History

In order to meet the educational needs of a growing and expanding Catholic population in the late 1950's, 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 were 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.

From the beginning of the school until the mid 1970's, 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 is the center for the offices of the president and development.

In 1986, Bishop Chatard celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary with a series of activities and events one of which was a special gravesite re-dedication to its namesake, Bishop Silas Chatard. The patroness of the school is Mary, Queen of Heaven, whose statue is affixed to the front of the building.

In 1997, Bishop Chatard began a $2,000,000 renovation, including a new roof, windows, main entrance and lobby, along with modifications in the parking and landscaping. In 1999, a $1,500,000 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 and a new library/media center. In the Fall of 2007, a new activity center/auxiliary gym were the prominent features in facility enhancements.

In 2006, the school celebrated its 45th anniversary of excellence in Catholic education.