Community

Student Life

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Spirit Weeks

One of the cornerstones of Bishop student life are the themed weeks throughout the year - Welcome Week, Spirit Week, Winter Wonderland, and Spring Fever. Each week brings fun contests, dress-up days, class competitions, and more. As a small school, these shared experiences bring students across grade levels together, strengthen relationships, and help foster a strong sense of belonging and school pride.

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Class Retreats

Many graduating seniors look back on their time at Bishop Diego and name the annual class retreats as some of the most meaningful experiences of their high school years. Bishop’s retreat program is designed to help students grow in their relationship with God, themselves, and others. Retreats are interactive, reflective, and enjoyable, giving students a chance to step away from the everyday routine and focus on what matters most. Freshmen participate in a day-long retreat, while sophomores, juniors, and seniors enjoy overnight experiences. By the time they graduate, students leave Bishop Diego with a deep sense of being loved, supported, and ready to make a positive difference in the world.

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House System

In the fall of 2024, Bishop launched a House System designed to strengthen community and school spirit across grade levels. Students are divided into four mixed-grade Houses named after influential members of the Bishop community: Mike Cano, Rodney Shull, Sr. Helen, and Sandy Tollefson.

The House System encourages positive behavior, meaningful connections, and student engagement by bringing together students who might not otherwise interact. Houses earn points through attendance at athletic events, participation in community service drives, House competitions, and everyday positive actions on campus.

The annual Day of Service and Advisory Groups are House-based, further reinforcing these relationships. Throughout the year, “House Sports” held during lunch provide fun, friendly competition and have included 6-on-6 volleyball, 3-on-3 basketball, and dodgeball tournaments.

At the end of the year, the House with the most points earns a special off-campus trip in late spring. While the House System continues to evolve, it has already become a meaningful part of student life at Bishop, and we are excited about its continued growth.

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A Day in the Life

As students and families arrive on campus, they are often warmly greeted by a member of Bishop’s faculty or staff. From there, students gather in the quad or Stovesand Center to greet friends, meet with teachers during daily office hours, or begin their Period 0 or 1 workout in the weight room. At Bishop, traditional school bells do not ring; instead, the school day begins at 8:20 a.m. with a brief prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance over the loudspeaker.

Students rotate through their classes with a mid-morning break woven into the schedule. At any given moment, you might find the BDTV production crew preparing the daily broadcast, students engaged in a literary discussion in English, or Biology students beginning a lab on osmosis. Art classrooms and the garden come alive as students sculpt in Ceramics or sketch their next project in Art. In Acting, small groups experiment with new techniques, while World Cultures students may head out to the field for a yoga session.

As a closed campus, all students remain safely on site throughout the day, fostering the sense of community and family for which Bishop is known. During breaks and lunch, students spread out across the beautiful Quad, play ping pong in front of the gym, gather in the Stovesand Center, attend club meetings, or head to the Mission Center to play video games, shoot pool, or work on puzzles. Some students bring lunch from home, while others visit the Cardinal Cafe for favorites like chicken tenders and fries, orange chicken with rice, burritos, and more. Teachers can often be found on the quad as well, enjoying lunch outdoors alongside students.

After the final class period, the academic day concludes at 3:00 p.m., again, not with a bell, but with the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi and the words, “Remember Bishop, God loves you.” With that final thought, Cardinals head off to athletic practices and games. The fields and gyms come alive with activity as students participate or stay to cheer on their peers. In the fall and spring, students may also be rehearsing for an upcoming production or performance. Depending on the season, others remain on campus preparing for Mock Trial, finalizing the next edition of The Cardinal Chronicle, or racing to meet a yearbook deadline. Wherever our Cardinals go, and whatever they do, they do so knowing they are loved, supported, and valued members of the Bishop community.