Academic Excellence in the Catholic Tradition
For nearly a century, the Grand Rapids Catholic Secondary Schools (CSS) have empowered students to define their vision and pursue their goals with confidence, competence, and Christian generosity. In an environment deeply rooted in faith formation, student achievement, and appreciation of God-given talents, Catholic Central and West Catholic High School students are challenged to become fully integrated persons who lead through service. CSS, in dynamic partnership with families, alumni, and the community, promotes learning for everyone, encourages understanding and embracing of diversity, and establishes the foundation for life-long learning.
Challenging today's students to become tomorrow's leaders—that is the Catholic Secondary School tradition. Since Catholic Central opened its doors in 1906, followed by West Catholic in 1962, CSS has been dedicated to providing a well-rounded, Catholic education in a safe, supportive learning environment to students from the Greater Grand Rapids area.
Both high schools continue to perform service for others and live out social justice in their daily lives. Last year alone, students from Catholic Central and West Catholic volunteered more than 25,000 hours in the Greater Grand Rapids community. This high level of concern and care can be seen in the academic setting as well.
With a dedicated staff, small class sizes that allow for personalized attention and a culture of high hopes and hard work, our schools are a place where students can and do succeed. We continually raise our academic standards higher as well. Our students consistently perform above the state and national averages on the MEAP, SAT and ACT tests. Ninety-eight percent of our graduates go on to higher education while garnering millions of dollars in scholarship offers each year.
CSS imparts skills that will prepare students for the demands of college, as well as their future roles in the Church, business, government, and the community. Over 27,000 alumni of the Catholic Secondary Schools have gone on to become extraordinary leaders and highly regarded professionals. These results have earned Catholic Central and West Catholic High Schools a distinctive reputation for excellence in every aspect of the educational process.