Friends, we are delighted to announce the launch of the Chesterton Academy of Bowling Green, a joyfully Catholic classical high school, opening in August 2026!
The 2nd reading passed in support of the G. K. Chesterson School endeavor for a Catholic High School in Bowling Green. The reading included an initial payment of $1500 to cover implementation fee and an additional amount of $13,500 to be paid in monthly installments of $674 per month over the next 18 months to pay the franchise fee through the period of August 2026.
There is a founders group established to proceed through the process of establishing and implementing the school according to the guidelines set forth by the school agreement. We will try to maintain as much transparency as possible in order to keep the Knights informed of our progress. As soon as we have a website, a link will be provided on this site to it.
Friends, we are delighted to announce the launch of the Chesterton Academy of Bowling Green, a joyfully Catholic classical high school, opening in August 2026!
After years of hard work, discernment, and establishing a clear local demand for a Catholic education option in grades 9-12, our team has selected to affiliate with the Chesterton Schools Network, a community of more than 60 high schools operating worldwide. Chesterton academies emphasize Catholic identity and academic rigor in small, personalized learning environments.
We are grateful for a generous donation from Knights of Columbus Council 1315 to help us get started.
The Chesterton Academy of Bowling Green will initially be located on the campus of St. Joseph Church in the parish’s new administration and youth building. Classrooms in this building will be vacant during the day, offering a great location for our inaugural class, which will serve freshmen and sophomores. We will add a junior class in Year 2 and a senior class in Year 3. Fr. Ryan Harpole (St. Joseph Church) and Fr. Randy Howard (Holy Spirit Church) will serve as school chaplains. As the school grows, we will begin to look for future locations to accommodate expanded enrollment.
Other features of the Chesterton Academy of Bowling Green will include the following:
- Catholic identity: This school exists above all to form young men and women to be saints in Christ’s service. All other aspects of the school will flow from this core purpose and the three pillars of formation. We will strive to make daily Mass and regular confessions available to all students, and all school activities will revolve around our shared life of prayer and liturgy.
- Classical curriculum: This school’s carefully-crafted curriculum focuses on the Great Books of Western civilization and the seamless, God-ordered connections between theology, philosophy, the humanities, the arts, and math and science. Students will study Latin, the foundation of many Western languages including English, for at least two years, as well as other foreign languages. The Chesterton Network’s collaboration with a variety of colleges and universities means an array of dual-credit coursework will be available to students. We will seek accreditation with both the state of Kentucky and external accreditation agencies.
- A safe and orderly learning environment: This school will feature small classes with strong teacher-student connections and a family-like atmosphere supported by the Chesterton Network’s house system. As a Catholic school, we recognize that parents are the first educators of their children and will partner closely with parents in the formation of their children.
- Athletics: This school will begin with athletics programs based on student interest, likely with a focus on individual sports like tennis and golf. As the school grows, we will explore larger team sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc. Well-established Chesterton schools feature an array of individual and team sports. Athletics flows from the Catholic emphasis on the integration of the entire person as a child of God.
- Affordability: This school seeks to serve every family who wants an academically rigorous, faith-filled education for their child. We will strive to offer an affordable high school tuition price (likely in the range of $7,000 to $8,000 per year), and will engage in fundraising efforts to provide scholarship support for eligible families.
- Inspired by the life and example of G.K. Chesterton: The patron of our school is G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), the English Catholic convert, writer, and apologist known for his wit and faithfulness. Students will study the life and works of Chesterton and his spirit of joy and intellect will fill our school.
Our website is still in development, but please follow the Chesterton Academy of Bowling Green on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram for regular updates on our plans for opening. Information sessions will soon be scheduled for multiple locations in Bowling Green and surrounding communities where you can meet members of the founding team, learn more about the Chesterton model, and get involved.
Above all, we ask you to pray for our efforts! Reach out to any of our team members, listed below, or reply to this email if you have questions or need more information.
God bless you, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Founding team members: Carly Beckner, Adam Britt, Hua Cing, Chris Durbin, Chad Folk, Gary Houchens, Bayne Million, Rodney Schwartz, Tom Stewart, Leonard Walther, Paul Warrell
Chaplains: Fr. Ryan Harpole and Fr. Randy Howard
