About Billings Catholic Schools

Billings Catholic Schools serve over 1,000 students grades PK-12 from Billings, Montana, and surrounding areas. Our staff is comprised of over 100 certified teachers, administration and support staff, many of whom hold advanced degrees in their field. Saint Francis Catholic K-8 is accredited by the Western Catholic Education Association, and Billings Central Catholic High School is accredited by the Montana Office of Public Instruction and the Western Catholic Education Association.

BCS Annual Report Download Billings Central Catholic High School Profile Our School Stats

Our History

The tradition of Catholic education has been alive in Billings for over 100 years, originated by the passion and commitment of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.

Billings Central Catholic High School opened its doors in 1947, with its first class graduating in 1948. In 1986, the parish schools at Holy Rosary, Little Flower, Saint Pius and St. Patrick’s consolidated, joining Billings Central Catholic High School as one district: Billings Catholic Schools. The K-8 schools chose the name Saint Francis, and became Saint Francis Primary, grades PK-2, Saint Francis Intermediate, grades 3-5, and Saint Francis Upper, grades 6-8. In 2017 a brand new Saint Francis Catholic K8 school opened at 2202 Colton Boulevard. The Billings Catholic Schools Early Childhood Education Center moved into the Saint Francis Intermediate facility on the campus of St. Pius X.

Why Choose Us

At Billings Catholic Schools, your child will be provided with the tools and opportunities to reach their highest potential. With smaller classroom sizes and low teacher to student ratios, each student is known and cared for as an individual. Expectations are high for each child, and each child receives the support they need to meet and exceed those expectations. With a foundation of faith, family spirit, and academic excellence, students learn not only to excel academically, but also to respect themselves and others, to know what it means to be a part of a team, and to see and understand the need to make a positive difference in their community and the world around them. Click the links below for more information about Billings Catholic Schools and to read the success stories of our students in their graduate profiles.

Apply to BCS Today State of Our Schools

Come See For Yourself!

Virtual Tour – Billings Central Catholic High School:

Virtual Tour – Saint Francis Catholic K8:

Faith, Family Spirit, Academic Excellence

As defined by Billings Catholic Schools

Faith

Faith is achieved by providing opportunities for staff and students to model Christ-like behavior, and to learn and grow in an atmosphere that embraces our vision of Making God Smile.

Faith is measured by sincere participation in and contribution to community service, Mass, Mass ministries, retreats, and other daily opportunities to model Christ, and is readily apparent in our school culture of unity and acceptance.

Billings Catholic Schools offer an exceptional Catholic education founded on the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic church. In an average year, 64% of BCS students are practicing Catholics, while 36% are non-Catholic. Faith-based education creates a culture and atmosphere with fewer distractions, where teachers can teach, reaching each individual child. Students are able to recognize that it is cool to do the right thing, and that differences do not equate to disrespect. The end result is students reaching their own highest potential not just academically, but in individual strength and conviction of character.

Mass

Students grades K-12 attend Mass during the school day once a week or three times a month, depending on grade level. Non-Catholics and children in grades K-2 who have not yet received the sacrament of First Communion attend and participate in the Mass, but do not receive the Eucharist. Instead, those children receive a blessing from the priest or Eucharistic minister. Services at all levels are student driven, with students performing the roles of readers, presenters, musicians and Eucharistic ministers. In this way, the Mass is presented at a level appropriate for each grade level. Catholic holidays, Holy Days and the Sacraments are celebrated.

Religious Curriculum

Religion is a part of the daily curriculum for all students grades K-12. In grades K-5, through age-appropriate lessons with their classroom teacher, students learn Christian values and the values and traditions of the Catholic faith. In 6th-12th grade, religious classes are taught one period a day by religion-specific teachers. High school seniors take the ARK (Assessment of Religious Knowledge) test to measure their religious knowledge relative to students in other schools.

Retreats

Beginning in 5^th grade, students participate in retreats annually with their classmates. Retreats are intended to encourage students to build friendships and relationships with their classmates and teachers, as well as promote community service. For grades 9-11, team building through community service is an integral part of the agenda of each retreat. A student’s time at Billings Central Catholic culminates with Senior Retreat, a weekend at St. Thomas Camp for all graduating seniors two weeks prior to graduation. Students often report that their experience at Senior Retreat is one of the best memories of their high school days.

Mission and Catholic Identity Committee

The Mission and Catholic Identity Committee is a standing committee of the BCS School Board. The committee exists to support teachers and students, providing resources and opportunities to understand and promote Catholic culture in our schools. The committee is comprised of school board members, BCS Foundation board members, school administration and staff, and a local Catholic priest. For more information about the Catholic Culture Committee, please call 406.252.0097.

