The retreat program is designed to offer our student community time for rest, reflection, and bonding with self, others, and God. The charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Carondelet High School mission is woven into the themes of each retreat.
Shalom Retreat 2020
Senior Kairos Journey Retreat (Class of 2024)
The Kairos Journey retreat is a three-day, two-night retreat away from campus. All other retreats build up to this summative senior experience. On Kairos, students have an opportunity to develop deeper relationships with God, others, and self through reflection, prayer, student and adult talks, community building and small group sharing. They recollect how the spirit of the CSJ tradition has shaped them during high school as they reflect on their sacred life story. Seniors often leave this retreat with a deeper sisterhood connection than they thought was possible, and a desire to live life more fully aware of God’s presence in everyday moments.
When seniors register for the Kairos Journey, student athletes are asked to consider avoiding their season of sport and/or play-off schedules in order to minimize impact on their team.
Note: Please keep in mind this is a date request form. While we do our best to give students their first or second choice, we cannot always guarantee it. Dates are given on a first-come, first-serve basis. Campus Ministry staff will post a finalized roster in August 2023.
Retreats will close when capacity is reached.
Please choose your dates mindfully as we do have a cancellation fee as your retreat date gets closer.
Junior Shalom Retreat (Class of 2025)
The Shalom retreat is a three-day, two-night retreat away from campus that focuses on well-being and spiritual growth. Juniors are faced with many pressures and often lose sight of the peace and well-being that God desires for them during this stressful year. The Shalom retreat encourages students to reflect on what holds them back from spiritual freedom and gives them an opportunity to explore various spiritual practices and prayer forms so that they may leave the retreat with helpful tools that can assist them in finding and maintaining Shalom (peace and wholeness) in their lives.
There are 180 spots available which fill on a first come, first served basis.
Whenjuniorsregister forShalom,student athletes are asked to consider avoiding their season of sport and/or play-off schedules in order to minimize impact on their team.
Please choose your dates mindfully as we do have a cancellation fee as your retreat date gets closer.
Sophomore Corazón Retreat (Class of 2026)
The Corazón retreat is a one-day retreat for sophomores that focuses on building community and inclusive friendships. Sophomore year is filled with changes and many students find themselves wondering who their real friends are and/or struggling with how to be true to themselves while pushing social boundaries. On Corazón, sophomores will be challenged to consider the importance of inclusion and empathy as they navigate the heightened social pressures of high school. Through games, activities, and discussion, they are invited to look for the presence of God in each person they encounter and commit to building friendships that demonstrate that. This retreat is offered on four different dates in November.
Whensophomoresregister forCorazón, student athletes are asked to consider avoiding game days in order to minimize impact on their team.
Please choose your dates mindfully as we do have a cancellation fee as your retreat date gets closer.
FroshAlpha Retreat (Class of 2027)
The deadline to register is Friday, August 25, 2023
TheAlpha Retreat welcomes Frosh students into the Carondelet community. A variety of icebreakers, reflections, community builders, discussions, and prayers are led by older students and adults. The retreat is like one epic sleepover. The class of 2027 will be introduced to the Sisters of St. Joseph tradition as they begin their journey to live the values of Faith, Heart, Courage, and Excellence.
Important Details
Alpha is an ON-CAMPUS event- all students and staff spend the night in the Inner Court. Students may not leave campus at any time, for any reason during the retreat.
The Alpha Retreat is a popular Carondelet tradition for the freshmen class to spend an afternoon and evening building community and spending the night on campus—all 200+ of them!
Alpha begins at 2:15 PM on Friday, Sept. 8 and ends at 10:00 AM on Sat. Sept. 9.
Students Need to Bring:sleeping bag, pillow, yoga mat or thin camping mat, comfortable clothes, overnight toiletries, and musical instruments (optional).
Please DO NOT BRING air mattresses or shower supplies (no showers will be available).
Cell Phones will be locked in student lockers for the duration of the retreat.
Co-Curricular Involvement
Retreat experiences are central to the personal and spiritual growth of students at Carondelet High School. The safety of students and the integrity of our retreat program is very important. Each activity during the retreat has an important role, just as each individual who attends adds something valuable and unique to the overall retreat experience. Therefore, students who register for any Carondelet retreat, including ALPHA, are asked tobe present from start to finish.
All frosh student athletes are excused from Carondelet athletic practices and games for the Alpha retreat. Frosh students participating in sports outside of Carondelet are encouraged to talk to coaches about missing a practice or game for Alpha.
While we understand families’ desires to take athletic commitments seriously, we also urge families to recognize that there is only one opportunity to attend Alpha. This retreat is a foundational Carondelet experience that eases the transition into high school, introduces students to the Sisterhood, and helps prepare them for their four-year journey with the Carondelet faith community.
Please choose your dates mindfully as we do have a cancellation fee as your retreat date gets closer.
Carondelet High School Retreat Philosophy and Policy
Carondelet High School’s comprehensive retreat program seeks to nurture the spiritual growth of students and deepen connections within the school community. Retreats are seen as an integral part of education at Carondelet and are excused absences. All staff, faculty and coaches support the central role that retreats play in students’ formation and will work to accommodate students’ participation in retreats. In order to honor the integrity of the retreat and the cohesiveness of the group, students must attend the entire retreat, from the beginning of the retreat to the end. Please communicate with Campus Ministry staff if your student has a medical reason to attend only part of a retreat.
