About Us

O’Connell College Preparatory School seeks to develop competence, conscience and compassion in our students through a challenging program of spiritual, academic, social, and extra-curricular activities.

The philosophy of O’Connell is enriched in Catholic tradition, which promotes goodness, faith in action, discipline, and responsibility in education.

Our liturgical action and worship is centered upon the Eucharist. As such, we celebrate all-school monthly masses and our students are expected to be dressed in full Mass uniform. Our regular liturgies also include school-wide Christmas and Easter celebrations along with recognition of those principle celebrations of the liturgical year. Regular opportunities for individual confession, adoration, and morning prayer are available to our students in our chapel. Our students are actively involved in every aspect of praise and worship of our God. Opportunities for students to be involved in Liturgy include Lector, Altar Server, Choir, Musicians, and aid. 

• Create an undeniably Catholic teaching and learning environment.
• Provide a college preparatory program to maximize each student's potential through higher education.
• Expand the educational experience through the continued use of emerging technology.
• Maintain a competitive athletic program that emphasizes personal integrity and self-discipline.
• Establish financial priorities to provide accessible Catholic education.
• Provide a challenging environment where students grow in charity, leadership, and personal excellence. 

The partnership between the school and the parent is very important, it's crucial to ensuring that your child has the best opportunities to enjoy the school experience and to learn effectively. As a parent you can contribute your own knowledge and skills at all levels, to assist in your child's learning, to support the school's goals and to promote the principles of faith and education. 

What is Tradition? At O’Connell College Preparatory School, tradition is more than a word. Here tradition is a legacy of excellence in academics, it is a pride in Buccaneer athletics, and it is a commitment to the success of our students that is as time-honored as Galveston itself.  Through the years, O’Connell has weathered its share of challenges but has always risen to the occasion with an indomitable spirit.  We have been blessed as a community to trace our educational heritage back to 1847 as Ursuline Academy, then Dominican High School and Kirwin High School.  As the only Catholic high school serving families in Galveston, Brazoria, and southern Harris counties, O’Connell proudly continues the educational mission of its predecessors.   

Since 1847, O’Connell College Preparatory School has been educating the hearts and minds of young adults in Galveston. As the oldest Catholic high school in the state of Texas, it is imperative we maintain this tradition. The mission of the school seeks to develop competence, conscience, and compassion in our students through a challenging program of spiritual, academic, social and extra-curricular activities.

Below you can find the opening and closing paragraphs of an essay one of our graduates wrote about her experience at O'Connell. 
   I am a fourth generation Buccaneer. Not an actual buccaneer that is out to steal treasure, but one from O’Connell College Preparatory High School. Open since 1847, O’Connell is full of history and traditions that have contributed to the city of Galveston since its beginning. These traditions create an ever-growing family made of those from the past, present, and future. O’Connell’s focus on developing students’ characters and not just minds has fostered the growth for this family atmosphere throughout the years. O’Connell is not a stereotypical American high school filled with divide and teenage angst. To the contrary, it is a community with a rich history, unique rituals, and caring atmosphere that shapes virtuous individuals.

I am proud to say that I am a fourth generation Buccaneer. I am still not the kind of buccaneer that is out to steal treasure, but the kind that finds it by running down the street linking arms with friends and folding tissue paper to win a float making contest. These traditions may sound silly, but every community has its unique quirks. The fact that these quirks can be traced so many years back also makes everyone feel they are part of something bigger than themselves. My time involved with O’Connell helped shape my story, and continues shaping it from the encouragement I receive from those within the community. I am not the only one with this story, as O’Connell has had a positive impact on almost every individual who has crossed its path. Malala Yousafzai’s famous quote, “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world” (The Full Text) perfectly embodies O’Connell and its values.
 

If you would like to read the full essay, please follow the link below:

We are the Bucs

O'Connell College Preparatory School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender,age, marital status, ability, or veteran status, and abides by the Non-Discrimination Policy set in place by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and Texas Catholic Conference Accreditation Standards.