July 11, 2013 by Shelby Joe

St. Michael Catholic School

St. Michael Catholic School is a parochial school located in the Galleria area of Houston serving approximately 450 co-ed students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. St. Michael was established in 1954 by St. Michael Catholic Church and is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The school serves to “integrate faith and knowledge in the tradition of Catholic education.”

St. Michael Catholic School

1833 Sage Road, Houston, TX 77056 Mr. Chris Skowronek, Principal

(713) 621-6847 Ms. Tana Adamo, Director of Admissions

www.StMichaelCS.org

Religious Affiliation

St. Michael is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and is associated with St. Michael Catholic Church. There is no written policy regarding admission of students of other faiths. The school does ask for sacramental records from Catholic applicants and centers its education on the Catholic faith. Students are challenged in the curriculum to develop their mind, body, and spirit in the light of truth. Students are expected to excel academically, while also developing their relationship with God.

Location and Facilities

St. Michael Catholic School is located on the St. Michael Catholic Church campus on nine acres of land on Sage Road. It is in the Galleria area of Houston, north of Westheimer and south of San Felipe. The surrounding neighborhood is a mixture of relatively affluent business and residential buildings. St. Michael is in a new school building as of January 2013.

Admissions

The admissions process to St. Michael includes: 1) Application printed from school website 2) Copy of birth certificate 3) Social Security card 4) Immunization records 5) Sacramental records if Catholic 6) Current and previous year grade transcripts 7) Standardized test results 8) Teacher evaluation form 9) Special testing form 10) TB questionnaire form and 11) $100 application fee. Priority for admission is given to siblings of current students, followed by parishioners, then non-parishioners.

Academic Tracks and Curriculum

The school’s curriculum includes: religion, technology, Spanish, English, math, science, PE, fine arts, library, and electives. Honors courses in math and science are available for advanced students at St. Michael starting in 7^th grade. Sacramental preparation classes are offered at every grade level, and study skills classes are available for 4^th through 8^th grade students. All students visit the library at least once a week, and the school hosts two book fairs each year.

Special Needs

No information provided.

Foreign Languages

Students in elementary and middle school at St. Michael take Spanish using a combination of Rosetta Stone Classroom software and class instruction.

Arts

At the elementary school level, Music and Art are incorporated into the elementary curriculum on a weekly basis. Students can participate in contests and programs led by volunteer parents, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Art Contest, annual Christmas programs, talent shows, and school plays. All middle school students take Art weekly, with the option to add additional fine arts through electives in 7^th and 8^th grade.

Technology

Technology is incorporated into the curriculum in all grades and is integrated into school activities by both students and teachers. The elementary school classrooms have ActiveBoards, two computers and a printer. Elementary students attend a computer class in the Mac lab twice a week and use a Mobile Mac Lab in the classroom. Middle School classrooms have SmartBoards, two computers and a printer. Middle school students use the Dell lab for class projects and research and also use a Mobile Mac Lab in the classroom.

Extracurricular Activities

Middle school electives at St. Michael include Speech and Improvisation team, Choir, Yearbook, Flight and Rocketry, Literary Magazine, Operation Conservation, Creative Art, and Spanish Culture. Academic rallies are also available to Middle school students, such as Prep Bowl, Math Minds, Spelling Bees, Speech Contests, Science Fairs, and the Stock Market Game. Students can also get involved in service and leadership opportunities through the National Junior Honors Society and the Beta Club. Beta Club services projects have included Christmas toy drives, Operation Rice Bowl, Candy Cane Grams, Be Green/Wear Jeans, Operation Afghanistan, and canned food drives.

Athletics

St. Michael Catholic School sponsors interscholastic athletic programs for 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade participants, which provide a pre-high school competitive environment with other schools. St. Michael participates in the Houston Junior Preparatory Conference (HJPC). The school fields JV and Varsity teams across seven sports: football, basketball, soccer, swimming, track, cheerleading, and volleyball. Students may only participate in one sport per season.

Parent Involvement?

Parents can get involved through Parents Lending Useful Support (PLUS), a service organization that coordinates volunteer participation at the school. PLUS works with the school faculty and staff to promote enrichment activities and parental involvement. Parent volunteers must attend a VIRTUS workshop to learn about creating safe environments for students.

St. Michael Catholic School Fast Facts

Overview
School Type	Religious, Coeducational
Religious Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Uniforms	Yes
Date Founded	1954
Endowment	N/A
Grades Served	Pre-k through 8^th
Enrollment	472
Grade 8	45
Grade 7	43
Grade 6	45
Grade 5Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 1 KG PK	5046 48 50 50 45 50
Student to Teacher Ratio	10:1
Faculty with Advanced Degrees (#/%)	N/A
Minorities in Student Body	45%

Curriculum
Academic Tracks Offered	Standard, Honors
Advanced Placement Courses Offered	N/A
Languages Offered	Spanish
Calendar (Semester / Trimester / Other)	Semester
Interscholastic Sports Programs	7

Admissions
Prime Entry Points	Pre-K, K, 6
Registration Fee	$375
Tuition for 1 child	$8,200
Students on Financial Aid	N/A