Family Spirit

Family Spirit is achieved by modeling the Gospel of Jesus through consistent love and support for one another in and out of the classroom, creating a safe, respectful and disciplined environment anchored in core values.

Family Spirit is measured by an unfaltering knowledge and awareness of school culture by staff, students, parents, alumni and all stakeholders, to ensure an ever-present atmosphere of respect, unity and acceptance.

Family Spirit is evident in all that we do at Billings Catholic Schools. A partnership exists between the student, parents and the staff and school, which is governed, guided and protected under the umbrella of Jesus Christ. Family spirit is seen in the way we support our community and our Catholic community. It is seen the way staff members communicate with parents, and in the number of parent volunteers throughout our system. It can also be seen in the number of students who participate in athletics and extra-curricular activities throughout their school years, becoming part of a club, a member of a team, one of the family.

Tradition of Participation

Student participation in extra-curricular activities is highly encouraged at Billings Catholic Schools. At Billings Central Catholic High School, over 85% of the student body participates in one or more Montana High School Association activity, and over 40 extra-curricular activities are offered to students. All of our K-8 students, and over 2/3 of the BCCHS student body participate in fine arts, attending festivals across the state and participating in competitions at the local, state, regional and national level. The success of our high school student groups begins at Saint Francis Catholic, where programs are built and the tradition begins.

View our School Activities, Clubs, and Athletics

Community Service

Community service is a key component to the curriculum for students at Billings Catholic Schools. Each year, Saint Francis Catholic students and staff contribute over 3,000 hours to serve those in need in our community and world. Billings Central Catholic High School students and staff contribute over 7,000 hours annually. Community service is often organized through religious classes or student organizations such as student council and National Honor Society. At the high school level, students are required to perform at least ten community service hours per semester. In high school, students are also introduced to the concept of service learning, whereby community service is connected to concepts being taught in subject areas outside of religion. Through service learning, students are able understand concepts and lessons through hands-on participation, rather than simply by learning the idea in the classroom.

Parent Volunteering

At Billings Catholic Schools parent volunteering is encouraged, but not required. Parents volunteer in our school in many ways, including tutoring and helping out in the classroom, chaperoning field trips and other events, planning classroom parties and much more. Parents also volunteer for fundraisers including BCS Foundation special events such as Mayfair. For information on volunteering for special events, call the BCS Foundation at 406.252.0252. For information on volunteering at Saint Francis Catholic K-8 406.259.5087. To volunteer at Billings Central Catholic High School call 406.245.6651.

Academic Excellence

Academic Excellence is achieved by consistently teaching relevant classroom content and providing the necessary tools to empower students in a safe environment that fosters strong relationships.

Academic Excellence is measured by utilizing clear, concise, varied and comprehensive assessment methods to verify student progress and mastery.

Billings Catholic Schools is known for its academic excellence. Test scores, graduation rates, number and variety of honors, advanced placement and dual enrollment courses offered, college placement, and scholarship offers received evidence the academic excellence that defines Billings Catholic Schools. But statistics only tell part of the story; the really story comes from our students. Through the educational experience at Billings Catholic Schools, students at all levels of learning exceed expectations. Students who never dreamed of college are earning scholarships at universities across the United States, and across town. Academic excellence measured in our graduating seniors begins in kindergarten and grows throughout each new school year, as the individual attention that students receive at Billings Catholic Schools unlocks the potential in every child.

BCCHS Grad Profile Books

Billings Central Catholic High School Graduate Profiles

Click the images below to view BCCHS Graduate Profiles:

College Placement

We are so proud of our students success in placing in some of the most prominent colleges and universities around the country. Billings Catholic Schools prides itself on providing the curriculum and preparation for its students to succeed and flourish.

BCCHS College Acceptances 2020-2024

Adams State University
Appalachian State University
Arizona State University (Downtown Phoenix)
Arizona State University (Main Campus)
Arizona State University (Polytechnic)
Arizona State University (West)
Arkansas Tech University
Auburn University
Baylor University
Benedictine College
Bethel University
Big Bend Community College
Biola University
Black Hills State University
Blinn College
Boise State University
Boston College
Boston University
Bradley University
Brigham Young University (Idaho)
Butler University
California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo)
California State University (Northridge)
Carroll College
Carthage College
Casper College
Catholic University of America
Central Wyoming College
Chadron State College
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Claremont McKenna College
Clemson University
Colby College
College of Saint Benedict
Colorado Christian University
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University (Fort Collins)
Columbia University
Concordia College at Moorhead
Concordia University (Nebraska)
Creighton University
Crown College
Dawson Community College
DePaul University
Dickinson College
Dickinson State University
Dordt University
Drexel University
Duke University
Eastern Arizona College
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Prescott)
Emory & Henry College
Flathead Valley Community College
Florida State University
Franklin Pierce University
Georgetown University
George Washington University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Gettysburg College
Gonzaga University
Grand Canyon University
Great Falls College Montana State University
Grove City College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Harvey Mudd College
Haskell Indian Nations University
Hawai’i Pacific University
Helena College University of Montana
Henderson State University
Highlands College of Montana Tech

