Profile of a Xaverian Brothers High School Graduate
A Xaverian education is rooted in the mission, traditions, and values of the Xaverian Brothers. The values of trust, humility, compassion, simplicity, and zeal are interwoven into all aspects of a Xaverian education. As a college preparatory school, our mission is to empower students with the essential skills and knowledge necessary for achieving success in post-secondary education. In addition, we promote the maturation of young men who possess the ability to make informed and values-driven decisions in the context of today's world. We develop a heightened sense of justice in both our school and global communities. Furthermore, students participate in curricular and extracurricular opportunities that promote healthy lifestyles. As a result of these endeavors, Xaverian Brothers High School strives to develop well-rounded young men.
SPIRITUAL
Graduates of Xaverian Brothers High School are expected to:
- possess a knowledge of self
- exhibit an awareness of God in the Catholic tradition
- foster respect for those in the Xaverian community and beyond
- share their individual gifts through service
- make informed and mature moral decisions
- understand the Xaverian call to a contemplative stance in the world
ACADEMIC
Graduates of Xaverian Brothers High School are expected to:
- acquire the subject matter necessary to succeed at a college level
- think and read critically
- communicate effectively through writing and speaking
- use technology effectively
- develop creative abilities and understanding through the arts
- understand and form connections among academic areas
SOCIAL
Graduates of Xaverian Brothers High School are expected to:
- posses a clear sense of physical and mental well-being
- engage in respectful and meaningful relationships
- exhibit good sportsmanship
- demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively
- possess the social skills necessary for college and beyond
- develop diverse interests through participation in extracurricular activities
CAMPUS MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY DEPARTMENTS
The Campus Ministry and Theology Departments work collaboratively to help a Xaverian Student become:
- an active citizen who is globally conscious
- a person of informed, claimed faith who is practicing his religion
- tolerant and respectful of other's opinions
- able to make mature and informed moral decisions
- willing to be of service to others and to promote justice
- prayerful
- knowledgeable of Catholic doctrines and social teachings
- scripturally and religiously literate
- a discerning, critical thinker
- ecumenically sensitive
- a person who loves God, others, and self
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the Computer Science requirement, the Xaverian student will:
- Use a computer ethically
- Be a competent user of Email
- Be a competent user of the Internet
- Be a skilled user of Microsoft Word
- Be a competent user of Microsoft Excel.
- Be a skilled user of Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Use the basic features of Adobe PhotoShop.
- Be a competent public speaker.
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the English requirement, students should:
Read
- critically and empathetically in a variety of genres
- identifying and applying literary elements
- independently drawing inferences
Write
- utilizing the writing process in various modes
- developing sophisticated vocabulary
- using grammatical conventions
Speak and listen
- actively
- empathetically
- using and recognizing rhetorical conventions
- comfortably and effectively in front of his peers
Study
- taking and utilizing effective notes in a variety of forms
- applying test preparation strategies and skills
- managing time
FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the Fine Arts requirement, the Xaverian student will:
- Seek his individual creative and spiritual voice through self-expression
- Demonstrate his knowledge in four major arts categories: Hands-on performance, art(s) history,
aesthetics and Criticism/Analysis
- Gain skills in creative and critical thinking, and problem solving
- Communicate visually, musically, orally, and through the written word
- Develop proficiency in his use of technology to study the arts
- Expand windows of learning through Gardner's multiple intelligences
- Share his God-given talents with the broader community through the arts
- Acquire various viewpoints by electing a variety of arts courses
- Explore the arts as a life long participant, whether actively or passively
GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
The Guidance Department will work with a student to enable him to:
- Assess and recognize his strengths and weaknesses
- Adjust to new situations
- Take advantage of Xaverian's resources
- Have a sense of community
- Have a sense of service to others
- Identify weaknesses and know how to improve them
- Research careers and majors
- Have knowledge of what careers and majors interest them
- Understand pertinent, age appropriate psychosocial issues (family and peer issues, depression,
drug and alcohol issues, etc)
- Understand spiritual development by participating in sports, clubs and retreats
MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the Mathematics requirement, the Xaverian student will:
- Be suitably prepared for college mathematics
- Have developed study habits and values required for the proper personal development of each
individual as a learner
- Be able to both build an argument and justify an argument using quantitative means
- Have attained the mathematical skills and the critical thinking skills necessary for success in other
disciplines
- Develop the ability to estimate numerically, both as a skill and as a means of determining the
plausibility of a given result
- Use technology in an efficient and appropriate manner when solving a given problem
MODERN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the Modern Language requirement, the Xaverian student will:
- Demonstrate mastery of all the basic communicative skills in the target language, including vocabulary,
grammar, verb tense and conjugation, and syntactical structure
- Demonstrate advanced intermediate conversational skills, both listening and speaking, which enable
the student to carry on meaningful dialogue with a native speaker
- Read proficiently in the target language which enables the student to read authentic articles, short
stories and short novels without the need for a dictionary, employing active and passive vocabulary,
context clues, and logical guessing
- Write proficiently in the target language, reflecting grammatical and stylistic accuracy
- Possess a well-developed appreciation and awareness of the culture(s) of the target language,
including art, music, literature, along with native traditions and cultural practices both domestically and
internationally
- Gain an awareness of social justice as it applies specifically, but not exclusively, to developing
countries where the native language is spoken
- Have an opportunity to experience an authentic exchange experience in the target foreign culture. This
can be done through departmental home-stay exchange programs, Campus Ministry programs, or on
their own
PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the Physical Education requirement, the Xaverian student will:
- Understand the importance of being physically active as it relates to a healthy lifestyle
- Demonstrate the social skills necessary to appreciate the efforts of others
- Develop social interaction skills through verbal instruction, listening, leading and following
- Recognize and value the importance of cooperation in team activities
- Display sportsmanship and respect for others in the school community
- Be able to set and strive for achievable personal goals
- Understand the positive relationship between exercise and stress management
- Have working knowledge of the appropriate safety skills in lifting weights, running, and game
participation
- Be able to organize, analyze, and evaluate game situations based on class members' skill,
numbers, and time
- Be able to define wellness and understand the personal traits necessary to incorporate wellness
concepts in daily life
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the Science requirement, the Xaverian student will:
- Be resourceful and able to independently find answers to challenging questions, and differentiate
between what is a problem and what is extraneous information
- Be active listeners and participants in their learning
- Safely and competently complete laboratory work
- Effectively write a laboratory report
- Interpret information on a graph (slopes/area under a graph)
- Construct a graph from data
- Have an understanding on how to solve a problem
- Attain critical science-thinking skills
- Read and understand scientific literature
- Understand the scientific method and how to apply it to a problem
- Realize the ethical dilemmas involved with science
- Understand the difference between plagiarism and good research practices
- Understand practical research methods
SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT
At the completion of the Social Studies requirement, and in addition to elective courses, students will:
- Have a basic knowledge of the history of the United States and the major events and people which
have shaped its development
- Have a basic understanding of the Constitution of the United States and American governmen
- Have a basic knowledge of the major cultures of the world and the different social, economic, and
political systems which they have developed throughout their histories
- Have an understanding of the causes and effects of current major global issues
- Have an understanding of issues of social justice
- Have the ability to find sources of information and to critically assess their validity and point of view
- Have the ability to think critically about topics and issues
- Have the ability to express thoughts clearly in writing and speech
- Have the ability to research , write, and document a formal paper of five or more pages
- Have an understanding of the important responsibility of actively participating in society and serving
others in need.