching roles at the University of Dallas. Cistercian monks had been involved in secondary education in Europe since the 18th century, and by 1962, they founded the Cistercian School in Dallas.[5][6] Among the early teachers at cistercian was Fr. Bede Lackner.
Current program
The graduating class of 2021 had 46 students, and there were 355 total students in grades 5-12. While community service is not required, the typical class averages 8000 hours of volunteer contributions. All graduates attend 4-year colleges. In 2021, 19% of the students received financial assistance. Of the 53 faculty members, 30% are Cistercian monks and 85% have graduate degrees.[7]
Cistercian's academic program has been highly rated, both regionally and nationally, for many years.[8][9] For example, Cistercian was ranked among the 50 “Smartest Private High Schools in the United States” by one independent group[10] and, in 2021, was named the 3rd best Catholic high school in the country.[11]
Athletics
Students are encouraged to participate in sports in every season. Cistercian fields teams in nine varsity sports in three athletic seasons: football and cross country (fall); basketball, soccer, and swimming (winter); baseball, track & field, tennis, and golf (spring). The school is a member of the Southwest Preparatory Conference, which hosts championship tournaments and meets at the end of every season. The school's mascot is the hawk. Its colors are black and white.[3]
Notable alumni
- Will Arbery (2007), playwright, author of Heroes of the Fourth Turning;[12][13] 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist, winner of 2020 Whiting Award in drama
- Will Ford Hartnett (1974), former member of the Texas House of Representatives (1993–2013)[14][15]
- Geoff Marslett (1992), independent filmmaker and professor[16][17]
- Andrés Ruzo (2005), geoscientist, conservationist, author, science communicator and educator, who studied the Boiling River of the Amazon[18]
- Ryan Sitton (1993), member of the Texas Railroad Commission (2015–2021)[19]
Notable faculty
- Fr. Bede Lackner, theologian and historian
- Fr. Denis Farkasfalvy, Abbot of Our Lady of Dallas Abbey from 1988 to 2012, theologian, and historian; Headmaster of Cistercian from 1969 to 1981 and longtime math teacher at the school
References
- "2020-2021 Academic Profile" (PDF). Cistercian Preparatory School. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "Headmaster's Welcome". Cistercian Preparatory School. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- "Cistercian Preparatory School - Southwest Preparatory Conference". Southwest Preparatory Conference. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "Independent Schools Association of the Southwest: School Directory". Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. Independent Schools Association of the Southwest. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "The Founding of Our Lady of Dallas". Our Lady of Dallas Cistercian Abbey. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "THE ABBEY ON HIGHWAY 114 - D Magazine". April 1983.
- "School Profile | Cistercian Preparatory School". 12 October 2020.
- "Dallas boasts trio of smartest private high schools in U.S. — and No. 1 in Texas". CultureMap. CultureMap. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- "Ranking the Private High Schools 2002" (PDF). D Magazine. University of North Texas. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- "The 50 smartest private high schools in the US". BusinessInsider. BusinessInsider. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- "2016 Best Catholic High Schools in America". Niche K-12. Niche. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- "Dallas-Raised Playwright Will Arbery Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize". 6 May 2020.
- "Broadway's Next Great Playwright is a Texan". 17 May 2022.
- "Will F. Hartnett - Partner". The Hartnett Law Firm. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "Texas Legislators: Past & Present - Mobile". Legislative Reference Library of Texas. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "Marslett, Geoff Assistant Professor". CU Experts. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "About Geoff Marslett". Swerve Pictures. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "SMU grad student discovers river in Peru so hot it boils animals alive". Southern Methodist University. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- "Texas Railroad Commissioner Sitton Honors Texas A&M Science Teachers". Texas A&M University. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
External links
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