School Profile

To achieve the mission of Catholic Education, as stated by the U.S. Catholic Bishops (1972) “To Teach As Jesus,” Bishop Chatard High School provides a comprehensive religious program which includes:

• Religious instruction faithful to doctrine and contemporary in presentation — Instruction addresses both personal sanctification and social responsibility in light of Christian values and tradition. It does not emphasize one of these dimensions at the expense of the other nor is the religious instruction restricted to the religion classes. Efforts are made to relate all aspects of human culture to the news of salvation. Teachers point out the relationships between the Gospel message and the content of other academic disciplines.
• Spiritual and moral guidance — Appropriate opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation are given. Spiritual and personal counseling are made available to the students. The goals and expectations of the school’s code of student behavior, and other school-wide policies, are rooted in Gospel values.
• Strong Youth Ministry — Youth ministry organizes school-wide and small-group liturgical worship. It also provides student retreats for all classes. Youth ministry establishes programs that train students for service to the less fortunate. It also arranges opportunities for student service to others.

During his 1987 pastoral visit to the United States, Pope John Paul II described it this way: “The ultimate goal of all Catholic education is salvation in Jesus Christ. Catholic educators effectively work for the coming of Christ’s Kingdom. This work includes transmitting in full the message of salvation, which elicits the response of faith.” This ultimate goal is realized by the achievement of three specific objectives in our Catholic schools:

1. To teach the doctrine of the Catholic Church: The transmitting of the objective content of our faith is the foundation upon which Catholic students will build their adult lives of faith.
2. To build community: It is very important that we call our students beyond the extreme individualism of our age and invite them into caring communities where they will learn about themselves, grow to their full potential, and discover the presence of God.
3. To motivate service: The message of salvation is communicated by motivating young people to service. Catholic teaching doesn’t end with doctrine. If it did, it would be rather sterile. Catholic teaching doesn’t end with community building. If it did, it would be rather self-serving. Catholic education finds its fulfillment in motivating others to service, a dimension clearly rooted in the life and ministry of Jesus himself.

Bishop Chatard is an inclusive educational environment comprised of a diverse group of students with one thing in common: the desire for a Catholic education. While Bishop Chatard has consistently remained the top high school choice of students from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ nine North Deanery parish schools, we also welcome students from a number of middle schools throughout Indianapolis. We are all Bishop Chatard Trojans.

WHO WE ARE

• 2024-2025 Enrollment: 768
• Catholic representation: 88%
• Minority representation: 23%
• 2024 graduates receiving Indiana Academic Honors Diplomas: 66%
• 2024 graduates pursuing a college education: 93%
• Students participating in extracurricular activities: 89%
• Students participating in athletics: 77%

OUR VISION

• Every student will have an equal opportunity to contribute in significant ways to the positive life of the school.
• We will value and respect one another and enhance the opportunity for all students to reach their full potential.
• This vision will be realized as we commit to integrating our Catholic values into our daily interactions and behaviors.

Our Faculty & Staff

Mr. Bill Sahm serves as the president of Bishop Chatard High School and is responsible for all facets of its operations, with a focus on institutional advancement. Principal John Hasty leads the academic team while Matt Hilton, Director of Faith Formation, facilitates faith and spiritual formation. Vice Principal of Student Services Ben Reilly and Director of Academics Julia Hasbrook assist with leadership for the school.

Bishop Chatard is staffed by over 130 administrators, teachers, and guidance counselors.

Fifty-four percent of the sixty BCHS teachers hold a master’s degree or higher.

Teachers participate in the Catholic Educator Advancement Program (CEAP) which directs compensation based on performance in the classroom, commitment to our mission, and personal educational advancement. All teachers are certified in their teaching areas by the state of Indiana.

View the Faculty/Staff Directory

When talking with middle school students and their parents, Bishop Chatard administrators often explain that the archdiocesan high school’s focus is to prepare students for college now, and heaven later. With a mission to educate the “whole person,” Indianapolis’ North Deanery high school stresses academic excellence while challenging students to see those in need and to take initiative in serving them.

A unique leadership model helps faculty and staff achieve that goal. Principal John Hasty oversees the high school’s academic program which offers students over 125 courses. Honors, Advanced Placement, and Dual Credit classes account for over one-third of the course offerings, and the success rate in advanced classes is high.

