Boarding
Boarding
Hello! As Director of the Boarding Program, welcome to this section of our website. I would like to share with you an overview of a program I love and invite you to contact me for more information if you wish.
If you are interested in applying to the Priory, please go to the Admissions section of this Web site. You will find a detailed explanation, downloadable forms, and people to help you.
Woodside Priory boarding students join a tradition that began in 1957 with the founding of the school. Benedictine monks escaping Communist repression in Central Europe established the Priory in a lovely rural valley where the hills of Skyline Ridge hold back the Pacific fog, and the sites of San Francisco and Silicon Valley are less than an hour away. Here, the campus community enjoys sunny skies and moderate temperatures throughout the year. The valley is still rural, quiet, and safe. I feel blessed to live here.
Boarding students love living among friends, and having friends from around the world. Students hail from all over the globe, from local communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and California to countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific Rim. Boarders compose about 20% of the High School student population. Boarders are surrounded by an on-campus community that includes faculty and staff and their families, and the five monks in the monastery-about 100 people. Some of the students' happiest memories include times with the young children.
Anselm House (for girls) and Benedict House (for boys) have been renovated recently and include lounge areas where day students also enjoy relaxing. For photos and a description, go to the "Welcome" section and click on "See the Campus," an interactive map.
Boarding life is designed to promote academic and personal growth based on the Benedictine values of hospitality, community, integrity, individuality and spirituality. At house meetings, occasional seminars, and with the guidance of the residence staff, students develop the skills for independence and success in college and adult life. With a small boarding community and a 6:1 ratio of students to staff, each student is well known and receives personal attention. Student prefects (in addition to staff) play a key role in promoting a community where all feel welcome.
Again, please contact me if you wish to talk about Boarding life and campus life; I will enjoy meeting you.
Damian Cohen
Director of the Boarding Program
Social Studies Faculty