Bishop O'Dowd High School

The issue of Bishop O'Dowd High School is a matter of great relevance today, as it has a significant impact on the lives of people around the world. Bishop O'Dowd High School has long been the subject of debate, research and analysis by experts in the field. In this article, we will explore various perspectives on Bishop O'Dowd High School and its importance in different contexts. Additionally, we will examine how Bishop O'Dowd High School has evolved over time and what the current implications are for society. Without a doubt, Bishop O'Dowd High School is a topic that deserves our attention and reflection in today's world.

"Bishop o'dowd" redirects here. For the Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco, see James Thomas O'Dowd.

Bishop O'Dowd High School
Address
Map
9500 Stearns Avenue

Oakland
,
(Alameda County)
,
California
94605

United States
Coordinates37°45′12.94″N 122°9′18.33″W / 37.7535944°N 122.1550917°W / 37.7535944; -122.1550917
Information
TypePrivate, Coeducational
Motto"Finding God in all things"
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1951
StatusOpen
PresidentKim Walsh,
PrincipalDoug Evans
ChaplainFr. James Sullivan
Faculty125
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,250 (2023-2024)
Average class size26
Student to teacher ratio14:1
CampusUrban
Campus size20 acres
Color(s)Black and Gold    
Athletics15 interscholastic sports, with 57 teams, including rugby, water polo, and lacrosse as well as the traditional sports such as soccer, volleyball, basketball, and football. All students are encouraged to participate in the athletics program.
Athletics conferenceWest Alameda County Conference, Foothill League
MascotDragon
Team nameDragons
AccreditationWestern Association of Schools and Colleges[1]
NewspaperThe Crozier
YearbookMitre
School fees$1,100 registration deposit
Tuition$25,340 (2024–2025)
AlumniMore than 13,000
Websitebishopodowd.org

Bishop O'Dowd High School is a Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory school in Oakland, California, administered by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and named after the late auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, James T. O'Dowd (1907–1950). The school requires all students to attend school liturgies (Catholic Mass and prayer services), to enroll in religious studies courses each semester, and to complete its 4-year service learning program. O’Dowd is a Catholic high school community of 1,250[2] students. The school has 129 faculty and staff members and more than 82 part-time coaches, teachers and moderators.

History

Bishop O’Dowd High School is named in memory of the former Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Bishop James T. O’Dowd, who died at the age of 42 from injuries sustained in a train accident. Having just helped to establish Marin Catholic and Riordan high schools, O'Dowd was in the process of drawing up plans for a new Catholic high school in the East Bay at the time of his sudden death.

Bishop O'Dowd's first senior class graduated in 1955, and since then O'Dowd has had over 12,000 graduates.[3]

In June 2010, O’Dowd successfully completed a three-year, $9 million comprehensive fundraising campaign and funds raised were split about evenly between capital development and program enhancement. Funds contributed to renovation of many elements of the classroom buildings — from floors to ceilings, interior and exterior, every classroom, lab and locker, from ventilation to technology infrastructure.

In 2022, the school opened a new $40 million gymnasium featuring a basketball court, a new music room, and a weight room.[4]

Athletics

In 2015, the men's basketball team won the CIF Open Division Championship and the women's team won the Division III CIF State Championship. The men's team was led by Ivan Rabb, the no. 8 player in the country.[5] In 2015, O'Dowd's basketball team was ranked 13th nationally.[6]

Programs and extracurricular activities

  • 21 AP courses
  • 10 Honor Courses
  • Athletics: 61 teams, 16 sports
  • 4 musical groups
  • Student clubs: 40+
  • Students spend a minimum of 100 hours in community service by graduation
  • Center for Environmental Studies (a building)
  • The Living Lab – a 4.857 1/2 acre student-built vegetable and botanical garden

Awards

Bishop O'Dowd High School was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School in 1990–1991.[7]

Bishop O'Dowd High School is the setting of Gene Luen Yang's 2015 graphic novel, Dragon Hoops. The book chronicles the men's basketball team's 2015 season, which ended in them winning the CIF Open Division Championship. Dragon Hoops is a Michael Printz Award Honor book[8].

Alumni

Footnotes

  1. ^ WASC-ACS. "WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools". Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
  2. ^ "About | Bishop O'Dowd High School". bishopodowd.org. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  3. ^ "Educatius | Bishop ODowd High School". Educatius. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  4. ^ Stephens, Mitch (November 16, 2022). "Bay Area high school basketball season debuts in O'Dowd's $40 million gym".
  5. ^ "aisia-robertson". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  6. ^ "Bishop O'Dowd claims state title with OT victory". March 29, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  7. ^ https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/awardwinners/history Previous NBRS Awardees > Search
  8. ^ "Michael L. Printz Winners and Honor Books". Young Adult Library Services Association. American Library Association. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  9. ^ "Alum of the Month – August". July 27, 2017.
  10. ^ Mazeika, Vytas (June 29, 2018). "Stanford gets commitment from 4-star East Bay running back". The Mercury News. Retrieved May 24, 2024.