St. Michael Catholic High School (Fairhope, Alabama)

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 and will add a grade each successive year, with an eventual maximum enrollment of 350-400 students. As part of a system wide voting process in the fall of 2015, the future students of St. Michael chose the name "Cardinals" as the school's mascot.^[1][2]

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.^[3] 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, Honors or 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 or Band in 2016, Theater and Art also in future years) 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 will begin with a Band and Choral program in 2016. As the school grows, it will add Theater and 2D/3D art. 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."[3]

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, and men's and women's soccer. It also sponsors a football cheerleading team and a basketball cheer team. A number of its students who are swimmers and divers will also be able to represent the school in AHSAA competition. In its second year it has committed to starting a baseball program, and by its third year will sponsor five varsity sports for men and five varsity sports for women.[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. The school will be an AHSAA sponsored school competing at the 3A-4A level.^[4]

References