Why Cathedral?

Boys need time to move during the day; when they don’t, their ability to learn and contribute in school is compromised. Cathedral teachers understand this, enthusiastically taking on the challenge of teaching boys and deftly integrating movement into their classroom and curriculum design. Classroom activities are interactive, kinetic, require collaboration, and are driven by students’ questions. Every boy at Cathedral has both physical education and recess at least once a day, enabling them to burn off energy and better focus in the classroom. By harnessing boys’ energy into constructive, productive ways, Cathedral allows them to fully engage in school while remaining true to their best nature.

Since 1957, Cathedral School has been nationally recognized for the quality, strength, and rigor of our educational experience. The school sets high academic standards for each student, and our small size allows us to support each student to meet and exceed those standards. This approach prepares our students to enter demanding secondary schools — both in the Bay Area and throughout the country — with confidence and success.

More than ever, boys need to feel connected to their community and the broader world around them. Our small size allows our teachers to connect deeply with each boy, allowing them to more deeply absorb the empathy, respect, and openhearted compassion that is modeled by our staff. Our weekly Chapel gatherings give us a space to come together and reflect as a community. And our Episcopal foundation guides us to think about how we can show compassion for others and be agents of change for good. With our sense of purpose, the strength of our community, and our spirit of collaboration, boys connect to the idea that opening our hearts and minds gives us all a sense of belonging.

It’s not enough to identify injustice and unfairness; boys must develop the tools to stand up for what is right and to learn how to constructively engage and respond. At Cathedral, teachers care as much about the content of a young man’s character as they do about his academic success, resulting in boys who look out for others, lean in when they see something amiss, and step up with moral courage.

We understand boys. We know that there are many ways to be a boy, and we approach each boy individually. We appreciate that each boy learns differently and at his own pace. Not only do our teachers appreciate boy energy, enthusiasm, spirited inquiry, learning styles, and deep camaraderie, they specifically choose to work at an all-boys school. This dedication to understanding best how all boys learn is fundamental to our purpose in providing an “excellent education for boys at the elementary level,” as written in our Mission Statement. We believe in the value of building character and helping boys learn to make responsible decisions. Cathedral School is distinguished by a spirit of brotherhood and abiding friendships that exist within every classroom and extend across all the grades.

 

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Cathedral School for Boys was founded in 1957 by members of Grace Cathedral, which is distinguished not only by its stunning location and architecture, but also by the strong history of activism of its leaders. The time that we regularly spend in the Cathedral’s soaring spaces and beauty gives boys a chance to listen, learn, reflect, and sing. The school begins and concludes each week together in Chapel as a full community.

 

The Episcopal approach provides experiences that offer students an understanding of religion and faith, in addition to a lens through which to view the world. The Episcopal Church’s values of inclusion, equity, and service have shaped our school values. Diversity in all of its forms has been a tenet of Cathedral School since its founding. The spiritual dimension of the school — rooted in Chapel services — adds immeasurably to our exploration of values, the development of character, ethical, and moral sensibilities, and service to others. It is through character education and service that boys learn the importance of something greater than one’s own self, which gives meaning and purpose, and forms identity. Regardless of how a Cathedral School boy approaches his own faith and spirituality, the religious education boys receive gives them the tools to better understand the world around them. All the religions reflected in our student body are also celebrated at our school.

 

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Cathedral School for Boys has intentionally remained a small school. With the intimacy of a small school of 260 boys, we are able to know each boy well. This is particularly important in the Lower School (Kindergarten – Grade 4) in which we have just one class per grade of 24 students, led by two co-lead teachers. The two teachers allow for the class to frequently split into varying activities or alternative ways to approach a singular activity. The single class allows each boy to get to know his classmates and for friendships to grow, uninterrupted, over the boys’ years at Cathedral.

 

In the Upper School (Grades 5–8), when boys continue to need adult attention and care just as much as when they were younger, we maintain this sense of intimacy. We add 12 boys, increasing the class size to 36, dividing into two classes of 18. Cathedral teachers approach each boy individually, learning his strengths and opportunities for growth. We shake hands with the boys as they enter the building each morning as a reminder that relationships remain at the core of our approach. In the midst of a large city, our small size fosters a deep sense of community that extends to the entire family and enables deep learning.

We believe that uniforms celebrate equity and inclusion. Everyone wears the same clothing, not out of nostalgia but out of the belief that our dress code demonstrates a sense of purpose and diminishes displays of socioeconomic status that run counter to our philosophy. The Cathedral School uniform is also about tradition. The boys wear nearly the same uniform that their predecessors wore 60 years ago when the school was founded, forging a connection between every boy who has attended the school.

 

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