To further Bishop Lynch High Schoolʼs mission to promote the development of the total person, Bishop Lynch debuted the house system in the 2019-20 school year.
The BL House System provides a new paradigm for student alignment – PROVIDING INCREASED MENTORSHIP, PASTORAL CARE AND STUDENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
A house system is a way to make a large high school feel smaller and increase the level of mentoring and pastoral care provided to students while increasing the number of student leadership opportunities.
The BL House System will be comprised of eight houses. Each house will have a dean, multiple mentors made up of BL staffulty, numerous student leaders, and a cross section of our student body. Each house will have around 125-150 students. Then the ratio of mentor to students in each mentor group will be approximately 1:25.
Bishop Lynch’s new house system will be in place for the 2019-20 school year. However, some initial implementation (like electing house student leaders) will take place this spring semester. The entire BL House System rollout will be phased in over the next few years.
The BL House System will allow for more personal connections between students of all grade levels and dedicated mentors. With this alternative alignment for student engagement, there will be increased peer-to-peer mentoring and leadership development opportunities. The house system approach also allows house deans and staffulty mentors to guide a student through the full four years of high school – providing continuity, resources and appropriate accompaniment through the student’s BL journey of education and faith. Bishop Lynch is much more than just a high school. BL’s mission is in part to promote the development of the total person and the house system structure will help accomplish this.
Bishop Lynch High School will be one of the first schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to debut a house system. In order to further our school’s mission of the development of the whole person, BL leaders visited house systems at private schools in various cities and have studied their models for best practices. However, the Bishop Lynch House System will be unique to BL in order to meet our particular student needs.
The mentor groups in each of the BL Houses will meet several times each week. Meetings will vary in length from short informational meet ups to longer service-oriented gatherings. House meetings will occur regularly, but not as frequently as the mentor groups. Our current advisory period will be transformed into mentor group meetings allowing for more connectedness among students and mentors. Classroom time will be minimally impacted by the house system.
Great question! The two house dean leaders and the eight house deans are BL staffulty across educational disciplines. These campus leaders were chosen for their commitment to student development, leadership experience and enthusiasm. Besides the 10 members of the BL House Council, a team of dedicated staffulty mentors will lead mentor groups.
Houses will be randomly assigned to students. Each house will have a mix of students from each gender, grade level, ethnicity, and extracurricular interest. Siblings will be assigned the same house for family continuity.
The houses are named after Dominican saints in honor of Bishop Lynch’s Dominican heritage. House colors, symbols, mottos, etc. will be determined with house member input. Many of these exciting details will be unveiled after the start of the 2019-20 school year!
Bishop Lynch will always be a “Friars First” home. We’ll always cheer for the BL Friar family first, then house affiliation second. As the BL House System develops, some friendly competitions will start to be held between houses versus only grade levels.
One of the great advantages of a Bishop Lynch High School education is the opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience while on campus. With the BL House System, even more leadership opportunities will be available to our Friars! Each house will have its own student-led “government” and there will be ample time for peer-to-peer mentoring as well.
Studies show that academic performance is positively impacted when there’s an atmosphere of care and connection. With the BL House System, student care and connectedness will be amplified like never before! The house system model will address a student’s social and emotional learning, which is a vital educational component. Those so-called “soft skills” like cooperation and communication are imperative for college and career success, but their development is often lacking in our tech-focused world. The house system model is designed to fill this void.
Yes! Class-level camaraderie is an important part of high school. Students will still identify with their freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classmates. The BL House System just provides additional opportunities to get to know and learn from students in other grades. Placement in a house isn’t a replacement for one’s grade level – it’s a bonus! Within the house structure, students will be able to interact with a diverse cross section of the student body.
A collection of 125-150 diverse students across all grade levels. Led by a dean and student leaders, this group will collaborate on service learning projects, friendly competitions, and more. There will be eight houses in the BL House System.
A small group of approximately 25 students led by a faculty/staff mentor leader and student leaders. There will be six mentor groups per house. Mentor groups will meet several times each week and will benefit from peer-to-peer interaction.
A faculty/staff leader of a mentor group. This mentor leader role is designed to accompany a student throughout his/her four years at Bishop Lynch providing a continuity of pastoral care and mentoring.
The Bishop Lynch High School House System continues to build momentum in the final quarter of the year. The election process for house system student leaders is nearing its pinnacle with voting for house system school-wide positions next week. Congratulations to all the students who have already been elected as leaders for their respective houses.
Frassati House Spirit Day
There was a lot of orange on campus today as the Frassati House celebrated their spirit day with a pep rally in the Competition Gym. Today’s celebration was timed to coincide with the birthday of the Frassati House namesake Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. Verso l’alto!
Freshman Rally
BL’s Class of 2021 will be on campus Sunday, April 18 for Freshman Rally. The House System is leading the way for the annual freshman event with house leadership on hand to welcome the incoming freshman and acquaint them with the school. The incoming Friars will be emailed their house placement next week. We can’t wait to welcome the newest house members to their BL home!
Matthew Duncan may not be an artist like Angelico House’s namesake, but he does believe we can find God in the beauty of art. Mr. Duncan studied theology at Legionaries of Christ College where he was a seminarian for five years. He then received his degree in Spanish from Benedictine College.
Joe Inman is the Aquinas House dean. Mr. Inman has taught English at Bishop Lynch since 2000, and BL alumni consistently credit his writing instruction for their collegiate and career success. St. Thomas Aquinas was a prolific writer, so it’s fitting that Mr. Inman is at the helm of Aquinas House!
Not only is Kate See the chair of the Bishop Lynch mathematics department, but she's a BL alumna from the Class of 2012 as well. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics from Texas Tech University and then launched her teaching career. Mrs. See's infectious smile and competitive nature - plus her penchant for green - make her the perfect Siena House dean.
Olivia Orrantia may be a Texas Tech Red Raider alumna, but Dominican Teal is her new favorite color. This De Porres House dean teaches advanced precalculus and advanced algebra II at Bishop Lynch where she is also a moderator for Mu Alpha Theta.
Katie Dorsey is the dean of Lima House. As a junior and senior theology teacher, she works closely with students to plan the annual Junior Women’s Retreat. A graduate of Benedictine College, Katie has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology, as well as a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Dallas.
Kit Sawyer has been in her students’ shoes as both a former Friar and an actor on the stage at Bishop Lynch. Maybe that’s part of what makes her such an amazing teacher and fine arts department chair. Her commitment to performing arts and her unwavering dedication give students the confidence to shine on stage.
Lauren Wallace is the dean of Frassati House and a freshman English teacher. This Bishop Lynch alumna and former member of the BL Brigade, Blackfriars and choir, attended Texas A&M University and has a master’s degree in educational counseling from the University of North Texas.
Cynthia Dumas came to Bishop Lynch in 2012 and teaches American and British literature, as well as creative writing. She received her Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin and her Masters of Education from The University of Arizona in Tucson.
Kristie Wainwright ’06 is a standout – both in the science department and throughout the school. Ms. Wainwright has been on staff at Bishop Lynch High School since 2011 and she currently teaches freshman biology, freshman honors biology and AP biology. Besides her classroom role, Ms. Wainwright is the moderator for the school’s Medical Society, Kindness Crew and Literacy Club and is a member of the BL Faculty Council.
Faithful to Catholic Tradition and to our Dominican heritage of scholarship and service, Bishop Lynch High School promotes the development of the total person by bringing together a diverse community in a rigorous, college preparatory environment where students are taught to strive for excellence, seek truth, and work for justice in the world. - Founded in 1963