Bishop Kelley is a comprehensive secondary school with a college-preparatory style curriculum consisting of tracks designed to fit a variety of learning abilities and interests. Bishop Kelley students come from 53 different zip codes, with incoming freshmen and transfer students matriculating from more than 30 middle schools across Northeast Oklahoma. Students come from a variety of faith and educational backgrounds. They are traditionally welcomed with extensive freshman orientation activities.
Though Bishop Kelley is the flagship diocesan Catholic high school for the Diocese of Tulsa, it serves both Catholic and non-Catholic students. The school consistently ranks as one of the best private high schools in Oklahoma.[3]
History
Bishop Kelley was established in 1960 to serve as Tulsa's citywide Catholic high school. At the time of its founding, its forerunners, Holy Family High School (founded 1899) and Marquette High School (founded in 1926), closed and consolidated their student bodies into the newly formed Bishop Kelley High School. While the initial plans for the school were developed under Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness' leadership, it was the pioneering Bishop Victor Joseph Reed who oversaw its founding.[4] Bishop Reed was a famous Catholic reformer who attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council, where he was associated with the more progressive bishops, lending his support to the use of vernacular in the Mass and to an emphasis of pastoral over administrative skills in bishops.[5] Bishop Reed is in part responsible for the high school's legacy of lay leadership. In 1960, the year Bishop Kelley High School was founded, Bishop Reed established the first mixed (clerical and lay) diocesan board of education in the United States.[5]
The school was named for BishopFrancis Kelley, the second bishop of Oklahoma. The founder of the Catholic Church Extension Society, Bishop Kelley was an accomplished author and diplomat, whom H.L. Mencken described as "a charming Irishman" who "has had a brilliant career in the Church."[6] He famously partnered with California oilman Edward L. Doheny to support Catholic philanthropy.[7]
At its founding, male students were taught by the LaSallian (French) Christian Brothers, while the Sisters of Divine Providence from San Antonio, Texas taught the female students. By 1965, the school had become entirely coeducational. By 1982, the Sisters of Divine Providence had been reassigned to other ministries. As of the end of the school year 2020–2021, the Christian Brothers no longer have a presence on the campus.
Co-curricular opportunities include Academic Bowl, Christian Service, Class Board, Comet Ambassadors, Competitive One-Act, Drama, Drumline, Environmental Club, FCA, Foreign Language Clubs,3 on 3, Jazz Choir, Kairos, Kelley Krazies (a spirit organization), Link Crew (dedicated to mentoring freshmen), Lasallian Youth, Mission Trips, National Forensic League, Performing Arts, Play Production/Theater Tech, Photography Club, ProLife Club, Retreats, Robotics, and Student Council. The school is a frequent winner of state championships in speech and debate, academic bowl, and robotics competitions.
Athletics
Bishop Kelley has won more state championships than any other school of its size in Oklahoma, including state championships in baseball, football, soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, tennis, golf and cross country. Its women's volleyball and women's soccer teams have been nationally ranked. Bishop Kelley was the first Tulsa high school to support a lacrosse team.[9]
In football, Bishop Kelley shares a tradition with cross-state rival Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School.[11] The winner of the contest obtains possession of the "Shillelagh Trophy" for the upcoming year.[11] The schools also compete annually in boys and girls basketball.
The 2005 Bishop Kelley Academic Bowl team defeated the national champion academic bowl team in a scrimmage, but did not compete against them during the regular season because they were in a different athletic class.
Barry Hinson- American college coach for Oral Roberts (1997–1999), Missouri State (1999–2008) & Southern Illinois Salukis (2012–2019) men's basketball teams
^"History". Bishop Kelley High School. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
^ abBonner, Jeremy (2008). The Road to Renewal: Victor Joseph Reed & Oklahoma Catholicism, 1905–1971. The Catholic University of America Press.
^Mencken, H.L. (2012). Diary of H. L. Mencken. Knopf Doubleday.
^Davis, Margaret Leslie (2001). Dark Side of Fortune: Triumph and Scandal in the Life of Oil Tycoon Edward L. Doheny. University of California Press. p. 118. ISBN0-520-22909-6.