Graduates in Bishop Chatard’s Class of 2024 earned over $28 million in college scholarships and grants, averaging nearly $178,700 per student. 66 percent of the class received an Indiana Academic Honors diploma and nine earned the school’s Summa Cum Laude distinction. 100% completed the Graduation Pathways Requirement (State average: 89%). 87% of the class graduated with college credit — an average of 13.2 credits per student.

Bishop Chatard’s student body is comprised of a broad range of learners. The school is able to maintain an inclusive learning environment by offering innovative programs and resources necessary to narrow learning gaps.

• Courses offered: 128
• AP & Dual Credit Courses offered: 27
• Honors Courses offered: 24
• Students served by Academic Support Program: 25%
• Student-to-Teacher ratio: 13:1
• Average class size: 19

Read about our Academic Programs

Celebration of weekly all-school Mass. Four-year theology course requirement. Discovery-focused spiritual class retreats. Servant leadership modeled in the teaching of Jesus Christ. Formation of the whole person.

These are all part of the Bishop Chatard experience.

Within the walls of Bishop Chatard High School, our Catholic faith permeates the school curriculum and activities in a purposeful and structured way. Teachers and staff, led by a unique President-Principal leadership team including a Director of Mission Integration, create a faith-based learning environment that supports the pursuit of academic excellence while promoting Christian values. An underlying current in our halls and classrooms prompts students to continually look beyond themselves to see those in need and take the initiative to serve.

• Service hours in the 2023-2024 school year: 17,890
• Upperclassmen serving as retreat leaders: 24
• Seniors serving as Freshman Peer Ministers: 26

The faith formation begun at Bishop Chatard does not end at graduation. The service hours performed annually by our students, and participation in domestic and foreign Christian service immersion programs, are preparation for discipleship in today’s global society. The continuing commitment to faith, learning, leadership, and service is part of what it means to be a Trojan for life.

Explore Campus Ministry

With an average enrollment between 700 and 750 students, Bishop Chatard High School is small enough to focus on the personal growth of each student while having the resources to offer dozens of unique clubs, sports teams, and leadership programs. From arts to athletics, improv comedy to investment strategies, our club moderators and team coaches — many of them teachers — create diverse opportunities for students to continue their personal exploration and develop their unique gifts.

We believe potential is not measured at our Archdiocesan North Deanery high school by grade point average. Involvement outside the classroom is emphasized in support of the value our mission places on developing the whole person. Success in and out of the classroom is stressed for all students, supportive of the talents they bring to Bishop Chatard.

Generally, 95 percent of our student body participates in class retreats, ranging from one-day retreats to three-night/four-day Fellowship retreats. 65 percent were active in clubs and the arts. For the 2023-2024 school year, 245 of our students volunteered as school ambassadors, representing Bishop Chatard in a leadership capacity.

During the 2023-2024 school year, 77 percent of students competed on athletic teams. 111 Trojans were named Academic All-State First Team athletes, including an Academic All-State team. Thirteen students were named Academic All-American and 4 teams received Academic-All American recognition.

At Bishop Chatard, we believe that each individual has infinite value, and we are committed to providing extracurricular activities that appeal to all.

Learn more about opportunities for student involvement:

Clubs and Fine Arts
Athletics
Service and Retreats

THE SCHOOL MOTTO

The school motto, FESTINA LENTE, is Latin for Saint Paul’s plea: ‘Make haste, slowly,’ meaning that we hurry to join our Lord, but we take the time to live our lives well.

THE SCHOOL COAT OF ARMS

The school coat of arms is based on symbols that represent the four foundational principles of the mission of Bishop Chatard High School – Faith, Learning, Leadership, and Service.

SCHOOL SPIRIT

School Colors: Royal Blue and White
School Mascot: Trojans

TROJAN FIGHT SONG

BISHOP CHATARD ALMA MATER

• Here’s to Chatard our Alma Mater
• Proud are we of her sons and daughters
• Loyal and true we’ll always be
• Standing as Christians for all to see.
• Laud and Glory we give to you
• Heralding your colors of white and blue.
• All through our life we’ll always guard
• Our love of dear Chatard
• Our love of dear Chatard.