It is located in the suburban town of Dartmouth, on the south coast of Massachusetts. Stang's campus is 25 minutes west of Cape Cod and 20 minutes east of the Rhode Island border. Its 600-plus student body draws from more than 50 cities and towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Catholic secondary education in southeastern Massachusetts began in the early 20th century with local parochial schools affiliated with various Catholic parishes. Some of these, such as the now-closed Holy Family High School, located near St. Lawrence Church in New Bedford, had strong academic reputations and produced generations of prominent Catholic alumni in the region. While Stang was not the first Catholic secondary school in southeastern Massachusetts, it was the first regional, diocesan, coeducational institution. Founded in 1959, Stang's original faculty included Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in full religious habit. The new campus across from the Country Club of New Bedford in then-pastoral Dartmouth drew students from cities and towns in a radius from Rhode Island to Cape Cod. In the years following the Second Vatican Council, the number of Sisters of Notre Dame decreased. By the 1970s the vast majority of faculty and administrators were lay men and women, and the remaining sisters dressed conservatively, but in lay clothing. Since its inception, Stang has had a large number of alumni return as teachers and administrators.
Academics
Of Stang graduates 96% continue their education, with over 91% going on to four-year colleges and universities. Courses are diverse and offered at four levels. Students are placed in levels according to their individual strengths and weaknesses.
Bishop Stang offers over 11 varsity, junior varsity, and freshman interscholastic sports teams and more than 20 co-curricular activities. Bishop Stang's athletic teams have historically been successful in both men's and women's sports.
Basketball
In 2016, the boys' basketball team won their first MIAA Division 3 title in program history. Led by coach Colby Santos, who himself had been to the semifinal game at the Boston Garden, the team defeated Dedham, Norwell, Cardinal Spellman, and Apponequet to win the South Sectional title. After beating Bedford at the Garden 63-43, the Spartans clinched the state title by defeating Oxford 80-64.
Football
In 2005, the football team won their first Eastern Athletic Conference title in over twenty years and clinched a berth in the state playoffs in the process as well. The Spartans upset powerhouse Wareham in the semi-finals, and advanced to the Division 2A State Championship game, but were defeated 28-13 by perennial power Duxbury. the Spartans finished the 2005 season with a 10-3 overall record. In 2006, the football team completed an undefeated regular season with a 9-0 record and won the Eastern Athletic Conference for the second consecutive year. They also clinched their second straight state playoff berth in the process. However, the Spartans were defeated by eventual state champions, Foxboro in the semi-finals.
Hockey
In 2005, the Spartan hockey team won the Southeastern Massachusetts Championship, to advance to the State Championship. They were handed defeat, 6-3, by Western/Central Mass Champion Marlboro.
Swimming & Diving
In 2008, 2010, and 2012 the men's swimming and diving team won the Southern Massachusetts Conference Championship.
Lacrosse
Boys' lacrosse won the Eastern Athletic Conference title in 2014 by defeating rival Bishop Feehan.
Field Hockey
The field hockey has been noted for their many achievements, winning 11 conference championships, 4 sectional championships, and the 1983 state championship. They were also sectional finalists in 1982, 1985, 1986, 1990, and 2008, as well as state finalists in 1975 and 1977.
Other Sports & Activities
Each school year more than 80% of the student body participates in one or more co-curricular activities. These include Photography Club, an award-winning student council, mock trial, DECA Business Challenge, Campus Ministry, separate men's and women's faith groups—the Fellowship and Soul Sisters, jazz band, marching/stand band, concert band, guitar band, chorus, Pro-Life Club, and Student Ambassadors. Stang also has a few activities that have not become official such as an Improvisation Group and an Origami Club. The Bishop Stang Forensics and Debate team is known for its excellence, having brought in numerous top honors during the 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 seasons. This culminated in a trip to the final round for two of the teams debaters in 2015. In 2013, the school completed a multi-million dollar renovation of the school's old convent into a new Academic Resource Center. The ARC, as it is called by members of the Stang community, is home to the guidance department, admissions and advancement offices, a new library and research commons, and two new English classrooms. Recently, the school worked to raise funds to completely renovate the state-of-the-art science labs, completing construction in the fall of 2017.
