Quality Education in the Benedictine Tradition
St. Bernard Preparatory School in Cullman, Alabama is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and seated atop the Cumberland Plateau. It is home to the world famous Ave Maria Grotto, a world in miniature created by Br. Joseph Zoettl, O.S.B. Cullman is a hospitable city that captures the American spirit embodied in our nation's small cities and offers a unique history of the Deep South.
Since 1891 Benedictine monks at St. Bernard Abbey have provided thousands of students with exceptional educational experiences. The co-ed boarding school is home to 135 students from the United States and 13 countries. The academic program is focused on preparing students for college as well as enabling these young adults to make wise life choices. Graduates of St. Bernard are successful in college classrooms and have an impeccable track record for college scholarship awards. In recent years 100% of St. Bernard graduates have continued their education at post-secondary institutions.
St. Bernard Prep offers quality academic, athletic, and community involvement programs. The college prep curriculum includes: Advance Placement Classes, college prep class instruction in all core curriculum and foreign language classes-Spanish, Latin and French. Extracurricular activities include most major sports-football, volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball; fine arts-drama, music, orchestra and art in addition to various clubs. Community involvement through the Rotary Club, campus ministry team, and student ambassador programs is available. All students, parents, faculty and staff participate in hosting Bloomin' Festival Arts and Crafts Fair, St. Bernard Prep's annual weekend festival held each April. The festival attracts thousands to the campus, and is recognized by the Southeast Tourism Association as a "Top 20 Event" for the month of April in the Southeastern United States.
The faculty consists of Benedictine monks and sisters as well as lay people who have obtained their masters or doctoral degrees. St. Bernard is accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, and serves students-boarding and day-in a high school program, and a middle school day program.
Parents comment on the changes they see in a child who enters into the boarding life: increasing closeness to and affection shown toward the family; a depth of communication, appreciation and love that is often undeveloped at home; and the self-discipline, self-respect and self-confidence that comes from the school's belief in teenagers and in their ability to think for themselves and to do what is good. Parents relate to their children more profoundly, increasingly aware of the bond that exists between them; and children grow in their understanding of the love that comes from parents who commit to the opportunity that the St. Bernard experience offers.
St. Bernard Abbey is Alabama's only abbey, and the home of Alabama's only Catholic boarding school. All faiths are welcome. St. Bernard admits students and administers its general policies without regard for race, creed, sex, national or ethnic origin.
Web: www.stbernardprep.com.
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