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School Philosophy
 
Since its founding in 1929, Fenwick, a Dominican Catholic college preparatory high school, has stood for the full and harmonious development of its students according to their capacity.  Fenwick's philosophy of education is based on four concepts:  the importance of the human person, the Catholic tradition, the Dominican heritage, and the liberal arts curriculum.
 
Human Person
The human person, a composite of body and spirit, is accorded unique dignity as the result of being the summit of creation and being formed in the image of God.  Human knowledge originates in sensory experience, and human choices are influenced by the emotions.  The capacity, however, for intellectual knowledge and free choice transcends these limits.
 
Catholic Tradition
The Catholic tradition stresses the triumph of grace over sin through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Along with a doctrinal tradition founded in scripture, Catholics value continual theological development through dialogue with human history.  Community and church are especially valued as they are organized for the service of the Gospel.  The Catholic tradition esteems principles of sacramentality and mediation.
 
Dominican Heritage
St. Dominic valued the intellectual life as essential to a mission of preaching and teaching Christianity, consequently, from its founding the Order of Preachers has been associated with centers of learning.  This philosophy was further articulated by St. Thomas Aquinas who emphasized the relationship between contemplation and action, between study and service.  As a community steeped in this heritage, Fenwick fosters within its students:
  • a belief that God and the world can be known;
  • a realization that knowledge leads one from false values and misperceptions of reality to freedom and truth;
  • a willingness to work in concert with others, and to understand better the truth about God, life and the many possibilities in one's life;
  • the courage to act on one's beliefs, turning study and reflection into a life of service and generosity towards others.
Liberal Arts
Fenwick prepares its students through an education in the liberal arts for a lifetime of aesthetic appreciation, assiduous study and critical thinking.  The educational program stresses imagination, analysis, interpretation, and logical, lucid expression while promoting in its students an appreciation of the wholeness and richness of life.  This perspective encourages Fenwick Students to explore not only the fields of personal interest by the broad range of the liberal arts core curriculum including humanities, science, history, foreign language and mathematics.   Students embark on this exploration not in solitude but in dialogue with others.