Retirement Announcement: Doug Thomas, Bishop Kelley High School Director of Philanthropy

December 19, 2025

After 14 years of extraordinary service to Bishop Kelley High School, Doug Thomas will retire in September 2026 from his role as Director of Philanthropy.

Doug joined Bishop Kelley after serving as a Major Gifts Officer at the University of Kentucky, bringing a level of fundraising expertise rarely found at the high school level. Over the course of his tenure, his leadership has had a transformational impact on our school and our community.

During his 14 years at Bishop Kelley, Doug has helped raise nearly $55 million in support of our students and mission. Through capital campaigns alone, Doug secured more than $35 million. This includes more than $25 million raised during the most recent We Are BK capital campaign, nearly $9 million for the 2018 The Championship Drive campaign (renovation and expansion of the stadium) and nearly $1 million in 2015 for the construction of the wrestling and cheer fieldhouse.

When Doug arrived at Bishop Kelley, the school’s endowment stood at approximately $5 million. He often shares that one of his proudest accomplishments has been helping grow it to more than $20 million today.

For all who have worked with Doug, it is clear that these remarkable achievements are motivated by his deep belief in accessible Catholic education and the value he places in enduring relationships with donors, families, alumni, and friends of Bishop Kelley. His work will continue to shape opportunities for students for generations to come. We are grateful to God for the impact Doug Thomas has had on the mission of Bishop Kelley’s service to students!

In January 2026, Bishop Kelley will begin its hiring process for Doug’s successor. We ask you to join us in prayer as we seek the right person to continue this critical work and build upon the remarkable foundation Doug has established since 2012.

Bishop Kelley Mission

Bishop Kelley is a Catholic diocesan high school, inspired by St. John Baptist De La Salle, that carries on the teaching ministry of Jesus Christ by preparing students’ hearts and minds for a purposeful life.

More About Bishop Kelley

Bishop Kelley High School is Oklahoma’s largest private high school and is considered a life-preparatory institution. It offers a faith-based education that fosters academic excellence, spiritual growth and personal development. The school features a rigorous curriculum, including more than 40 honors and AP courses across a wide range of disciplines. With an average ACT score of 28 and an average SAT score of 1260, Bishop Kelley graduates are well-prepared for college, with 90% attending four-year institutions. The Blessed Stanley Rother Academic Support Program provides individualized assistance to students with diverse learning needs.

Beyond the classroom, students can choose from more than 30 clubs and organizations, while athletes, academic bowl, and the speech and debate team compete in 20 OSSAA-sanctioned sports. The campus includes state-of-the-art facilities for academics, athletics, dining and the arts. Recent improvements were made possible through the successful completion of the $25 Million We Are BK capital campaign-funded entirely through private donors, not tuition dollars.

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Bishop Kelley Named to Advanced Placement Gold Honor Roll

January 15, 2026

Bishop Kelley High School was recently named to the Gold Advanced Placement Honor Roll by the College Board . The AP Honor Roll program works to acknowledge schools around the United States that help students achieve excellence while maintaining broad access to challenging curriculum. According to the College Board, Honor Roll schools, “Reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, maximizing college readiness.” The award also recognizes the broad access to advanced classes especially for students in underrepresented populations. The AP Honor Roll distinguished schools in three main areas: college culture, college credit and college optimization. Seventy-two percent of Bishop Kelley students in the Class of 2025 took at least one AP class and test during their time at the school. Fifty-eight percent earned college credit by scoring at least a “3” on one AP test and thirteen percent of the class took at least five AP tests through their four years of high school. All three of these indicators show an increase from previous years for Bishop Kelley. Two hundred and fifty-seven Bishop Kelley students took a record six hundred and twenty-six Advanced Placement (AP) tests in May, 2025 with an extraordinary 85% scoring “3” or higher. Nineteen percent of Bishop Kelley test takers scored the highest possible “5” on their exams, the equivalent of “Extremely Well Qualified” according to the College Board which administers the international testing. A “5” equates to an A+ or A in college level classes. Internationally, only 9% of all tests earn a “5” score. Another thirty-six percent of Bishop Kelley students scored at the second highest tier, a “4,” equal to ”Very well Qualified,” a level only achieved by twenty percent of all testers. The record number of exams for Bishop Kelley students cover a wide range of disciplines including science, math, English, social studies, fine arts, world languages and business. The largest number of tests for Bishop Kelley students included one hundred and thirteen AP English Language and Composition students, followed by eighty-six students who took the AP United States Government test, and seventy-one who took the AP United States History exam. Bishop Kelley students scored the highest average on the second-year AP Precalculus exam with a school mean score of 4.6, followed by AP Physics I with a mean score of 4.3. In the 2024-2025 school year, Bishop Kelley offered AP tests in twenty-four different subject areas. The Advanced Placement program is sponsored by the College Board. Research has proven that students who take AP classes are more likely to enroll in and complete four-year colleges.