Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School was established in 2003. It is named after Charles Borromeo McLaughlin, the first Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg. An avid pilot, Bishop McLaughlin would meet the pastoral demands of a large diocese by flying from event to event in order to keep pace with his schedule. This fast-paced ministry affectionately earned him the nickname of "Hurricane Charlie." Therefore, BMCHS is the home of the "Hurricanes." The school's inaugural principal was Jane Moerschbacher, who held the position until she retired in 2007. The school's current principal is Camille Jowanna, who, as a 7th grader, received the Sacrament of Confirmation from the school's namesake, Bishop McLaughlin.[3]

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School is ranked as the 7th Best Catholic High School in the state of Florida for 2020, as rated by NICHE, with an overall grade of "A."[4] BMCHS is experiencing continued growth and is known for its high academic standards, use of technology in the classroom, sports program and fine arts program. In 2017, BMCHS’s STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art and Math) Club won the Innovations in Catholic Education Technology Integration Award for its work in three dimensional printing of prosthetic hands for children with limited upper limb mobility as a result of birth defect or injury,[5] and was also honored by District Administration magazine as part of its Schools of TechXcellence program for this work.[6][7] BMCHS is also one of the few private high schools in the Tampa Bay area to offer an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) program.[8]

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School offers various forms of financial assistance. Diocesan assistance includes the Catholic School Tuition Assistance Grant (C-STAG), Mary C. Forbes Foundation Scholarships and grants from the Catholic Foundation. BMCHS also accepts government-managed scholarships such as Step Up For Students, Gardiner Scholarships, AAA Scholarships and McKay Scholarships. BMCHS also manages several privately funded scholarships.[9]

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School's athletic program is a Division 3A participating member of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). BMCHS offers participation in competitive sports such as Football, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Boys Baseball, Girls Softball, Girls Volleyball, Boys Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Swimming, Track & Field, Cross-Country Running, Tennis and Cheerleading. Many of the coaches at BMCHS have played their sport at the college and professional level. Former professional players include Head Football Coach Ken Stills, who played safety for the University of Wisconsin and professionally with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings;[10][11] Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach Derrick Sharp, who played point and shooting guard for the University of South Florida and professionally for 18 years with various teams in the Israeli Premier League and EuroLeague;[12] Girls Soccer Head Coach Kacey White, who played midfielder for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the United States Women's National Soccer Team and professionally with the Sky Blue FC, Washington Freedom and Atlanta Beat (WPS);[13] and former Assistant Football Coach Keith Tandy, who played safety for West Virginia University and professionally with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons.[14][15] Known as "Thee Beach at Bishop," BMCHS also has one of the largest Beach Volleyball facilities in Florida, including 10 regulation size sand volleyball courts, which was constructed by Varsity Volleyball Coach Doug Chinchar who played volleyball at The Ohio State University.[16][17][18]

Bishop McLaughlin's facilities include an 880 seat state-of-the-art theater known as the Eleanor Dempsey Performing Arts Center (EDPAC).[19] The EDPAC hosts school events (such as plays, musicals, concerts and speaking engagements), and is recognized as being a public entertainment venue by live entertainment ticket sales and distribution companies such as Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment.[19][20] Clubs, societies and activities include Student Government, National Honor Society, Yearbook, STEM Club, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), Key Club, Teen Court, Student Ambassadors, Peer Ministry, Show Choir and Drama Club.[21]

January 20, 2000 - Diocese acquired the land for the future home of BMCHS.[22]

May 30, 2002 - Construction of the new BMCHS begins.

August 11, 2003 - BMCHS welcomed its first freshman class.

May 29, 2007 - Commencement was held for the school's first graduating senior class.

Notable alumni of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School:

• Nate Pearson, A BMCHS varsity baseball player (Class of 2015), Nate Pearson was considered one of the top prospects for the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[23][24] Pearson was selected 28th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays,[25][26] and signed his contract with the Blue Jays on June 28, 2017, which included a $2.45 million signing bonus.[27][28]

Official website