Our Mission and Values

Mission Statement

Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School provides a Catholic college-preparatory program for highly motivated young men and women from the Washington, DC area with limited financial opportunities. In the tradition of St. John Bosco who educated young people for life in an environment of trust and loving kindness, our mission is to provide a rigorous educational program of academics and corporate work-study that will prepare our graduates for college with the Christian values essential to a successful and fulfilling life.

Values

St. John Bosco’s movement of love for the young and the Salesian educational approach of “Faith, Family, Future and Fun” in a joy-filled environment defines Don Bosco’s belief that education is a “matter of the heart.” Salesian education is focused on students, on engaging them with a love for life and learning. Our goal is to maximize the students’ potential and prepare them to assume leadership roles and roles of service in the civic, religious, business and cultural life of our city and nation. As a Catholic School of the Archdiocese of Washington, we are rooted in Gospel values and the teaching mission of the Catholic Church, and our goal is to be a learning community of faith and service dedicated to educational equity and excellence for all students.

Sponsorship

Don Bosco Cristo Rey is shaped by the educational vision of the Salesians of Don Bosco in partnership with the Archdiocese of Washington, who inspire all those at Don Bosco Cristo Rey to teach as Jesus taught and to imitate Him in all we say and do. As a Cristo Rey Network model school, we shall also meet the following standards:

  1. Is explicitly Catholic in mission and enjoys Church approval.
  2. Serves only economically disadvantaged students. The school is open to students of various faiths and cultures, and is culturally sensitive and community-based.
  3. Is family centered and plays an active role in the local community.
  4. Is accredited by a recognized regional accrediting association. It has a college preparatory curriculum designed for a high level of student engagement in their learning.
  5. Requires participation by all students in a work-study program that follows the Corporate Internship Program (CIP) developed at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago.
  6. Seeks to integrate the learning present in its work program, classroom and extracurricular experiences for the fullest benefit of its student workers.
  7. Has an effective administrative structure—normally including positions such as a separate President, Principal, CWSP Director, and Development Director—and a Board structure that includes religious, education, community, business and civic leaders; complies with all applicable state and federal laws, including immigration, labor and not-for-profit tax laws.
  8. Is financially sound: at full enrollment—300 to 500 students, after five years—a Cristo Rey school’s revenue from collected tuition and paying work-study contracts covers more than 85% of operating cash flow. In addition, the school maintains an aggressive development/advancement program to ensure financial stability.
  9. Seeks to understand, assure, and improve how and how well its students learn and grow.
  10. Is an active participant in the collaboration, support, and development of the Cristo Rey Network.