Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria opens the 2017-18 school
year as “The School of Big Ideas.”
The biggest news this year is the construction of a new
state-of-the-art academic center that will take the place of the former Oblate
House.
Bold initiatives also are part of this academic year to allow
students to be inspired to find their passion. The school is offering two dual
enrollment courses with Northern Virginia Community College, which will allow
juniors and seniors the chance to earn college credit in Computer Science and
U.S. Government (Political Science).
Other new classes capitalize on a high demand for STEM and computer
science classes, including Introduction to Cybersecurity and Honors
Introduction to Engineering Design. In addition, classes in the religion
department now include church history, bioethics and Catholic social teachings.
Ireton will welcome back faculty and staff as well as several new
faces. Starting their first year teaching at Ireton will be Angela Agourdis
(physical education), Janie Coleman (English), Brooke Foley (religion),
Benjamin Holec (Latin), Emily Lathe (freshman counselor), Milton Powell (permanent
sub) and Jenna Stedman (physical education).
New to the Advancement Office are Bill Coates as senior director
of institutional advancement and Chris Gilliland as director of constituent relations.
As a school that encourages students to be involved in community
service, Ireton welcomes back six leaders from the rising senior class, who
along with Father Edward Bresnahan, school chaplain, attended Salesian
Leadership Camp in Michigan this summer.
During their time away, the team chose the theme for the upcoming
school year, which will guide the campus ministry team as it helps students
deepen their faith. After a spirited discussion, the group decided on a
quotation from the third part of the Introduction to the Devout Life:
"Remember to learn to cherish each other in this world as we shall do
eternally in heaven.”
Another group of students attended a service retreat at DeSales
Service Works in Camden, N.J., and others attended the diocesan WorkCamp.