General description

Welcome to the Priory; the only co-ed Benedictine College Preparatory school in California! Many successful people remember a time in their teenage years when an inspiring teacher, an exciting class, or an unforgettable experience made a positive difference in their lives. We think students need many of these special moments. We have thought long and hard about how to create them.

An outstanding faculty and a rigorous college prep curriculum are important. So is the Benedictine vision of a learning community where members support one another. An upbeat campus atmosphere and broad co-curricular program also set the stage for a balanced educational adventure.

With our roots in the 1,500-year-old tradition of Catholic Benedictine education, we do much more than provide an outstanding college preparatory education. We welcome young people into a community where they feel uniquely known and loved. Priory students feel free to take intellectual and creative risks, to discover their passions, and to grow in heart, mind, and soul.

St. Benedict advised us to "listen with the ear of our hearts." As a community of educators, we continually reflect on our practices, seek out cutting-edge educational thinking, and embrace better ways to meet our students' needs. Firmly grounded in our core Benedictine values of individuality, community, integrity, hospitality, and spirituality, we face the changing demands of the 21st century with confidence and innovation.

Even our campus reflects our values. Ancient redwood trees stand alongside a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center. Our monks stroll along a trail past a vast array of solar panels. In cozy outdoor plazas, teachers and students laugh and talk together.

Our values are timeless. Our community is real. Our vision is far-reaching. Come see what the Priory Way is all about.

Why choose Woodside Priory School

Woodside Priory School was founded in 1957 by a group of seven Hungarian Benedictine monks from Saint Martin’s Archabbey in Pannonhalma, Hungary. Since 1974, the monks have been affiliated with Saint Anselm Abbey in Goffstown, New Hampshire. The School began as an 18 acre ranch and over the years has expanded significantly with the campus now encompassing 51 acres. Originally the School was an all-male boarding school, but over the years the ratio of boarders to day students has changed to the point where today the boarding school accounts for approximately 20% of the student body. In the early 1990’s, the School began admitting females to their day program with the first co-ed class graduating in 1995. In 2004, the School expanded its boarding program to include females.