Bishop Chatard Principal Joe Hansen has been named Principal of the Year by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
He has also been nominated for the 2021 National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award by the Archdiocese. According to Interim Superintendent of Catholic Schools Mary McCoy, each year the Office of Catholic Schools nominates one outstanding principal from the archdiocese for this honor. This prestigious honor is granted to professionals who exemplify commitment to Catholic education and formation and who live out the mission of Catholic schools through true servant leadership.
Mr. Hansen has served the archdiocese for the past 17 years. He is currently in his fourth year as principal of Bishop Chatard, and prior to that he served as principal of St. Roch Elementary School on the southside of Indianapolis for 13 years. Mr. Hansen has a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University and a Master of Educational Science degree from Butler University. He is also a veteran who served in the United States Air Force.
“Joe Hansen exemplifies faith in action through his service as a Catholic school principal and as a caring, compassionate member of the Catholic community,” Superintendent McCoy said in a letter to parish pastors and school administrators. “He uses his God-given gifts to bring young people closer to the heart of Jesus through his words and actions.”
Bishop Chatard President Bill Sahm added, “Of the 60-plus schools in our archdiocese, it is quite an honor for our beloved principal, Mr. Joe Hansen, to be selected to represent the archdiocese for this prestigious award. Mr. Hansen’s leadership is truly inspirational, igniting and uniting students, parents, faculty and staff alike.”
Mr. Hansen is married to Gina and has three sons, Sam, Tommy and Luke. His oldest, Sam, is currently a seminarian at Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary.
Bishop Chatard is proud to join Superintendent McCoy and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in recognizing Mr. Hansen for his commitment to Catholic education.