Cleveland Benedictine High School

Benedictine History

Few schools in the country, let alone in Northeast Ohio, have as proud or rich a history as Cleveland's Benedictine High School. Any history of Benedictine must start a long ago - over 1,500 years ago.

In the Holy Rule which St. Benedict wrote for his monks in the sixth century, he suggests that one of the ways that they could serve God better was to welcome the sons of the Christians for training and education within the monastery. Fifteen centuries later the Benedictine Monks in Cleveland continue this apostolic work of education through Benedictine High School located on the grounds of St. Andrew Abbey.

Benedictine High School opened its doors in 1927 at its first location at East 51st Street and Superior Avenue in Cleveland. The founders focused on educating the sons of Slovak immigrants. The new school grew popular with young men of a variety of backgrounds and in 1929 had to relocate to larger facilities on Buckeye Road near Shaker Square.

In the 1930's the school added academic departments such as art and extracurricular clubs and teams such as football which scored its first upset victory in 1934. The current classroom and science buildings were erected in 1940 to handle an expanding enrollment. Benedictine grew in student enrollment and academic recognition in the 1950's. Population shifts and the increasing cost of Catholic education resulted in a smaller enrollment in the 1960's and 1970's. A more highly specialized program of college preparatory studies emerged and soon over 96% of Benedictine’s graduates were destined for college.

Adapting to new circumstances, Benedictine developed an extensive transportation system that still makes Benedictine education possible for students living in Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, and Northern Summit counties. In the 1980's a successful Capital Campaign resulted in a $2.5 million investment in state-of-the-art science laboratories, computer labs, lecture halls, department offices, and new thermal pane windows, as well as a stunning new campus church and bell tower.

In the 1990s the school embarked on a plan to increase the technology available to students and teachers and incorporate it into the curriculum through our North Central Plan. The five phase plan focused on using technology to enhance curriculum and improve student learning.

The school embarked on a Capital Campaign to renovate the interior of the school and establish a faculty and student scholarship endowment as part of the school’s five year strategic plan.