Our History
The story of Bishop Carroll Catholic High School began in September 1962, when Bishop Mark K. Carroll established an all-boys Catholic high school to serve the growing parishes on Wichita’s west side. Notre Dame High School opened at 3100 W. Douglas in the former Mt. Carmel Academy building. Its first freshman class included 170 young men, with the St. Louis-based Christian Brothers staffing the school and living on campus.
On September 6, 1964, Notre Dame moved to a new, state-of-the-art facility at 8101 W. Central and was renamed Bishop Mark K. Carroll High School.
Meanwhile, plans were underway for a new diocesan high school for young women. Madonna High School opened in September 1966 at 340 N. Tyler, bringing together students from St. Mary’s (Cathedral) High School and Sacred Heart Academy. The new school was designed to serve up to 1,000 students, with an initial enrollment expected to exceed 620.
At the time of Madonna’s opening, administrator Father David H. Cushing described the school’s guiding philosophy as “excellence in Christian education.” Its curriculum included college preparatory courses as well as robust programs in business, home economics, arts and crafts.
Ground had been broken for Madonna on September 1, 1965, shortly before Bishop Leo C. Byrne departed for Rome for the final session of the Second Vatican Council. The 83,000-square-foot building was completed in time for the 1966–67 school year and included classrooms, science and language laboratories, arts and home economics facilities, a cafeteria, gymnasium and a 650-seat auditorium. Its faculty included 24 Sisters of St. Joseph and Sisters Adorers of the Most Precious Blood, along with seven lay teachers. Bishop Byrne formally dedicated the school on March 19, 1967.
A significant new chapter began in the spring of 1971, when the Madonna High School building was sold to USD 259. The young women of Madonna joined the young men of Bishop Carroll at the West Central campus, creating a coeducational student body of 1,006 students.
From its beginnings as Notre Dame and Madonna High Schools to the Bishop Carroll community of today, the school’s history reflects generations of Catholic families, religious sisters and brothers, clergy, educators and lay leaders committed to providing young people with an excellent Catholic education and forming them for lives of faith, service and leadership.
Historical information includes excerpts and details from The Wichita Eagle article “Newest Diocese School Expects Over 600 Pupils,” published in 1966, and the Catholic Advance Register article “New Madonna High School Dedication Set for March 19,” published March 17, 1967.
