Salesians of Don Bosco

St. John Bosco High School is part of a worldwide Salesian network of schools founded on the teachings of Saint John Bosco — an Italian priest and educator who dedicated his life to helping young people grow in faith, character, and purpose.

Saint John Bosco's unique approach to education, known as the Preventive System, is rooted in reason, religion, and loving kindness — and it continues to shape everything we do.

Who are the Salesians?

Founded by Saint John Bosco in 1859, the Salesians of Don Bosco (just "Salesians" for short) is a Catholic religious order. Some other Catholic religious orders that you may have heard of include the Jesuits, the Franciscans or the Carmelites.

The Salesians consist of a community of brothers and priests who minister to young people in schools, parishes and youth centers throughout the world. Their mission is to be signs and bearers of God's love for the young. Saint John Bosco wanted us to use all of our energy and creativity to bring the Gospel of Jesus to the youth!

Where does the word "Salesian" come from?

Saint John Bosco was so influenced by the teachings of Saint Francis de Sales, the saint of kindness, that he named the religious order that he founded after him. The congregation was originally called the Society of Saint Francis de Sales, but was later renamed the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The "Sales" in "Salesians" comes from de Sales!

St. John Bosco High School was founded by the Salesians in 1940.

In its early years, St. John Bosco School for Boys was a boarding and day school for elementary and intermediate students. In the 1950s, the school saw the addition of its first high school students and in1956, its first high school graduation.

St. John Bosco High School is a Salesian Catholic college preparatory school in which young men are accompanied in the spirit of Don Bosco with reason, religion and loving kindness in their formation to be good Christians and honest citizens in the image of Jesus Christ. We strive for excellence in Salesian Catholic male formation through the Salesian Oratory model and philosophy; we are a Home that welcomes, we are a School that educates the heart and mind, we are a Church that nurtures faith, we are a Playground that celebrates life and others. By doing so, we are a school of choice for young men to prepare for college and live the values of good Christians and honest citizens.

Learn more about our mission and vision.

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FAQ

Why do people call Saint John Bosco "Don Bosco?"

Saint John Bosco was an Italian priest. He is often referred to as Don Bosco not because Don was a nickname, but because "Don" in Italian means "Father."

What's The Oratory Experience?
In a suburb of Turin, Italy, in a village called Valdocco, Don Bosco developed, over a lifetime of experience, a way of working with young people which Salesians call The Oratory Experience. In this model, Don Bosco marked out the spaces in which young people should be accompanied in order to thrive academically, spiritually, and personally: home, school, church and playground.

The Oratory Experience serves as the Salesians' basic model for educating young people today. This unique educational model embraces the concept of creating a caring, loving and nurturing environment (home) where the young can learn (school), grow in faith (church) and be celebrated (playground).

While every Salesian school might not have a physical building or dedicated space that they called "The Oratory" like we do, the spirit and core components of Don Bosco's original oratory are considered foundational to all Salesian schools around the world. The spirit of "Home, School, Church, Playground" is intended to be integrated into all aspects of Salesian education, as it most definitely is at St. John Bosco High School!

What's The Preventive System?

The Preventive System is the foundational approach to education and discipline developed by Don Bosco in the 19th century. Rather than using punishment or fear to correct behavior, the Preventive System seeks to guide young people with reason, religion, and loving-kindness. In practice, it means that students are formed in an environment where they feel loved, respected, and understood.

How do we celebrate Don Bosco's Feast Day?

A Catholic feast day is a day when the Catholic Church celebrates a significant person or event in its faith. The word "feast" comes from the Latin word "festes," which means "joy." The Feast Day of Don Bosco is on January 31st. We celebrate by coming together as a family for Mass and lots of fun. It's a day full of JOY as we celebrate the patron saint of our school!

What's a triduum?

The word "triduum" itself is defined as a 3-day preparation for an event. The most notable is the Paschal Triduum, or the 3-day period that precedes Easter Sunday. The Salesians observe another Triduum, which is observed in August or September and is celebrated by the release of the "strenna" for the year.

What's a strenna?

Each year, the global Salesian community unites around a common strenna. Strenna is an Italian word which means gift. It is used to help Salesians everywhere in the world work toward a common goal and live in the same spirit of faith throughout the year. It is the guiding theme that centers us as a Salesian community.

2025-2026 Strenna

Do whatever He tells you – Believers, free to serve

(ANS – Rome) – The long-awaited theme of Strenna 2026 has been officially unveiled by the Rector Major, Fr Fabio Attard, who offers the Salesian Family a detailed and heartfelt overview of this year’s choice and the spiritual journey ahead. The new theme, "Do whatever He tells you – Believers, free to serve," is deeply rooted in the Gospel and the heart of the Salesian charism, inviting every member to a renewed experience of faith, freedom, and generous service.

As a school community, we've adapted the strenna into a simple phrase that we will use: Listen. Believe. Serve. You will notice this phrase used around campus and in our classrooms, as well as in the email signatures of all our faculty and staff.

Questions?

Father and Teacher of Youth

Saint John Bosco was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934 for his devotion to educating and improving the lives of disadvantaged youth. He also founded the Catholic religious order of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

His revolutionary teaching methods, known as the Preventive System, acknowledged the dignity and potential of every young person, believing in their capacity for good. His approach was rooted in reason, religion and — above all — loving kindness.

Give God the greatest possible glory and honor Him with your whole soul.

Don Bosco