St. Michael Catholic High School (Fairhope, Alabama)
| St. Michael Catholic High School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
11732 Higbee Rd Fairhope, (Baldwin County), Alabama 36532 United States | |
| Coordinates | 30°33′13″N 87°50′08″W / 30.553611°N 87.835423°WCoordinates: 30°33′13″N 87°50′08″W / 30.553611°N 87.835423°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Coeducational |
| Motto | "Forming Great Hearts and Minds to Do Great Things." |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 2016 |
| Authority | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile |
| Principal | Faustin Weber |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Campus size | 40 acres |
| Color(s) | Red and Gray |
| Mascot | Cardinals |
| Assistant Principal and Athletic Director | Paul Knapstein |
| Director of Music | David Pryor |
| Director of Admissions and Advancement | Jenny Kopf |
| Website | http://www.stmichaelchs.org |
St. Michael Catholic High School is a 9-12 Catholic college preparatory school, established by the Archdiocese of Mobile. It opened for the first time with ninth and tenth grades on August 17, 2016, added a junior class in 2017, and will add a senior class in 2018. It will have a maximum enrollment of 350-380 students. As part of a voting process the year before the school opened, future students chose the name "Cardinals" as the school's mascot. The school aspires for its students to become "scholars, leaders and disciples of Jesus Christ." [1][2][3]
Most Rev. Thomas Rodi, Archbishop of Mobile, is the school's founder, whereas Gwen Byrd is the founding superintendent and Faustin Weber is the school's first principal.[4] The school was created by the Archdiocese to serve all the people of Baldwin County.
Academic Program
The school's four year curriculum allows students to take courses at the Collegiate Studies or Honors--Advanced Placement level. The school requires four years of core subjects in Theology, Math, English, History and Science and one year of Physical Education/Health. Freshmen and sophomores must also take a foreign language (either Spanish or Latin) and an arts elective (either Chorus, Band or Art) In their junior and senior year, students have three electives in addition to the five core classes. They may opt to take a third or fourth year of a foreign language and/or the Arts among their choices.
Students take 8 classes each semester. On Mondays, they attend all 8 classes, whereas on Tuesday they attend 6 classes, with two classes rotating out of the schedule each of those days. Students may earn a total of 32 credits during their four-year tenure.
Fine Arts Program
St. Michael began with a Band and Choral program. Students have the option to take four years of one or the other. In its second year, the school began an Art program (2d/3D). In the words of the principal, Faustin Weber, "It is the school's intention to make the Arts central to the life of the school."[4] The band and choral program both rated "superior" in state competitions in their first year of existence.
Athletic Program
The school will be an AHSAA sponsored school competing at the 3A-4A level. It has opened with JV programs in volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, swimming/diving, and men's and women's cross country. It also sponsors a football cheerleading team and a basketball cheer team.[6]
Life of Faith
The Catholic faith is the "lens through which the activity of the school is focused." [4] In addition to a four-year theology requirement, the school will have a weekly mass, with frequent opportunities for prayer, worship and service. Though Catholic, in the words of Archbishop Rodi, "everyone regardless of his or her religious background who wishes an excellent education and the formation of Gospel values is welcome." [5]
Students are divided into four "Houses," named after the early bishops of Mobile: Michael Portier, John Quinlan, Jeremiah O'Sullivan and Edward Patrick Allen. These houses, composed of students of all levels, compete against each other for the Annual "House Cup", and serve as the foundation for the student government of the school.