Attendance and School Work
Attending a retreat is an excused absence.
When missing school for overnight retreats, all students are given 6 calendar days to learn new material and complete assignments given while on retreat.
If an essay, test or project due date falls on a retreat day, teachers may require students to complete these before the retreat if students were aware of the due date and had been given the same amount of time to prepare as the rest of the class. If an essay, test or project due date falls on the day after the retreat, teachers may require students to complete them upon return if no new material was covered during the retreat, students were aware of the due date, and had been given the same amount of time to prepare as the rest of the class.
Student athletes are asked to consider avoiding their season of sport and/or play-off schedules in order to minimize impact on their team. Student athletes may not be penalized for missing practices while attending retreat.
Students are responsible for proactively communicating with teachers and coaches about attending retreats in a timely manner.
Student Safety and Well-being During retreats, students are invited to be thoughtful, open and authentic in their reflections and sharing. In that process, students often share about difficult and/or painful experiences. Out of care and concern for our students, and because of our legal responsibility as mandated reporters, Campus Ministry staff, along with all other adults in attendance on retreats, we will take steps to report any harm (self or by others), abuse or assault that a minor shares with us (past or present). We are honored that students trust us and turn to us for safety and support when needed.
Financial Commitment The cost of retreats is covered in tuition. Families do not need to pay for students to register for and attend retreats. However, because Carondelet enters into contracts with various retreat and conference centers, and because of the detailed preparations involved in each retreat, there is a cancellation fee when students cancel within 1 month of an overnight retreat and within 2 weeks of a day retreat. There are waiting lists for the junior Shalom and senior Kairos Journey retreats and it is difficult to move students from the waiting list with little notice.
When canceling within 1 month of a Shalom or Kairos retreat, the fee is $200.
When canceling within 2 weeks of an Alpha or Corazon retreat, the fee is $100.
The fee will be added to family tuition bills.
Behavioral Commitment While on retreat, students are held accountable for the behavioral guidelines outlined in section 4 of the Student Handbook. Some key policies to keep in mind while attending retreats with Carondelet staff and moderators are as follows:
During school-sponsored events, the faculty/staff moderator is responsible for all students. The moderator determines trip guidelines including curfew, behavior expectations, meal schedules, required participation, and mandatory attendance. The trip moderator will report any violations of rules or policies to the Dean of Students and/or Assistant Dean of Students.
Drug & Alcohol Policy: Any student found to be in possession of illegal substances, object, paraphernalia materials, items related to the use of, or productions of, illegal substances will face consequences as delineated in the student handbook.
Harassment-Free Policy: Carondelet High School is committed to maintaining a professional and congenial learning environment that respects the dignity of each individual. The school will not tolerate any form of harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, protected activity (i.e., opposition to prohibited discrimination or participation in the statutory process) or any characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law, either in school, or at school-sponsored events/athletic competitions.
Tech Services & Appropriate Use: Violating the privacy of individuals by recording of any kind of students, faculty, or staff without consent. Furthermore, posting these photos or recordings on social media may result in disciplinary action.
Search & Seizure: The administration or designated representatives reserve the right to search and confiscate a student’s person, personal property, or vehicle for illegal substances or weapons at school (both Carondelet High School and or De La Salle High School), or at school-sponsored events and school-wide programs and activities at Carondelet High School and De La Salle High School. Disciplinary incidents that occur on campus will be investigated per school protocols.
2022-2023 Retreat Dates, Times, Deadlines
Alpha: Friday, September 8th, 2:15 PM - Saturday, September 9th, 10:00 AM, Deadline: Friday, August 25
Corazon: All Corazon retreats are off campus. Bus leaves at 7 AM and returns by 5 PM. Registration is first come, first serve; register asap to get the date you want (and that works with your athletic schedule)
Monday, November 6, 2023
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Shalom: All Shalom retreats are off campus. Bus leaves at 8 AM and returns by 9 PM. Registration is first come, first served; register asap to get the date you want (and that works with your athletic schedule)
Shalom 1: Thursday, February 22, 2024 - Friday, February 23, 2024
Shalom 2: Sunday, February 25, 2024 - Monday, February 26, 2024
Shalom 3: Thursday, March 7, 2024 - Friday, March 8, 2024
Shalom 4: Sunday, March 10, 2024 - Monday , March 11, 2024
Kairos Journey:All retreats are off campus. Bus leaves between either at BREAK (depending on the location of the retreat) and arrives back on campus by 7 PM. Registration is first come, first served; register asap to get the date you want (and that works with your athletic schedule)
Kairos Journey 96: Wednesday, September 20, 2023 - Friday, September 22, 2023
Kairos Journey 97: Monday, October 2, 2023 - Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Kairos Journey 98: Sunday, February 11, 2024 - Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Kairos Journey 99: Sunday, April 21,2024 - Tuesday, April 23, 2024
