Holy Names High School is a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
girls college preparatory high school located in the
Oakland Hills
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
in
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
. It is located in the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland. The campus is also home to Aurora Elementary School and the former home to the
convent
A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
for the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Holy Names High School is sponsored by the
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (Soeurs des Saints Noms de Jésus et de Marie) is a teaching religious institute founded at Longueuil, Québec, Canada, in 1843 by Blessed Mother Marie Rose Durocher for the Christian education of yo ...
.
History
When established on the shore of
Lake Merritt in 1868, Holy Names was the first high school built in Oakland. The school moved to its present campus on Harbord Drive in upper
Rockridge in 1931. The school attendance for the first year at its new location, 1931–1932, was 302.
Academics
Holy Names prides itself for its rigorous academic program that reaches the standards required for college and university admission and entrance. Teachers often help students refine their academic talents and identify areas that they can strengthen and improve. Students engage in small group and class discussions, actively participating in their own learning. In addition, they can take advantage of highly competitive honors and advanced placement courses as well as the tutorial services offered through a math lab and mentor program. Students are actively encouraged to help each other in their journey of learning and self-realization.
Students are required to take seven classes each year, with classes ranging from such subjects including Vocal Ensemble to Earth Science. Each is recommended to go beyond the minimum required classes needed to graduate in order to pursue the subjects they love. All students are required to take Introduction to Engineering Design (IED), a Project Lead The Way course, their freshman year.
Accreditation and accolades
In 1933, Holy Names High School was included on the list of accredited schools by the
California Department of Education
The California Department of Education is an agency within the Government of California that oversees public education.
The department oversees funding and testing, and holds local educational agencies accountable for student achievement. Its st ...
. Since then its accreditation has been consistently renewed. The school currently is accredited for the maximum term by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Holy Names has twice been recognized as an exemplary
Blue Ribbon School
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
by the
Department of Education.
Notable alumnae
*Ileana Matzorkis, Radio Host 98.5 KFOX
*
Karrin Allyson
Karrin Allyson (pronounced ''KAR-in''; born Karrin Allyson Schoonover on July 27, 1963) is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including the ' ...
, four time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist and pianist
*
Caitlin Flanagan
Caitlin Flanagan (born November 14, 1961) is an American writer and social critic. A contributor to ''The Atlantic'' since February 2001, she was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2019.
Her 2004 piece for ''The New Yorker'' was e ...
, noted writer and blogger
References
External links
Holy Names High School
{{Bay Area Conference
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland
Girls' schools in California
Catholic secondary schools in California
High schools in Oakland, California
Educational institutions established in 1868
Bay Counties League
1868 establishments in California