Type Private, Coeducational Established 1961 Principal Rick Wagner Number of students 684 (2013–2014) Colors White, Blue | Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic President Bill Sahm Phone +1 317-251-1451 Founded 1961 | |
Oversight Archdiocese of Indianapolis Address 5885 Crittenden Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220, USA Similar Cathedral High School, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparato, Cardinal Ritter High School, Lawrence North High School, North Central High Sch Profiles | ||
Bishop chatard high school
Bishop Chatard High School is a Catholic co-educational preparatory high school located in the Broad Ripple district of Indianapolis, Indiana in the United States. It is named after Bishop Silas Chatard, who was the first Bishop of Indianapolis, and oversaw the movement of the diocese from Vincennes to Indianapolis in 1898.
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School history
The increase in Indiana's Catholic population that triggered the splitting of the Indianapolis diocese in 1944 also caused an increase in the need for Catholic schools. The only co-educational diocesian high school in Indianapolis, Scecina Memorial High School, was extremely popular following its opening in 1953. It was clear that one high school would not be sufficient to provide for Indianapolis' massively expanding Catholic population.
To this end, the Archbishop of Indianapolis, Paul Clarence Schulte, ordered the construction of three new Catholic high schools in the city. The first of these, Bishop Chatard, would serve the north side of Indianapolis. The two other new schools, Roncalli High School and Cardinal Ritter High School, would serve the south and west sides of Indianapolis respectively. Scecina would continue to serve the east side of the city.
Ground was broken for the first of the schools, Bishop Chatard, in the fall of 1960 on diocese property at the corner of Crittenden and Kessler Avenues. Construction of the school and an adjacent convent was completed in less than a year, and the first students were admitted in September, 1961.
Each year a class of students was added to the school, and the first graduating class was the class of 1964-65. Over the years, many improvements were made to the school facility as the number of students rose.
Initially, classes were taught almost entirely by priests from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and Benedictine Sisters of Beech Grove. Many sisters were housed in the convent on-site, but their numbers declined to the point that in the 1970s, their convent was converted to an annex of the school. The annex has served as classroom, office and storage space for thirty years, and was recently rededicated to the Sisters as the St. Benedict Center.
By 1997, the school was showing its age. Paint was peeling, windows and roofs were leaky, and facilities sorely needed an upgrade. To remedy the situation and remodel the 35-year-old building, school administrators embarked on a $2 million capital campaign to pay for new windows, a new roof, electrical improvements, and other needed renovations. These were undertaken over the summer, and when students arrived to begin the 1997-1998 school year, they were in what was virtually a whole new building.
In 1999, the improvements continued with the opening of the new fine arts addition. A new band room, art studio, and library were added, as were six new classrooms and an elevator to make the building handicap-accessible. This was paid for by a $1.5 million building drive made possible by alumni donations.
In the summer of 2005, and completed over the 2007-2008 school year, a campaign involved the construction of an additional elevator to allow better access to classrooms for handicapped students and a remodeling of the cafeteria and several hallways. A new auxiliary gymnasium was paid for by alumni donations and a slight tuition increase.
In the spring of 2011, President Bill Sahm announced the “Golden Opportunities Campaign,” to address several issues including the creation of a tuition assistance endowment and a teacher compensation endowment. The Campaign also addressed improvements to the academic environment including the addition of robust wireless network throughout the two buildings, new servers and expanded student and teacher access to 21st century computers in the classrooms and labs. The Campaign also addressed the needs of the athletic community with the addition of a competition track and fields including a new turf field and all-weather track with bleacher seating for 900, stadium lighting and a concession/restroom facility, as well as a turf baseball field and a one-mile walk/run trail.
Demographics
The demographic breakdown of the 684 students enrolled in 2013-2014 was:
Athletics
The Bishop Chatard Trojans have amassed a total of sixteen state athletic championships: thirteen football, one men's basketball, and two women's volleyball state championship. Chatard is one of only three Indiana high schools to win a football and basketball championship in the same academic year. The school's thirteen football state championships are the most in the state of Indiana.
State athletic championships:
In addition to numerous varsity sports such as swimming, men's and women's volleyball, football, cross country, wrestling, golf, cheerleading, track, and basketball, Chatard students are active in intramural athletics as well. Chatard also competes annually in club sports including rugby, men's and women's lacrosse, hockey and bowling. Over 90 percent of Chatard students participate in varsity, club or intramural sports.
Student activities
Chatard competes annually in the Brain Game, a quiz bowl program broadcast on local television. There are many fine arts programs, such as the Bishop Chatard Marching Trojans, concert band, pep band, concert choir, show choir, and the Bishop Chatard Thespian Society. The Snowsports Club plans trips for student skiers and snowboarders.