By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
Forty years after its founding, The Highlands School is marking its history with community events, campus improvements, and expanded programs while looking ahead to forming the next generation of students.
The Irving school, which opened in 1986, is also marking the anniversary with a renewed recommendation from The Cardinal Newman Society.
Veronica Villarreal, director of advancement, said the recognition affirms the school’s Catholic identity and mission.
“Being recognized by The Cardinal Newman Society is something we as a school see as both an honor and a responsibility,” Veronica Villarreal, The Highlands School director of advancement, said. “The Highlands School has received this recognition for many years, and our renewed certification reflects our ongoing commitment to faithful Catholic education.”
The Cardinal Newman Society’s endorsement reassures families that the school meets the standards expected of Catholic schools and provides an education rooted in the teachings of the Church, according to Villarreal.
“We are unapologetically Catholic and dedicated to providing an authentic education rooted in faith and truth,” she said.
Villarreal said she believes the school distinguishes itself through its Catholic formation, academic excellence, and Christ-centered mentorship. Faculty, staff, priests, and consecrated women work with parents to help students grow in wisdom, virtue, and faith, with the ultimate goal of helping them reach heaven.
The impact extends beyond graduation, Villarreal said, noting that 14 alumni have pursued religious vocations, more than 30 have served as missionaries, and many now live faithful sacramental marriages.
The school was founded by Dan and Bettina Hennessy, Felix and Lourdes Sanchez, and Eduardo and Isabel Esteve, with the help of María Ángeles Ibáñez, who moved from Spain to Dallas with her family to help establish the school. The founders worked with Father Anthony Bannon, LC, and Regnum Christi to create a school where academic excellence and Catholic formation would go hand in hand.
“Over the past four decades, The Highlands School has remained true to its original vision by staying committed to the integral formation of the whole person: mind, heart, body, and soul,” Villarreal said. “While our school has grown and evolved, our mission has never changed.”
The Highlands School serves students from pre-K3 through 12th grade and is part of the Regnum Christi International Educational Network, which includes 156 schools in 19 countries. Two priests and four consecrated women of Regnum Christi serve on campus. Young missionaries from Regnum Christi schools also serve each year as mentors and in formation programs.
The school has grown to more than 400 students while maintaining what Villarreal described as an intentionally smaller community. That size, she said, allows students to be known and supported throughout their years at the school.
Growth in recent years has included academic and campus improvements. The high school has undergone renovations, including updated learning spaces and a student coffee bar. The school also has expanded its STEM and engineering programs and fine arts offerings.
Athletic facilities have been improved with a new baseball field, new tennis courts, and a new turf field. The school offers a wide range of athletic opportunities, including varsity football, cheer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, soccer, track and field, golf, and swimming.
The school’s 40th anniversary will be celebrated throughout the academic year. Planned events include “1986: Where It All Began,” a Founders Celebration, and a “40 Years of Faith” eucharistic adoration celebration. The school also plans historical displays, social media features, and other activities highlighting people and moments from its history.
Villarreal said campus improvements will continue during the anniversary year, including the unveiling of a new school bus and renovations to the high school campus.
Alumni also will have a larger role in the anniversary, Villarreal said. The school plans to launch a new Highlands Alumni Board and a social media series, “Semper Altius Spotlight,” highlighting graduates, their accomplishments, and their vocational journeys. The school also hopes to strengthen networking and mentorship opportunities between alumni and current students.
The anniversary is not only a look back, Villarreal said, but an opportunity to continue the school’s work.
“More than anything, this anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate God’s abundant blessings and faithfulness to our school, while looking forward with hope and confidence to our goal: forming students and families who know, love, and follow Christ on the path to heaven,” she said.
Cutline for featured image: Forty years after its founding, The Highlands School is marking its history with community events, campus improvements, and expanded programs while looking ahead to forming the next generation of students. (Courtesy photo/The Highlands School)
