Saint Michael Catholic High School (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
| Saint Michael Catholic High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
 The front entrance of the new Saint Michael location before the expansion. | |
| Address | |
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8699 McLeod Road Niagara Falls, Ontario, L2E 6S5 Canada | |
| Coordinates | 43°04′14″N 79°08′34″W / 43.0705°N 79.1429°WCoordinates: 43°04′14″N 79°08′34″W / 43.0705°N 79.1429°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Secondary school |
| Motto | Excellence Through Dedication |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 5 September 1989 |
| School board | Niagara Catholic District School Board |
| Area trustee | Ed Nieuwesteeg |
| Principal | Glenn Gifford |
| Grades | 9-12+ |
| Enrollment | 940 |
| Colour(s) | Black, Grey and Burgundy |
| Mascot | Mikey the Mustang |
| Team name | Mustangs |
| Website |
www |
Saint Michael Catholic High School is a Catholic high school in Niagara Falls, Ontario. It serves 940 pupils in grades 9-12 and is governed by the Niagara Catholic District School Board. Saint Michael opened in 1989 and moved to its current building in 2004.
History
Saint Michael Catholic High School officially opened its doors on September 5, 1989 in its original location on 6009 Valley Way. At that time the school had 248 students, including over 50 students that transferred from Saint Paul Catholic High School. The current Saint Michael building opened on April 16, 2004, after the original building fell into disrepair; the new building originally housed 800 students. Today 6009 Valley Way is occupied by Glengate Alliance Church. The only thing that remains of the old faculty is the lockers, gym and the white cross that was installed in 1989. From the years 2012-2015 the new location was renovated for the construction of an addition that added more indoor classrooms to replace portable classrooms that required students to go outside to get to their classes. This expansion cost a total of 6.1 million dollars. Today Saint Michael offers almost 170 courses for students to choose from. This includes four high skills major programs in transportation, hospitality and tourism, construction, and horticulture & landscaping.
Annual Pilgrimage
Students of Saint Michael Catholic High School gather every year to raise funds for the children of Rwanda, who still suffer from the aftereffects of the genocide of 1994. They also team up with students and staff from Saint Paul Catholic High School and together they walk in solidarity throughout the city of Niagara Falls to show their support. This annual pilgrimage has been carried out for over 20 years.
Mustang Sound
Being hosted by members of the school's music department, Mustang Sound was a concert performed on April 26th, 2016. It featured talented performances from students that played a variety of instruments such as guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano and tambourine. Also performing were talented singers and vocalists who set the stage for one of the schools most valuable memories. The event was a school buy-in that raised funds for the music department, where it was spent on equipment for future generations to use. Still to this day students are reminded of the show whenever someone opens the case to the Buttercream Fender Stratocaster located in the music room.
Special Activities/Programs
Some of the actives and programs offered at Saint Michael Catholic High School include: P3-Pathway Preparation Program, Battle of the Bands, Spiritual Retreats, School Band & Choir, Torch Leadership Experience, 35 School Clubs, School Liturgies, 26 Athletic Teams, Snack Program, Masses/Prayer Services for Feeder Schools, Ethnic Food Festival, Fashion Show, Communion Breakfast, Talent Show, Graduation Luncheon, Academic Awards Recognition, Saint Michael Family Bingo, Cultural Exchange Program, Athletic Banquet, Apprenticeship-OYAP/SHSM Sectors, Peer Tutoring, Technological Skills Competitions, Career Day, Skills Competence Canada, School Trips
Music Department
The music department at Saint Michael Catholic High School features a large selection of instruments for students to play and also a large number of performance opportunities throughout the school year. Students participating in music courses are encouraged to learn about music theory and composition, while also performing on their instrument of choice. Some instruments of the music department include by are not limited to guitars, bass guitars, drums, piano, trumpet, tambourine, alto saxophone and tenor saxophone. The music department has also given birth to talented and aspiring musicians that include but not are limited to local bands J.I.N and Hydroplane.
Annual Arts And Film Festival
One of the most anticipated events for the students of Saint Michael Catholic High School, typically at the end of the year, the annual arts and film festival is an event in which art submitted by students is displayed in the main entrance of the school building. There is also the film portion of the festival, in which short films created by the school's film club, film class, as well as independently by students, teachers, and alumni are presented in the style of a typical film festival. The Film section is three presentations; the grade eight presentation, in which grade eights who will be attending Saint Michael's the following year, this is considered a practice for the other two presentations. The second is the student presentation, in which students pay for a ticket to leave class at the scheduled time to watch the films. The final, and what is considered the main presentation is the family presentation, in which families, relatives, and alumni are able to come and watch the films created by students. The event started in 2005 exclusively as the film festival, and every year the film portion has been organized and run by English teacher Anthony Vaiana, with assistance from the Tech Crew, film club, and film class. The films can range anywhere from comedy to horror.
Principals of Saint Michael
- 1989-1994 William Walter
- 1994-1997 William Vernooy
- 1997-1999 John Crocco
- 1999-2008 Paul Barchiesi
- 2008-2011 Mario Ciccarelli
- 2011-2016 James Whittard
- 2016-2018 Kenneth Griepsma
- 2018-present Glenn Gifford