A Welcome from Our President and Head of School
About Holy Spirit Preparatory
Holy Spirit Prep is a unique community of faith and joy, where families and teachers collaborate to form happy and healthy young men and women of faith who are marked by the prudence to know how to live in our time and the greatness of soul to pursue their God-given talents. Our students read great works, imitate heroic lives, and live a culture of life.
Holy Spirit Preparatory School began in 1996 as an initiative of parents and parishioners of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, under the leadership of its pastor, Msgr. Edward Dillon, who wanted their children to receive an authentically Catholic education. This new independent Catholic school, initially known as the Donnellon School, after Archbishop Thomas Donnellon of Atlanta, was founded with a clear and enduring vision of providing an education that was Catholic, Classical, and Complete. Filling a much needed place, HSP grew to graduate its first high school class in 2006.
Today, that commitment to an education that forms the whole student in the educational patrimony of the Catholic Church and Western Civilization remains the driving force behind the Holy Spirit Prep community. We seek to provide a timeless education that stands above the fashions or trends or trends of the day, responding to the evangelical mission of the Church and the Church’s vision for the Catholic school: “Among all educational instruments the school has a special importance. It is designed not only to develop with special care the intellectual faculties but also to form the ability to judge rightly, to hand on the cultural legacy of previous generations, to foster a sense of values, to prepare for professional life.” (Vatican II, Gravissimum educationis, 5).
As you learn more about Holy Spirit Prep, consider visiting our campus or reaching out to our admissions department for more information. We would love to share with you the great gift that is Holy Spirit Preparatory School! Veni, Sancte Spiritus! Come, Holy Spirit!
Learn About Our Graduates
The goal of any education is the well-formed, properly prepared, and flourishing graduate - and Holy Spirit Preparatory School is rich in the wonderful fruit of such graduates. The profiles of our alumni are a testament to the formation they received - we invite you to learn more by reading their stories. Further, the portrait of the graduate is an expression of what Holy Spirit Prep seeks to form in every student and graduate.
Portrait of an HSP Graduate
At Holy Spirit Prep, we are committed to providing students and their families with teachers who:
- Recognize their infinite value and dignity as persons made in God’s own image;
- Embrace and live the teachings of the Catholic faith;
- Form their consciences according to the objective truth of the Gospel;
- Pray daily, attend Mass faithfully, and contemplate the beauty of Creation;
- Treasure the blessings of their own families;
- Approach relationships with love and with hope in the goodness of others;
- Share the love of Christ with those who do not yet know Him;
- Seek to be happy and generous husbands and wives, and fathers and mothers, when called to married life;
- Seek to be happy and generous in their vocations when called to the priesthood or religious life;
- Possess an integrated knowledge of traditional academic disciplines in the arts and sciences;
- Think deeply, logically, imaginatively, and prayerfully to make decisions according to right reason;
- Communicate clearly through both the written and spoken word;
- Participate confidently in diverse athletic, artistic, and intellectual pursuits;
- Maintain healthy habits of work, leisure, exercise, and rest;
- Embrace their civic duty to improve their communities through personal engagement;
- Possess magnanimous character with generous hearts;
- Appreciate profoundly the Holy Spirit Prep communion, and consider themselves as sustaining members of it;
- Serve as leaders in their college, parish, and social communities;
- Utilize technology and media responsibly to foster authentic relationships;
- Protect the dignity of the unborn, the aged, the poor, and the suffering;
- Respect cultures and beliefs not their own in Christian charity;
- Thirst to acquire new knowledge continually;
- Experience the true freedom that is the fruit of virtuous living;
- Look forward with joyful hope to spending eternity with God in heaven.
Our History
1994:
First planning meeting takes place between Monsignor Dillon and parishioners to strive for a Catholic Education of Excellence
1996:
The school is founded at 4820 Long Island Drive, with only six classrooms and 75 students in grades K-5. Monsignor Dillon, president and rector, holds Mass every day in the halls, keeping the school grounded in the Faith.
2000:
The school expands its class offerings up to the 8th grade, serving 430 students.
2002:
The school receives SAIC accreditation.
2002:
The school breaks ground on a long-envisioned high school campus at 4449 Northside Drive (adjacent to Holy Spirit Catholic Church). Two buildings are constructed in nine months, and the campus is named after the Archbishop of Atlanta, John F. Donoghue.
2003:
9th and 10th-grade classes open on the new campus. Now with two campus locations, the school community votes to change the school’s name to Holy Spirit Preparatory School.
2004:
Upper School opens.
2005:
With the addition of the Upper School, Holy Spirit Preparatory School receives SAIC and SAC accreditation.
2006:
The school celebrates its first high school graduating class.
2007:
Holy Spirit Preparatory School launches a learning program designed to meet the diverse learning needs of students in its community so that families can keep their children in the same school setting regardless of their educational needs.
2007:
The school is recognized by the Cardinal Newman Society as one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the nation for “overall excellence in Catholic identity, academics, and civics education.”
