Bourgade Catholic High School

History

Bourgade Catholic High School is named after the Most Reverend Archbishop Peter Bourgade, a French missionary priest sent to the New Mexico-Arizona Territories in 1869 and the first Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Tucson.

Bishop Green established Bourgade Catholic High School in 1962 to serve Catholic high school students on the west side of Phoenix. Marist priests were responsible for the principalship and taught the boys. The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sisters assisted with administration and taught the girls. Principal Fr. John H. Hillmann, S.M., and Mother M. St. Rose, I.B.V.M., Vice-Principal for Girls, welcomed 179 freshmen (76 boys and 103 girls) on the brand new Bourgade High campus on September 4, 1962. In the same year, an identical school was constructed on the east side of Phoenix, Gerard Catholic High School, which closed in 1989.

The campus at this time consisted of a one-story classroom building in which boys and girls were segregated, and Hillmann Center, which served as residence for the priests. The school mascot was the Blue Angels (named after the United States Navy Blue Angels) and the school colors were blue and tan.

Madonna Hall, built in 1962, serves as the cafeteria and the performance stage for drama, music and dance. By the end of 1964 a second story was built on the classroom building. A new wing of classrooms was completed in 1965, and the classes became co-educational.

In 1972, the Holy Cross Community of Priests from Notre Dame contracted with the Bishop of Phoenix to assume administration of the school. This contract was renewed three times and lasted fifteen years. During this period, Tepsic Gymnasium and the locker room were built. The mascot was changed to the Golden Eagles and the school colors to blue and gold.

In 1988, the Holy Cross Community relinquished administration of the school to the School Sisters of Notre Dame. In July 2012, Kathryn M. Rother became the first lay principal in Bourgade Catholic’s history.

New construction and renovation on the campus occurred in the summer of 1999 as a result of the donation of labor and building supplies by Shea Homes. The Performing Arts Center, housing two classrooms, individual practice rooms, offices and storage for instruments, was completed. A gym annex containing a wrestling room, weight room and locker rooms, and snack bar were built. A new wood floor was installed in the gym and an all-weather track was added, surrounding the football field. With additional funds from the Diocese of Phoenix Today's Children Tomorrow's Leaders campaign, HVAC, electrical and lighting improvements to the classrooms were made.

A 2001 grant from the E.L. Wiegand Foundation provided desks for the Art Room, risers for use in the Performing Arts Center, plus improved lighting, acoustical treatments, stage, drapes and sound in Madonna Hall.

In June 2002, thanks to the Faith in the Future Capital Campaign, construction commenced on the 17,000 square foot two-story Virginia Piper Student Services Building. It is the school chapel, which can accommodate 110. The Student Services Building also contains the reception area, health room, library/media center, two computer labs, administrative and career/counseling offices, a conference room, the staff lounge and a faculty workroom.

A severe hail storm in October 2010 damaged roofs campus wide. All were replaced, along with the football field scoreboard and the east side windows of Madonna Hall. The "Gift from the Heart" from the Quest for Excellence dinner and auction allowed for the replacement of the marquee along 31st Avenue in spring 2012.

As a fulfillment of the Faith in the Future Capital Campaign, three major facilities projects were initiated in 2011: chapel interior upgrades, the demolition and remodeling of the Hillmann Center as a music and campus ministry center, and the construction of a multi-purpose auditorium.

Notable alumni