Our Lady of Providence is an inter-parochial, co-educational school located in Clark County, Indiana, serving the southern Indiana portion of the Louisville, KY metropolitan area.
The New Albany Deanery, under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, operates Providence.
At the request of Most Reverend Paul C. Schulte, Archbishop of Indianapolis, the Sisters of Providence, located at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana since 1840, owned and operated the school. The first freshman class entered on September 12, 1951 - 137 students from 11 parishes in Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties. In 1973, eighteen parishes of the New Albany Deanery purchased the school from the Sisters of Providence.
In 1989 Providence began accepting junior high students (grades 7 and 8) on a limited basis. The Deanery Board created the junior high program to accommodate those parishes without elementary schools and/or without grades 7 and 8.
By 1996 the Our Lady of Providence Junior-Senior High Board of Directors assumed the governance responsibilities previously held by the Deanery Board. In 2006, the Board of Directors became a Board of Trustees.
A twelve-room expansion of the school occurred in 1959, but no further changes were made until the Larkin Center gymnasium opened in 1989. A three-floor educational wing connecting the convent building and the school was added during the 1995-1996.
In 2000, a new façade and renovated front entrance and lobby totally changed the external look of Providence. And in 2003, the 4500 square foot Visual Arts wing was complete on the third floor of the Larkin Center.
In 2000, a new façade and renovated front entrance and lobby totally changed the external look of Providence. And in 2003, the 4500 square foot Visual Arts wing was complete on the third floor of the Larkin Center.
In August of 2004, Providence hired Mrs. Joan M. Hurley to guide the school as President, following Jerry Wilkinson's retirement. She came as a career business woman with a desire to further the school's mission to educate youth in the Catholic tradition. She assisted in completing theVision of Faith capital campaign, conducted through 2003 and 2004 raised $4.3 million.
Driven by a $1.5 million donation from Paula Robinson '65, construction of the Sam & Paula Robinson Performing Arts Center began in August, 2005. The 561-seat theatre featuring stadium seating and a thrust stage opened with the musical production of “CATS” on April 21, 2006.
The James W. & Phyllis Robinson Sports Wing was made possible by many contributors, including a generous gift from Jim & Phyllis Robinson. It opened in time for the 2006-2007 football season.
In June 2006, Clarksville Town Council granted the school's request to change the name of the roadway in front of the school. Formerly called Old Highway 62 and West Highway 131, the school's new address is proudly - 707 PROVIDENCE WAY.
The summers of 2006 and 2007 brought numerous changes.
- Air-conditioning installed following the replacement of all large old windows on the back (north) side of the building.
- Original 1951 portion of the school building was renovated.
- New wiring, lighting, ceilings, and compartmentalization of academic departments completed in time for the 2007-08 school year.
- New teacher lounge and dining room created through the generosity of a graduate, and the chapel relocated to the old library space on second floor.
- Renovation of the girl's softball field.
- Thanks to a gift from Paula Robinson ’65, the Ray Day Little Theatre and supporting academic classroom/green room, along with the Performing Arts office space, has been in partial use since January 2008 - total completion scheduled for August 2009.
During the summer of 2008:
- Old classroom floors were upgraded.
- Science lecture room remodeled.
- Nine classrooms fitted with SMART technology (for a total of 13)
- Alumni Meeting/reception Room completed on the second floor adjacent to the Larkin Center.
- Thanks to a grant from Caesar’s Foundation of Floyd County, renovation of our Learning Support Services lab was undertaken.
- Creation of three Departmental Offices for faculty.
- Renovation of the baseball / soccer field.
