Bishop Dunne Catholic School is a college preparatory middle / high school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas. In 2004, it was awarded the National Blue Ribbon School Lighthouse Award in regards for its continued academic excellence and dedication to the students of south Dallas. It is the only Catholic school with grades 6 through 12 to hold an exemplary accreditation rating from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department.
Renovation
In 2013, Bishop Dunne Catholic School received a $6 million grant from Bishop Kevin Farrell. The school has used this money to renovate infrastructure including electrical, cabling, and wiring upgrades; a completely new HVAC system; and a sprinkler system. Classrooms have been renovated with technology teaching walls, LEEDS environmental and acoustical standards, and new ceilings and flooring. The front office areas have also been completed. The auditorium and chapel have been re-modeled. The classrooms were completed to begin the 2013-2014 school year while the auditorium and chapel are being worked on during the school year.
History
In 1961, Bishop Dunne Catholic School began under the name Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. The Sisters of St. Mary of Namur had established two girls’ high schools in Dallas; Our Lady of Good Counsel Academy in Oak Cliff in 1901 and St. Edward’s Academy in East Dallas in 1912. At the request of the Diocese of Dallas, the Sisters agreed to close the two high schools and invite students from them to be part of a new entity, a diocesan sponsored high school. The Sisters agreed to continue staffing the girls’ section of the institution, while the Brothers of the Sacred Heart were invited to staff the boys’ section of the school. The school opened with the accreditation and as a continuation of Our Lady ofGood Counsel, although boys were now welcome. The Sisters of St. Mary provided the principal and staff for the girls’ side and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart provided the principal and staff for the boys’ side. In 1963, the name of the school was officially changed to Bishop Dunne in honor of Bishop Edward Joseph Dunne, the second Bishop of Dallas. In 1969, the school officially became coeducational. At that time a Brother of the Sacred Heart was named principal, and a Sister of St. Mary of Namur was named assistant principal. The Sisters remained in administrative or teaching capacity at Bishop Dunne until 1992, residing in a convent on the grounds of the school. School Clubs and National Societies offered at Bishop Dunne: Ecology Club, Student Council, Latinos Unidos, Pre-Med Club, Animal Rescue Club, Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society, Anime Club, Photo Club, National Art Honor Society, Pre-Law Club, Garden Club, Poetry Club, African Awareness Club, French Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club, Archery Club, Praise Dance, and Yearbook Club.
Campus
Bishop Dunne is designed in a three pillar format. These compose the four main hallways of the campus. Within the school are three courtyards, two of which have been dedicated. The Vincent Langbein Memorial Garden and the Father Tim Gollob Garden Sanctuary were named after previous employees for their support and investment of the school. These gardens, which have been xeriscaped to minimize the carbon footprint of the school, function as a teaching tool for biology classes, a place of solitude for reflection, and as a patio for lunch. Also, distributed all around campus is art work from previous graduates to current students to showcase their award-winning talent. In the center of the campus is the Chapel where students may go to for monthly confession. Also, theology classes hold weekly rosaries, reflections on bible readings, and solemn prayer. Adjacent to the Vincent Langbein Memorial Garden is the cafeteria which went through renovations that saw improvements to the ventilation system and improved lighting and more recently completed expansions. The cafeteria, in efforts to promote healthy living, does not serve carbonated beverages. The gymnasium has undergone renovations within the recent years. The improvements include professional grade wood flooring, heating and air conditioning, and bleachers. In conjunction with these additions the Orender Field House was constructed. This added a dance room, an additional weight and training room, and a locker room. On campus, there are three fields that are utilized by Bishop Dunne's sports teams. Directly behind the school is the Earl Hayes Stadium. This is where the football, soccer, and track and field teams have their games. Adjacent to the stadium is the Steve Macko Baseball Field and the softball field next to it.
Athletics
Bishop Dunne participates in TAPPS 6A competing in one of the most rigorous and demanding classes. Currently, the following High School sports are offered:
Over the past few years, Bishop Dunne has run a very successful football program while sending numerous students to D1 colleges. Their 2014–15 season was one of the most successful in recent years, the 14–15 team scored 508 points while allowing just 205 points, the team finished with a 12–1 record with the lone loss coming in the final game of the season against Trinity Christian Academy. The 14–15 team also sent numerous student athletes to Division one programs including Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and BYU. The 15–16 team was just as successful winning finishing with a 12–1 record with the lone loss coming in the championship game to fierce rivals Prestonwood Christian Academy, the team managed to score an incredible 607 points while pitching a 90–0 shutout against Roosevelt. The team also managed to send their student athletes to Cal, Kansas State and other top notch colleges across the country. The team's Earl Hayes stadium has also become a home fortress for the team, Dunne has not lost a single home game in two years, with just the lone loss coming against the now defunct Prime Prep Academy. In the last three years Dunne has managed to send their student athletes to schools like Illinois, Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Baylor, Texas A&M, BYU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. With all these Dunne has managed to solidify itself as the top football private school in Texas, in the 13–14 year MaxPreps.com ranked Dunne as the 129th best high school football team among private and public schools in America, and also the 15th best football high school among both public and private schools in Texas.
