Overview of Cathedral High School

Cathedral High School is Boston’s only coed Catholic school serving grades 7 to 12 from our campus in the vibrant and historic South End. Dedicated faculty, small class sizes and applied, hands-on learning through a STEAM based curriculum have produced a steady and consistent 100% graduation and college admission rate for nearly 20 years. An affordable, private, independent Catholic education at Cathedral 7-12 High School is made possible by generous donors who contribute a significant portion of every student’s tuition to attend Cathedral. Because of the generosity of our donors, the cost of tuition is greatly reduced so that no family pays more than $7,000 per year.

Our Mission

Cathedral High School is a Catholic, urban and coeducational college preparatory school committed to excellence and social justice. Within an environment that encourages our scholars to reach their full potential, Cathedral students are expected to make lasting and powerful impacts in their local, national and global communities. Our mission, since our establishment in 1926, is to deliver a rigorous and holistic education that is available for all families, regardless of ability to pay. Rooted in Gospel values that include compassion, respect and service, we embrace the rich diversity of our community and foster a culture of inclusion, opportunity, acceptance and empowerment.

Applied Learning & Rigorous Curriculum

Cathedral students are engaged by an active faculty in a rigorous academic program that challenges them to excel. The college preparatory program includes Advanced Placement (AP), early college classes, and a full array of electives. Students participate in career exploration classes such as the MedScience partnership with Tufts University School of Medicine, business and finance classes in partnership with Fidelity Investments, marketing, and law classes.

STEAM-based, hands-on learning is also central to the program of study. STEAM is an acronym for learning that incorporates science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The goal of STEAM-based education is to incorporate applied learning principles through creation, design and innovation. Every summer, all new students entering grades 7 through 9 also participate in a summer program of STEAM-based applied learning.

Juniors and seniors receive dedicated college preparatory classes to prepare them for the SAT, college applications, and more. Through a 20-year partnership with the law firm WilmerHale, seniors attend multiple workshops with WilmerHale employees to compose, edit, and refine their college application essays.

Leadership & Service

The school’s tagline of “Teaching Values. Building Leaders.” is more than just lip service. Catholic and gospel values are integrated throughout a Cathedral education. In addition to 6 years of required theology classes (grades 7 through 12), every student is required to participate in community service and social justice projects.

Between student government, campus ministry, National Honor Society and many clubs and extracurricular activities students have the opportunity to expand their learning outside the classroom and gain leadership experience. 

Many athletics teams are offered for CHS students from middle school and freshman through JV and varsity. Athletic programs at Cathedral teach students teamwork, leadership and healthy living. In addition to many sectional, league and state championship teams, Cathedral has graduated star athletes such as WNBA players,  Michelle “Ice” Edwards, a 2014 inductee into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Additional Information

Cathedral High School is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization governed by an independent Board of Trustees since 2004. Donations to Cathedral High School may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Cathedral’s EIN is 56-2438574.

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