| Bishop McNamara High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
6800 Marlboro Pike , 20747 | |
| Coordinates | 38°51′8″N76°53′22″W / 38.85222°N 76.88944°W /38.85222; -76.88944 |
| Information | |
| Type | Private,Coeducational,College Preparatory |
| Motto | To Think With Christ |
| Patron saints | Blessed Fr. Basil Moreau and Saint Andre Bessette |
| Founder | Cardinal-Archbishop Patrick A. O'Boyle of theArchdiocese of Washington |
| School district | Archdiocese of WashingtonCatholic Schools[1] |
| Oversight | Archdiocese of Washington |
| President | John Barnhardt |
| Principal | Dian Carter |
| Staff | 30 |
| Faculty | 81 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 870 |
| Average class size | 21 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 11:1 |
| Campus size | 14+ Acre |
| Campus type | Suburban |
| Colors | Maroon andGold |
| Song | "Hail to thee, our McNamara" |
| Fight song | "The Maroon and Gold Fight Song" |
| Athletics conference | Washington Catholic Athletic Conference |
| Mascot | Mustang |
| Nickname | Mighty Mac |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[2] |
| Publication | "Mustang Messenger" |
| Yearbook | Caritas |
| Tuition | $19,825 |
| Affiliation | |
| Alumni eNewsletter | "Mustang Minute" |
| Student Newspaper | The Stampede Online |
| Website | www.bmhs.org |
Bishop McNamara High School(BMHS, McNamara, or Mac) is a private,Catholiccoedhigh school inForestville CDP inunincorporatedPrince George's County, Maryland.[3][4]
The school is in theHoly Cross tradition offering acollege preparatory curriculum and a range of Fine Arts, athletics and activities. Founded in 1964 by theCongregation of Holy Cross, Bishop McNamara is located on a 14-acre campus inForestville, Maryland,United States, just 7 miles south ofWashington, D.C., serving students ranging from six differentMaryland counties,Northern Virginia and theDistrict of Columbia and is part of theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington. The school bears the name of BishopJohn Michael McNamara, a former auxiliary bishop to theArchbishops of Baltimore andWashington and the founder of St. Gabriel's parish in Washington, D.C.
Built on a site adjacent to Mount Calvary Catholic Church on Marlboro Pike inForestville, Maryland, Bishop McNamara High School is a result of Msgr. Peter Paul Rakowski's plan to build aCatholichigh school for boys, and one for girls in the southern part ofPrince George's County. To that end, in 1962,Patrick A. O'Boyle, archbishop of Washington, D.C., extended an invitation to the Brothers of Holy Cross to administer and staff the new high school, which would serve the county and parts of Washington, DC. Bishop McNamara High School admitted its first classes (freshman and sophomore) of 334 boys in 1964.
In the academic year 1992–93, the school became co-educational when it accepted girls fromLa Reine High School, an all girls' school in nearbySuitland that had been closed.[5] Enrollment at both schools had been dwindling for some years, following a trend in private schools across the county as a result of therecession.[6]
Bishop McNamara High School provides a Catholic, college-preparatory education.
Bishop McNamara High School provides a variety of courses to help students meet the requirements for college admission or other types of professional preparation.
Beyond the core academic courses, Bishop McNamara offers:
The Fine Arts Department at Bishop McNamara offers one of the arts educations in Washington, D.C..[citation needed] The F.A.D.E. program, Fine Arts Diploma Endorsement, is unique to Bishop McNamara. With band, orchestra, choir, theatre, dance, and visual arts course offerings, Bishop McNamara High School's Fine Arts Department provides opportunities for student participation.
The Fine Arts Programs include:
Bishop McNamara competes in theWashington Catholic Athletic Conference at the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels in the following sports:
Fall - Football, Women's Tennis, Volleyball, Cross Country, Women's Soccer, Men's Soccer, and CheerleadingWinter - Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Swimming, Wrestling, Cheerleading, and Indoor TrackSpring - Baseball, Softball, Men's Tennis, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Lacrosse, Track & Field, and Golf
Each year student-athletes are selected to the WCAC All-Conference teams,Washington Post All-Met Teams, Maryland All-State Teams, MSABC All State Team, as well as other national, state and conference awards.
In 2013, thirteen student-athletes signed with Division 1 colleges and universities, such as the University of Maryland College Park, Georgia Tech, Fordham University, VCU, UMBC, Sienna College, University of Toledo, Columbia University, University of Tennessee, and George Mason University.
Bishop McNamara's women's basketball team has established itself as one of the premier teams in not only the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) but the entire nation as well. In 2005, the team was ranked #1 byUSA Today, and the team finished with only one loss in the WCAC semifinals.[citation needed] In the 2007-2008, 2019-2020, and 2024-2025 seasons, the Lady Mustangs became WCAC champions.[7]
