St. Michael’s starts 2nd year with 194 students
St. Michael’s starts 2nd year with 194 students
By Sally McKinney
Just one year ago St. Michael Catholic High School opened its doors to the first freshman and sophomore classes. This year the junior class will join the enrollment. By August 17, 194 were enrolled, an increase of 11 since the end of July.
From the 36 sophomores last year, Principal Faustin Weber expects to have an additional 11 juniors, a 30% increase. Most are enrolling in the honors program. With the move into the third year, seven new teachers have been hired to accommodate the new requirements. The faculty includes a total of 17 full-time and two part-time teachers. The faculty includes two counselors,,who will help students with personal and academic issues and assist families in the application and scholarship process for college.
With the necessary core classes for the junior year, Biology, American History, Theology, English and Math, third year options of Spanish and Latin have been added. In addition to the existing Advanced Placement Geography, AP courses in English and American History have also been included, with anticipation for Physics, Calculus, Government, English Literature and Spanish for the senior year.
A Studio Art program debuts this year, with growth anticipated in the future as the school continues to grow. New electives include Analytical Reading, with a focus on preparing students on the reading sections of the PSAT and ACT. Communications and Public Speaking have also been added.
This year the school will host two levels of teams for volleyball, basketball, boys’ soccer and perhaps girls’ soccer. Weber says that’s amazing for a school with less than 200 students. Cross country for boys and girls and baseball will be added this year, allowing the school to become full-fledged members of the AHSAA next year, with five or more varsity sports for both men and women. This year the upper level teams will play a mixture of both varsity and JV games this year in preparation for full varsity seasons next year.
Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi has accepted the school’s Advisory Council recommendation to conduct a feasibility study to assess interest and funding for a football/soccer stadium, baseball field, field house/weight-room, track and softball field, all a part of the master plan.
In addition to the new students, new classes, and new teachers, the school will be offering students an opportunity to participate in a tour of Paris, lead by one of the teachers who is fluent in French and has experience in leading student tours, providing a special educational opportunity for students.
One-day retreats will be started this year to further deepen students’ relationship with the Lord. The music program is growing, especially at the fifth to eighth grade level in the Catholic partner schools. A second music teacher has been added to accommodate this upswing in music interest.
Some changes in the weekly schedule have been made to allow club meetings on Thursday each week. Fridays will be optional House days or Student assemblies, depending on what the Student House Council decides.
A drug testing program, based on the McGill-Toolen plan, will begin this year. The “Guardian Angel” project is a new financial aid initiative at parishes has recently been introduced.
For information about St. Michael Catholic High School, visit the website stmichaelchs.org.