Hillsdale College
Hope College
Illinois Institute of Technology
John Carroll University
John Paul the Great Catholic University
Johnson & Wales University (Providence)
Kansas State University
Kentucky State University
Le Moyne College
Lehigh University
Lewis & Clark College
Lewis University
Liberty University
Linfield University
Linn-Benton Community College
Louisiana State University
Loyola University Chicago
Marquette University
Mesa Community College
Middlebury College
Miles Community College
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Minot State University
Missouri State University (Springfield)
Montana State University (Billings)
Montana State University (Northern)
Montana State University
Montana Tech
North Carolina State University
North Dakota State University
North Idaho College
North Park University
Northeastern University
Northern Arizona University
Northern Wyoming Community College District
Northwest College
Oregon State University
Parsons School of Design at The New School
Penn State University (Altoona)
Penn State University (University Park)
Pepperdine University
Pratt Institute
Purdue University (Main Campus)
Regis University
Rhode Island School of Design
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rocky Mountain College
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
SUNY Maritime College
SUNY University at Buffalo
Saginaw Valley State University
Saint Ambrose University
Saint Louis University
Saint Peter’s University
Salish Kootenai College
San Diego State University
Santa Clara University
School of Visual Arts
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle University
Seton Hall University
Southern Methodist University
St. Olaf College
Stanford University
Stephen F Austin State University
Texas A&M University
Texas Christian University
Texas State University
Texas Tech University
The College of Idaho
The Ohio State University
The University of Alabama

The University of Montana (Western)
The University of Montana
The University of Tennessee (Knoxville)
The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at San Antonio
United States Air Force Academy
Unity States Military Academy at West Point
University of Arizona
University of Arkansas
University of British Columbia
University of California (Berkeley)
University of California (Davis)
University of California (San Diego)
University of California (Santa Barbara)
University of California (Santa Cruz)
University of Cincinnati (Main Campus)
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Denver
University of Connecticut
University of Delaware
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Idaho
University of Iowa
University of Jamestown
University of Kentucky
University of Mary
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota (Twin Cities)
University of Mississippi
University of Nebraska (Lincoln)
University of Nevada (Reno)
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Northern Colorado
University of North Dakota
University of North Texas
University of Notre Dame
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Portland
University of Providence
University of Puget Sound
University of Rochester
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of South Florida (Main Campus)
University of Southern California
University of St Thomas
University of Tulsa
University of Utah
University of Virginia (Main Campus
University of Washington (Seattle Campus)
University of Wisconsin (Madison)
University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
University of Wyoming
University of the Arts London
Utah Tech University
Valley City State University
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Walla Walla Community College
Washington State University
Weber State University
Western Washington University
Wheaton College – IL
Whitman College
Whitworth University
Willamette University

One-To-One iPad Curriculum

Billings Catholic Schools utilize a one-to-one iPad curriculum, meaning that every student, grade K-12, has a school provided iPad. The curriculum works differently at each grade level. In grades K-5, the iPads stay at school, while students in grades 6-12 take the devices home with them. Once assigned an iPad, the same device will stay with that student for the life of the iPad. Data contained on student iPads is stored on BCS servers, and transferred when a new iPad is assigned.

iPads are managed by a program called Apple Classroom Manager, which allows a teacher to see from their own computer what each student is doing on their iPad. Classroom Manager also enables a teacher to lock students into a particular program or activity, along with numerous other tools the teacher can utilize to keep students on task.

iPads result in more efficiency for students, who can take notes, complete assignments and submit finished work electronically. iPads offer the possibility of lower costs as well, as hard copy textbooks are replaced with electronic versions. iPads are a powerful tool in individualized learning, providing teachers with the means to offer additional learning opportunities to students needing more help, or students ready to move ahead, while still serving the needs of the entire classroom.

BCS Curriculum Documents

BCS K-12 Science Standards

BCS Course Placement Guidelines

BCS Philosophy of Assessment