cathedral - School Profile

School Profile

Academic Year 2011-2012

Cathedral High School

1309 N. Stanton St.

El Paso, TX

Phone: 915.532.3238 Fax: 915.533.8248

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CEEB Code: 44 22 10

Principal: Br. Nick Gonzalez, F.S.C. M. Ed.

Assistant Principal: Ms. Aurora Lujan, M.Ed.

Registrar: Mr. Dan Flores

Director, Advanced Studies: Mr. Richard Barajas, J.D., M.A., E. Admin

Master Teacher Director: Ms. Patricia Vega, M.Ed.

Senior Counselor: Br. Alphonse LeBlanc, F.S.C., M.A., M.Ed.

School Synopsis

Cathedral High School is a Catholic high school for boys in grades 9 through 12, owned by a corporation, Cathedral High School, Inc., governed by a board of directors, and administered and operated in the Lasallian Tradition of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The school is fully accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department (TCCED). Multi-State/National, Cathedral students come from parochial, private, and public schools in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Eighty-nine percent of the students are of Hispanic origin including international students who make up about 15% of the school population. The remaining students are of varied ethnic backgrounds. There are 479 students enrolled, 35 full-time faculty and 3 part-time faculty. Tuition is $6000 per year. Students with demonstrated need receive over $210,000 in tuition assistance. Twenty percent of the students receive some financial assistance. Entering students are given the College Board Accuplacer Examination. In addition, all students are administered the The College Board Accuplacer Examination in the spring of the 10th grade year in order to qualify for Early Admission college courses. Starting in 2009 students are given the Iowa Test of Educational Development.

Graduation Requirements

Students who meet the minimal requirements of the TCCED graduate with a Standard Diploma which requires 26 credits for graduation. Students following the college preparatory curriculum can earn the Recommended Diploma or the Distinguished Diploma each of which requires 28 credits for graduation. One Carnegie unit is offered for classes which meet five days a week, for fifty minute periods, for thirty-six weeks. All students are required to take religion each semester they are in attendance at Cathedral. Transfer students do not start with Religion I, but the course at their entering level.

Curriculum

The college preparatory curriculum includes College Early Admissions courses (designated as EA courses on the official transcript) at the 11th and 12th grade levels, as well as AP and Pre-AP courses at all levels of instruction.

Required Courses

Religion 4 credits - Religion I, II, III, IV (1 unit for each year of attendance at Cathedral)
English Language Arts 4 credits - English I, II, III, (Composition, Vocabulary, Grammar and Literature), British Literature
Mathematics 4 credits - To include Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II, and Pre-calculus
Science 4 credits - To include, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Systems, Physics (IPC may substitute for Environmental Systems)
Social Sciences 4 credits - To include World History, World Geography, United States History, U.S. Government / Economics
Foreign Language 3 credits (same language) - French I, II, III ,Spanish I, II, III Mandarin Chinese (Foreign Language not required for the Standard Diploma)
Physical Education 1 1/2 credit - Physical Education I, II
Health 1/2 credit
Technology Applications 1 credit - Business Computer Information Systems
Speech 1/2 credit - Communications Applications
Fine Arts and Humanities 1 credit - Variable ( not required for the Standard Diploma)
Electives 1/2 credit - Variable (2 ½ credits required for the Standard Diploma)

Total: 28 Credits (26 credits for the Standard Diploma)

College Level Core Courses

Under limited circumstances, students, with the expressed written permission of the school principal, are granted early admission status to either the University of Texas at El Paso or the El Paso Community College. These students are classified as college students for all purposes and earn college credit hours for courses successfully completed at their institutions. Successfully completed college coursework is designated as “EA” courses on the official transcript. These courses are not dual-credit courses as defined by either The College Board or the State of Texas. College level courses are available in the following subject areas:

United States Government and Politics
State and Local Government
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Speech
United States History to 1865
United States History since 1865
Expository English Composition
Research Writing and Literary Analysis
Art Appreciation
Introduction to Sociology
Business Computer Applications
Mastering Academic Excellence
College Pre-Calculus I
College Pre-Calculus II
Introduction to Philosophy
College Calculus I and II

ADVANCED PLACEMENT is offered in:

Spanish IV
Economics

PRE-ADVANCED PLACEMENT CORE COURSES designated by (H) are offered in:

Algebra I and II
Geometry
Biology I
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Systems
English I and II
World History
Human Geography

GENERAL ELECTIVES COURSES are offered in the following:

English
Science
Fine Arts
Business
Social Science
Journalism
Creative Writing
ESL
General Genetics
Anatomy
Physiology
Art I
Choir I-IV
Art History
Theater Arts I-IV
Music Appreciation
Introduction to Business
Criminal Justice
Introduction to Management
Introduction to Engineering

Grading System/GPA and Rank

Beginning in the school year 2000-2001, report card grades are given in terms of numbers.

Academic Classes	Scale	EA/AP/Pre-AP Classes
-	101-108	E
A	93-100	A
B	85-92	B
C	77-84	C
D	70-76	D
F	0-69	F

Early Admission, AP, and Pre-AP courses are weighted by adding 8 points to the semester grade on the transcript.

FINAL GPA and RANK are based on the final grades, an average of the two semester grades. The semester grade is the numerical average of the two quarter grades. Students passing the final semester are given credit for the entire year if the final average is 70% or better. All courses are recorded on the official transcript. Pre-Advanced Placement and Advanced Placement courses are designated as (PAP) and (AP) respectively. Credit courses NOT included in GPA/RANK are pass-fail courses simply indicated by “P” on the transcript.

TESTING

All students are required to take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of their junior year. All the students are encouraged to take both the ACT and the SAT. The mean scores for the past five years are as follows

ACT/ENHANCED ACT (Based on ACT report 8/17/2011)

Year Tested	%	English	Math	Reading	Science	Composite	Writing
06-07	16	13%	21.8	23.6	22.8	22.1	22.8
07-08	22	15%	20.0	20.2	20.0	20.0	20.2
08-09	24	20%	20.3	21.3	24.0	21.8	21.9
09-10	25	20%	22.9	22.7	24.6	22.4	23.4
10-11	26	21%	21.0	22.1	21.7	21.3	21.7

SAT/SAT I (Based on SAT report 9.1.2010)

Year	Tested	%	Verbal	Math	Writing
06-07	108	90%	500	496	484
07-08	127	90%	467	475	461
08-09	98	81%	473	478	472
09-10	107	84%	492	495	488
10-11	117	95%	487	486	483

College Acceptance

The Graduating Class of 2011 included: 2 National Merit Finalists, 5 Gates Millennium Scholarship recipients, 6 Nominations to the military academies.

Traditionally, ninety-five percent of the graduates go on to two year and four year colleges. Members of the Class of 2011 were accepted by the following colleges and universities: