School Profile

School Characteristics

Carondelet High School is a four-year Catholic high school that offers young women a transformative educational experience in an encouraging and caring environment. Since its founding in 1965, Carondelet has combined academic excellence and a recognition of the unique gifts of each of its students.

The school’s focus is a woman-centered, comprehensive educational program designed to help young women build confidence and prepare for leadership and service in the 21st century. At the junior and senior grade levels, the combined course options of Carondelet and De La Salle, an adjacent Catholic boys’ high school, offer opportunities for those who seek a co-educational experience.

Co-curricular offerings include: Spiritual Life Council, Drama, Honor Societies, Community Service, Photography, Student Government, Yearbook, Concert Choir, Band, Special Interest Clubs, and Inter­scholastic & Intramural Sports. Trained peer counselors assist with freshman orientation. Peer counselors and other student leaders assist with retreats, under the direction of Campus Ministry.

The Community

The campus is located 30 miles east of San Francisco, making it accessible to many cultural highlights and experiences. Students commute from an area that includes 53 zip codes. Carondelet's student population of approximately 800 reflects the cultural, ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Service

While service is not mandatory for students, a prodigious number of students perform community service and acts of social justice. In 2018-19, students performed 7,700 service hours. Students serve with 30+ non-profit organizations in Contra Costa County, Salinas, San Diego and Appalachia through service learning and immersion experience programs (Ven A Ver), 3 immersion experiences (Washington, DC, Salinas, San Diego), 3 all school service projects, Freshman and Junior classes participate in all class day of service, 10 Jefferson Awards recipients, 46 President's Volunteer Service Award recipients 

Curriculum

Students must complete 240 credits for graduation. Requirements include:
40 credits - English
40 credits - Religious Studies
30 credits - Mathematics
30 credits - Social Studies
30 credits - Laboratory Science
20 credits - Modern Language
15 credits - Kinesiology: activity classes (10); health (5)
15 credits - Visual and Performing Arts
20 credits - Electives

For AP and honors classes students must meet GPA or course requirements and are limited to the number they take each year.

• Advanced placement classes are offered in the following subjects:
  • Biology; Environmental Science; Calculus AB; Calculus BC; Chemistry; English Language and Composition; English Literature and Composition; Environmental Science; French; Government and Politics; Italian; Latin; Physics 1; Physics C; Psychology; Spanish; Statistics; Studio Art: Drawing, 2-D, 3-D; U.S. History.
• Honors courses include:
  • Algebra 1; Algebra 2 w/Trigonometry; Chemistry; Concert Choir; English 2; French 3; Geometry; Italian 2, 3; Spanish 3.

Grading System

GPA: Grades are weighted for honors and AP classes.
Class rank: Carondelet does not rank. A deciles system is used.