The Cristo Rey Network began 30 years ago when the first school opened in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. It was geared toward students from economically disadvantaged families and communities who have limited economic resources or lack access to a high-quality college preparatory education.

Network schools combine rigorous academics with real work experience, espousing Catholic moral values and skills necessary to succeed in higher education and beyond. This unique and proven model has grown to 41 schools across 24 states and the District of Columbia. Cristo Rey Charleston High School will be the 42nd school in the network.

Joanna F. Wusinich is the president and CEO of the Charleston campus. She was a teacher and worked on curriculum development at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago before becoming director of the work-study program at Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School.

She initially came to Charleston as executive director to lead a feasibility study, which included selecting a site and demonstrating that philanthropy of the community would support the school. She also established partnerships with local businesses to be part of the Corporate Work Study program, which employs students in real-world work throughout the school year.

“Through a partnership with the nonprofit Metanoia and investors, we are able to secure a home for Cristo Rey on the site of the historic Old Chicora Elementary School in North Charleston and transform it into a state-of-the art campus that could eventually accommodate 400 students,” Wusinich said. “The site is centrally located and is critical to our mission of serving our students and enabling transport of our students to various Corporate Work Study partners.” These will be in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.

When Cristo Rey Charleston opens next summer, there will be a faculty of six teachers plus staff dedicated to Corporate Work Study. The school will also provide a counseling department for students’ social, emotional and college counseling needs.

The curriculum is primarily college-preparatory focused, with the freshman year being highly concentrated on literacy, including history, English, theology and Algebra I.

The school will also include an auditorium described as “a true partnership with the local community,” featuring a community room to honor the Chicora-Cherokee community where the school is located. The space will be available for community use such as performances or other events.

The auditorium will also be used as a gathering point each day for students in the Corporate Work Study program.

“We will make sure the students are ready for the day ahead,” Wusinich said. “Furthermore, we will honor students who have received positive reviews from their CWS partners. This is so students understand what it is to achieve and grow and become eligible for opportunities that are presented to them.”

Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, expressed delight in the school’s progress and what it will mean for the community.

“Cristo Rey Charleston affirms the dignity of every child of God by giving an opportunity for learning, skills-training and mentorship to our youth who are most in need in our communities,” he said. “The school and its staff are led by the patient and gentle heart of Christ the Teacher par excellence, who calls all children to himself. I am grateful for Cristo Rey Charleston’s commitment to our shared vocation to evangelize, catechize and serve at every opportunity.” 

David White, chair of Corporate Work Study and a member of the board of directors, said every student is placed in a professional job setting one full day a week throughout their four-year career at Cristo Rey. These jobs may be on-site, remote or a hybrid situation.

“The Corporate Work Study program exposes and connects students to a professional setting while helping to offset the costs of a private secondary school education,” White said. “While the students don’t get paid directly, the partners make payments to the school that pays about half the student’s tuition and fees.”

Philanthropic dollars and family contributions help make up the remaining balance. Family contributions are based on a sliding scale and are determined by income and ability to pay. 

“We will have about 25 partners that each accept four students during the school year. Our work partners range from hospitals to banks and attorney’s offices, including Comcast, Daniel Island Club, Border States Industries, Beemok Hospitality Collection. Even the offices of the mayor of Charleston and North Charleston are partners,” White said.

Deanna Philippe, the founding principal of the Charleston campus, is no stranger to the Cristo Rey Network. She began her career as a sophomore world literature teacher at Cristo Rey Brooklyn. She later served as its assistant principal for four years before becoming its principal for five years.

“I am incredibly excited to take on the challenge of being a founding principal within the Cristo Rey Network. This model is unique and impactful in ways that words cannot fully capture,” Philippe said. “As a product of Catholic education and a firm believer in the Cristo Rey mission, I look forward to bringing this powerful, audacious and proven model to a new city. The data supports my passion, and I am eager to get started.”

Charleston Mayor William Cogswell spoke on the community’s excitement about the school.

“Charleston has always invested in its youth, and Cristo Rey shares that commitment. They’re giving students a genuine college-preparatory education alongside four years of real professional work experience,” he said. “That’s a powerful combination, and Charleston is committed to being a strong partner as they open their doors in 2027.”

Learn more 

For more information on enrollment applications for Cristo Rey Charleston High School or how you can contribute, go to cristoreycharleston.org.