Leadership and Planning

Bishop Chatard Board of Regents

Bishop Chatard’s Board of Regents assists the school’s leadership team in the development of strategic and other long-term plans. Members participate in decision-making- and policy-making with regard to education. Members represent the school’s constituent groups including parents, past parents, alumni, and friends of Bishop Chatard.

BOARD OFFICERS

Mike Borchers Board Member
Mike Borchers, Board Chair
Kelly Hill Board Member
Kelly Hill, Vice-Chair
Anne Monahan Board Member
Anne Monahan, Secretary
Bill Sahm photo
Bill Sahm, BCHS President
Fr. Pat Beidelman, North Deanery Dean

BOARD MEMBERS

Mark Bridenstine Board Member
Mark Bridenstine ’89
Kristi Gaynor Board Member
Tony Felts
Jenny Forsee Board Member
Jenny Forsee
Mary McGillicuddy
Mary McGillicuddy
Erika Redmon Board Member
Erika Redmond
Paula Ryan Board Member
Paula Ryan
Todd Surinak Board Member
Todd Surinak
Andy Swickheimer Board Member
Andy Swickheimer ’91
Joanna Tuohy Board Member
Joanna Tuohy

 

 

Bishop Chatard Academic & Institutional Leaders

Led by Bishop Chatard’s president, Bill Sahm, the school is guided by a leadership team consisting of a vice president of institutional advancement, a principal, a vice principal of school operations, a vice principal of finance, and a director of academics.

 

Strategic Planning

The Bishop Chatard Board of Regents, in conjunction with the school’s leadership team and with guidance provided by feedback from BCHS stakeholders, develops a new strategic plan every three years. The school’s current 2022-2025 Strategic Plan continues to equip the Archdiocese of Indianapolis North Deanery high school with the foundation, programming, and facilities needed to educate today’s high school students.

Bishop Chatard 2023 Capital Campaign Financial Feasibility Study

View our past and current strategic plans

 

Our History

To meet the educational needs of a growing and expanding Catholic population in the late 1950s, Most Reverend Paul Schulte, Archbishop of Indianapolis, envisioned building three diocesan coeducational high schools in addition to Scecina Memorial High School.

Ground was broken in the Fall of 1960 for the first of the three new schools, Bishop Chatard High School, on property owned by the diocese on the corner of Kessler Blvd. and North Crittenden Ave. Construction of the school and convent was completed in 1961, and in September, Bishop Chatard admitted its first class of students from the North Deanery schools. Each year another class was admitted and the school population became complete in the academic year 1964-65.

Bishop Silas Chatard, the school’s namesake, was the first Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis. He initially studied as a doctor, then became a priest and was the rector at the Pontifical North American College in Rome from 1868-1878, only the second rector in that school’s history. He then was named the Bishop of Vincennes and soon thereafter moved to Indianapolis, to become the first Bishop of the newly renamed Diocese of Indianapolis.

Through the mid-1970s, the school was staffed largely by priests of the archdiocese and Benedictine Sisters of Beech Grove, who are still part of the Bishop Chatard staff. When the number of sisters began to decline, they moved out of the school convent, and the building was annexed to the school. Renamed the St. Benedict Center in 2006, this building contains classrooms, the employee daycare ministry, the school chapel, and Bishop Chatard’s advancement and business offices.
Home of the Trojans Banner

Expansion

In 1997, Bishop Chatard conducted its first capital campaign to raise $2 million for renovations and improvements including a new roof, windows, main entrance, and lobby, along with modifications in the parking and landscaping.

In 1999 a $1.5 million building drive was conducted to add an extension to the south end of the main building which houses six classrooms and three ‘suites’ dedicated to the fine arts, along with a new library/media center. The school celebrated its 40th anniversary during the 2001-2002 school year.

In 2007, the Foundation for Faith campaign provided a 20,000-square-foot addition, new entrance, auxiliary gym and fitness center, and other improvements.

In 2011, BCHS celebrated its 50th anniversary, including the kick-off of the $4.5 million Golden Opportunities Capital Campaign. With this campaign’s successful completion, a new all-season turf athletic stadium used by football, soccer, and lacrosse teams was erected, along with a baseball/multi-purpose field, softball field, track facility, and run/walk trail. A robust wireless network and data computing system was completed to support a 1:1 computing initiative. Three science labs were updated to provide an innovative, hands-on science education for today’s students.

In 2020, the final phase of the Athletic Stadium and activity fields expansion was completed with the installation of bleachers on the west side of the football stadium and an expanded parking area.