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 of an automobile accident at the age of 43. At the time of O'Dowd's sudden death, having just helped to establish Marin Catholic and Riordan high schools, he was in the process of drawing up plans for a new Catholic high school in the East Bay.
O’Dowd is a Catholic high school community of 1,130 students. Its students demonstrate excellent academic performance and achieve high test scores, engage in award-winning fine and performing arts, participate in competitive athletics, and experience growth through the comprehensive campus ministry program. The school has a faculty and staff of 79, as well as coaches and moderators.
More than 800 student-athetes participate in 15 interscholastic sports on 57 teams, including rugby, water polo and lacrosse as well as traditional sports. In March 2010, the men’s varsity basketball team advanced to the Division III state championship game. In April 2010, the school’s speech and debate team won the state title in parliamentary debate. In March 2012, the women's basketball team won the Division lll state championship.
Ninety-five percent of O’Dowd graduates are accepted into four-year colleges and universities in California and nationwide. O'Dowd ranks in the top 10 of more than 200 public and Catholic high schools in the greater Bay Area with regards to the percent of the entire senior class admitted into the UC system. More than 13,000 graduates have been added to the ranks of alumni since the first class graduated in 1955, fulfilling roles of leadership and service in the Bay Area and worldwide.
O’Dowd’s college preparatory curriculum includes 15 Advanced Placement courses, 12 honors courses, and an enhanced range of services for students with different learning styles. A fully integrated arts and drama program, an environmental science program, and five languages are also offered. In addition, students participate in a 100-hour service learning program.
A wireless technology environment allows students and faculty access to the Internet and encourages student-centered learning. Through O’Dowd’s 1:1 laptop program, all students receive laptops and use them in class. The school offers online classes to support the school’s mission of preparing students for life after high school.
In June 2010, O’Dowd successfully completed a three-year, $9 million dollar 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.
Currently the school is working build a LEED-certified Environmental Science Center and further expand its environmental science curriculum, including environmental engineering. In addition, the school is now offering only compostable plates and utensils at its sports events to promote awareness about environmental protection.
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