Mission & History
MISSION
Bishop Fenwick is a Catholic, co-educational, academically rigorous, and personally supportive college preparatory school. Bishop Fenwick is dedicated to creating an environment where all students can seek and achieve excellence intellectually, creatively, physically, morally, and spiritually, recognizing their responsibility both to serve and to lead.
VISION
Bishop Fenwick graduates will enter the world prepared, inspired, and able to excel in all they do, embracing the importance of service to others.
Bonitas et Fidelitas
Bishop Fenwick High School, the first coeducational Catholic high school on the North Shore, was founded in 1959 by the late Richard Cardinal Cushing, and was named for the second Bishop of Boston, Benedict Joseph Fenwick, SJ. Sitting on 59 beautiful acres of land, Fenwick is about 20 minutes north of Boston, on the Peabody-Salem line.
Originally staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, an international Catholic religious congregation, the school thrived under the Sisters’ deep commitment to education, fostering the dictum principles of their foundress, St. Julie Billiart, “to teach whatever is necessary to prepare the students for life”. Today, the school’s faculty is comprised of very talented lay men and women. Fenwick remains steadfastly committed to its Catholic educational mission and its core values of intellectual inquiry and integrity, a strong sense of community, a commitment to justice and peace, and service to others.
In its early years Fenwick drew students namely from Peabody, Salem and Danvers, and mostly from the surrounding Catholic elementary schools. In 2014, the school welcomed its first international students. Today, students come from 47 cities and towns, and 4 other countries. The faculty and staff remain committed to creating an academically challenging and nurturing environment. Fenwick offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, including 15 advanced placement (AP) courses and a large number of additional AP and other online courses. The school collaborates with Boston University and Endicott College for AP and dual enrollment college credit courses.
Fenwick remains committed to its mission of offering greater opportunity for greater achievement for all students. Campus Ministry, technology, athletics, and development have all evolved over the years, and continue to change and grow as the needs arises. Enhancements to the school’s technology infrastructure, art and athletic facilities, the O’Rourke Library and the school chapel are only a few of the many updates that keep Fenwick rooted in its core values, while also progressive, but out in front as a place to be.
The summer of 2018 marked the start of a new chapter in Fenwick’s history with the announcement that Fenwick will assume sponsorship of St. Mary of the Annunciation School in nearby Danvers. Like Fenwick, St. Mary’s has a wonderful tradition of excellence that will be further strengthened by this exciting partnership.
Since 1959, Fenwick has sustained a legacy of educational success and special accomplishment. Scholarship, character, faith and service remain the core tenets of Fenwick.