HISTORY
Over 60 years of
Tradition
Archbishop Chapelle High School was founded in 1962 by the Archdiocese of New Orleans as the first all-girls Catholic high school on the east bank of Jefferson Parish. Chapelle was named in honor of Archbishop Placide Louis Chapelle, the sixth archbishop of New Orleans, and the first to serve in the Twentieth Century.
Inspired by her namesake, Chapelle continues to pursue excellence in education and service to those in need. The charism of Chapelle might be said to lie in unconditional belief in her motto, taken from the Episcopal Crest of Archbishop Chapelle, Deus Providebit, "God Will Provide." Reliance on the timely and supportive intercession of our Blessed Mother inspired the founders of Chapelle to choose Our Lady of Prompt Succor as patroness of the young school.
In 1962 on a plot of land adjacent to the water tower on the newly created Veterans Memorial Boulevard, five sisters from the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and four lay teachers welcomed 236 freshman students to Archbishop Chapelle High School. In 1966, when those first freshmen graduated, Chapelle had grown to include a student body numbering 1057 taught by fifty faculty members. In 1964, the Student Council initiated a contest among the students to help choose a mascot for the young school. Suggestions included Raiderettes, Fleur de lis, Shamrocks and Chapelle's Belles, but Chipmunks was far and away the most popular choice. Former Chapelle President, Beth Johnson, characterized Chipmunks as "alert, inquisitive, sociable and communicative."
As the first graduation approached, the fledgling school needed an alma mater. Legend has it that Sr. Maria Goretti, the choral instructor, composed the music while singing in the shower. She then collaborated with a charter class member to write the lyrics, and the Chapelle alma mater was born.
Today, Chapelle’s trend-setting educational program, warm, welcoming atmosphere and fervent school spirit attract students from East Jefferson and the New Orleans metropolitan area, the North Shore, and the River Parishes. More than a school, Chapelle is a loving family that supports and encourages her daughters, celebrates their success, and prepares them for the future. Chapelle looks ahead to a bright future providing quality Catholic education to the young women of the Metro area. Justifiably proud of her fifty-nine year history, Archbishop Chapelle High School's 14,000 alumnae have taken their places in society with the skills and competencies necessary to succeed in our rapidly changing world.
Video: During the May 2023 Baccalaureate Mass, the
Class of 2023 sings the Archbishop Chapelle High School Alma Mater at St. Louis Cathedral - Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France in New Orleans, LA.
Alma
Mater
Hail Chapelle, Alma Mater we pledge our love to you.
Memories mingle joy and sadness of lifelong friendships true.
Ever we'll be dearest Mother, loyal to green and white.
Trusting always in our motto "God Will Provide."
The mission of Archbishop Chapelle High School is the establishment of a Catholic educational community of excellence in which the spiritual, academic, and social development of our students is accomplished, trusting that Deus Providebit...God Will Provide.
The schools of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Louisiana admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools. They do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.
