O'Connell College Preparatory School is a 4-year coeducational parochial/private high school that offers college preparatory programs at its campus located in Galveston. The current teacher/student ratio is 1:15. Acceptance for admission to O’Connell is based primarily on the prospective student’s past school record, potential for achievement in an academic setting, and the recommendation of his/her current principal. Application procedures include completion of application, principal recommendation, teacher recommendations, entrance exam scores, review of transcripts, test scores from the previous school attended, previous attendance records, and previous discipline records.
The mission of O’Connell is to provide secondary students a strong college preparatory education based on the values and principles of the Catholic faith. The school strives to form community awareness and to develop the intellectual, spiritual, physical and social dimensions of the students in order to prepare them for responsible and productive Christian living and leadership in today’s society.
O’Connell College Preparatory School is the only Catholic secondary school in Galveston County. O’Connell resulted from the consolidation of three previously existing Catholic Schools in 1968: Dominican High School, Kirwin High School,
and Ursuline Academy.
In the autumn of 1967, the religious orders operating the three schools agreed on consolidation as a means of continuing Catholic secondary education in Galveston, offering a broader curriculum than was possible in any of the three smaller high schools. The Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese, Bishop John Morkovsky, S.T.D., approved the plan. He appointed a Board of Trustees composed of laymen and priests to plan and bring about the consolidation in cooperation with the Diocese, the three religious orders, and the Catholic parishes of Galveston County. The Board named the newly created school after the Right Rev. Monsignor Daniel P. O’Connell, P.A., pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Galveston from 1933 until his death in 1966, and a long time friend of Catholic education.
The Catholic Diocese of Galveston - Houston decided to close O’Connell High School at the end of the 2003 - 2004 school year. The seven dedicated board members, with the support of O’Connell alumni and many other people and organizations from Galveston County refused to let O’Connell die. As of July 1, 2004, O’Connell College Preparatory School has continued the rich Catholic beliefs and practices under the direction of the seven dedicated directors and the support of the Galveston-Houston Catholic Archdiocese.
O’Connell College Preparatory School is accredited by the Texas Education Agency through the Catholic Schools Accreditation Agency and is a member of TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools), Texas Association of College Admissions Counselors, and Galveston Chamber of Commerce. All policies formulated by the school are within the policies of the Archdioceses of Galveston-Houston.
Hours of Operation
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