2008:
Holy Spirit Preparatory School is named a Top 50 Catholic High School for the second consecutive year.
2009:
The U.S. Department of Education names Holy Spirit Preparatory School a Blue Ribbon School.
2011:
The Lower School and soccer field are renovated.
2013:
Kyle M. Pietrantonio is named Head of School, Monsignor Edward J. Dillon named Rector, and Joann G. Jones elected Chair of the Board.
2015:
Holy Spirit Preparatory School is named a Top 50 Catholic High School by the Cardinal Newman Society.
2017:
Varsity Boys Basketball team wins GISA State Basketball Championship.
2017-2022:
Holy Spirit Preparatory School receives the Catholic Education Honor Roll distinction from the Cardinal Newman Society.
2020:
Holy Spirit Preparatory School is selected as the Best Private School in Buckhead and the first official Fine Arts or band program was formed.
2021:
The official STEM Department is created.
Throughout its growth, Holy Spirit Preparatory School has strived to remain faithful to its original vision of a close-knit community dedicated to Catholic discipleship and holistic classical education. Holy Spirit Preparatory School’s traditions remain rooted in expressions of the Faith, allowing each child to flourish in an atmosphere of encouragement with opportunities for academic, spiritual, and emotional growth.
Benefits of an Independent Catholic School
Academics
As an independent Catholic school, Holy Spirit Preparatory School has complete control of its curriculum and teaching, which are founded on the best practices of centuries of Catholic education and implemented with our students’ individual needs in mind.
Sacraments
Holy Spirit Preparatory School students have the unique privilege of preparing for and receiving their First Communion, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation through their school alongside their classmates and friends. In other Catholic schools, students are required to receive these sacraments through their parish.
Classroom Environment
As an independent school, Holy Spirit Preparatory School has the flexibility and autonomy to control its class sizes. And by maintaining direct control of hiring and compensation practices, we can attract and retain the best teachers in Catholic education.
Our Faculty & Staff
Questions? Contact each department directly:
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Preschoolpreschool@chndir.net
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Lower Schoollowerschool@chndir.net
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Middle Schoolmiddleschool@chndir.net
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High Schoolhighschool@chndir.net
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Arts Departmentarts@chndir.net
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Athletics Departmentathletics@chndir.net
Governance
Listed in the Official Catholic Directory and approved by the Archbishop of Atlanta as an independent Catholic school, Holy Spirit Preparatory School is owned and operated by a Georgia 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. While the school is not sponsored, financially supported, or otherwise controlled by any religious order or congregation, the Legionaries of Christ provide the school with a Head Chaplain who oversees the spiritual and sacramental instruction for the students and faculty of the school. The Head Chaplain is approved by the school’s Board of Trustees and reports to the Head of School.
The Board of Trustees
As a self-perpetuating entity, the Board of Trustees is charged with the governance of the school. The Board defines the school’s mission and strategy, manages its financial resources, and oversees the Head of School. The membership of the Board is currently comprised of the Pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, the chaplain for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer Home, three current Holy Spirit Prep parents, five parents of HSP alumni, and one Holy Spirit parishioner. The Head of School and Head Chaplain also serve on the Board as non-voting, ex-officio members.
The Board currently operates through four official committees: the Executive Committee, the Facilities Committee, the Finance Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee. Only current members serve on the Executive Committee. The remaining Board committees are comprised of current members and other members of the Holy Spirit Prep community.
Meetings of the Board and Board Committees
The Board of Trustees generally meets on the Upper School campus several times every year. The Board committees adopt a meeting schedule that suits their requirements.
The Board currently operates through four official committees. Only current members serve on the Executive Committee. The remaining Board committees are comprised of current members, as well as other members of the Holy Spirit Prep community from time to time. Below is a list of the Board committees and a brief description of each. School-related matters not listed as committee responsibilities below are considered either by the Executive Committee or full Board and are managed by the Head of School.
Executive Committee
Composed of the Chair of the Board, the Rector, and other members of the board, the Executive Committee reviews matters for consideration by the full Board and serves in an advisory capacity to the Head of School. Joann Jones currently serves as chair of this committee.
Facilities Committee
This committee advises on the school’s physical plant and its properties, which include its major buildings, athletic fields, and undeveloped land. Board Director Neil Johnson currently serves as chair of this committee.
Finance Committee
This committee oversees the finances of the school, reviewing and approving the annual budget and supervising policies and procedures regarding school income and expenses. Board Director David Cusimano currently serves as chair of this committee.
Strategic Planning Committee
This committee works closely with the Head of the School and other Board Committees to craft and execute long-term strategies for the school. Director Frank Hanna currently serves as chair of this committee.
Accreditations, Associations & Affiliations
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Holy Spirit Preparatory School is an independent Catholic college preparatory school in north Atlanta. Our Christ-centered environment prioritizes educating the whole child to be successful not only in future studies, but also in his or her unique vocation.
Holy Spirit Preparatory School
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