St. Michael's Catholic Academy View Book

find yourself here. smca.com/visit

OUR MISSION

St. Michael’s Catholic Academy is a Christ-centered, college preparatory learning community, inspiring lives of service, courage, personal integrity and intellectual curiosity.

A snapshot of our campus. → See more online smca.com/about

Welcome “Good morning, St. Michael’s. Please stand for prayer.”

Each morning at 8:30 a.m., St. Michael’s students, faculty and staff start their day with a familiar refrain as senior Alex C. (left) greets the school community.

“As a freshman, I never even considered being the announcement guy. I was extremely shy and did not like my voice to be heard.”

Despite his initial timidity, Alex ultimately joined the drum line and baseball team, and he was selected to serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team based on his leadership skills. Along the way, he got together with three classmates to form a CruBand and regularly entertains tailgate guests with covers of 80s and 90s pop songs.

During the school day and in between classes, he meets with teachers to dive deeper into school work.

→ Join the journey. smca.com/apply

“The small class sizes and the ability to meet one-on-one with teachers is something I really like.

Coming from a large public school, I did not get much chance to talk with teachers individually; so I’ve found that to be a great advantage,” he said, adding that “the academics at St. Michael’s are incredible. I loved almost every class, every year, and the teachers are always considerate of my time.”

e to St. Michael’s!

Who we are: The Four Pillars St. Michael’s is a mission-driven school because the world doesn’t just need smart people – it needs leaders – people who know and choose to do the right thing.

Having done two internships during Winter Term, Alex said he plans to study pre-veterinary medicine at a college in Texas, but he also hopes to play collegiate baseball.

To an outsider, Alex might seem like an “overachiever,” but he actually typifies the St. Michael’s student experience: He has navigated the guided pathway to where his talents and interests intersect, allowing him to become a person who is confident and equipped for future challenges and opportunities.

As an independent Catholic school, St. Michael’s enjoys the freedom to define its own unique mission, admit and keep only those students wellmatched to the mission, determine what to teach and how to assess student achievement and progress, and structure qualifications for faculty in accordance with accrediting guidelines.

Most importantly, our four mission pillars instill in our students life-long habits of mind:

1984

Our founding year. St. Michael’s was one of the first Catholic schools in the nation to be established entirely by lay people. Its founders were dedicated to providing a new model of a Catholic high school when Austin was the only major U.S. city without one.

students were in the first graduating class at St. Michael’s in 1987.

354

students are enrolled for the 2019-2020 school year.

Service helps students develop a global world view and build personal community relationships.

courage St. Michael’s supports the search for courage through a culture and learning environment that encourages risk-taking.

integrity Students are encouraged to look for the virtue of integrity in their own lives by reflecting on personal attributes of honesty and wholeness.

intellectual curiosity Students have myriad opportunities to explore and experience a broad range of courses and activities and become stakeholders in their own education.

60%

Our School: Then & Now

13

service

of our faculty and staff hold advanced degrees

90

students per grade level on average for the 2019-2020 school year.

25%

of our students receive financial aid from our school.

32%

of students represent minority groups at St. Michael’s.

A family of families. Our current board chair, Chris Dolce, ‘88, is a St. Michael’s alum, and a past, current & future parent.

A guided pathway At St. Michael’s, our students never walk alone on their academic journey.

→ academics + college counseling

The pathway by which our students obtain the high school experience that will carry them forward personally, intellectually and spiritually integrates guidance from a faculty of skilled, enthusiastic and involved teachers and coaches and four years of one-on-one college counseling. Together, these provide the scaffolding necessary for growth and advancement.

6

St. Michael’s students also learn from each other and outside experts in an academic program designed with flexibility and a responsive curriculum for a changing academic landscape.

FAST FACTS

Academics & College Counseling

9:1

Student-toteacher ratio

17

Average class size

100%

Matriculation and graduation rate

148

60%

Faculty with advanced degrees

College and university acceptances for the class of 2019

3

$8.2m

College and academic counselors

Financial aid awarded to our 2019 graduates

QUICK LOOK: An Academic Year at St. Michael’s SEMESTER 1

QUARTER 1

SCHOOL WEEK

SEMESTER 2

QUARTER 2

FINALS WEEK

HOLIDAY

QUARTER 3

WINTER TERM

QUARTER 4

SENIOR FINALS WEEK

Academic Program: Where Talents & Interests Intersect our curriculum

subject areas

advanced placement

• Rigorous college preparatory curriculum • Two-semester system • Three-week Winter Term • Seven class periods • Traditional + block scheduling • Minimum of 6 credits required per year • 26 credits needed for graduation

• English

• 19 AP courses offered • Limited to 3 per semester

• Math • Science • Social Studies • Theology • Fine Arts • World Languages • Electives • P.E. / Sports • Winter Term

service learning • 20 hours required per grade level annually

advisory • Academic check-in • Social/emotional support • Relationship buildling

College Counseling: Your Fit Our St. Michael’s college counselors support and guide students toward selecting colleges that are an appropriate “fit,” creating self-directed, happy and self-sufficient students along the way.

GRADE 9

GRADE 10

GRADE 11

GRADE 12

As freshmen, students are busy acclimating to high school.

College counseling offers targeted programming as a way to provide them a glimpse of important choices to make in order to better prepare for college.

As sophomores, students take the PSAT and begin to build resumes that by senior year will fully reflect any awards, recognition, talents, or excellence achieved in high school.

Students also take the YouScience aptitude and interest inventory.

Junior year begins with mock SAT/ ACT tests, followed by counseling with students and families, mandatory college visits in the spring, and an essay-writing series in late May. An SAT/ACT test preparation company teaches courses on campus during Winter Term.

For seniors, our annual summer “College Boot Camp” launches the final stage of the college application process.

College counselors continue to work with students during fall semester and encourage students to attend “Application Fest Thursdays.”

→ Learn more: smca.com/academics

New vantage points During Winter Term, our students expand academics through experience.

At St. Michael’s, we believe that exchange programs, international study, internships, immersive and experiential coursework, and service have lifechanging potential. To that end, Winter Term, a three-week mini-semester of specialized study, is a unique academic program available to all students.

St. Michael’s was the first and is still the only college preparatory school in Austin to institute such a program, now

→ winter term

in its fifth year.

8

→ Learn more: smca.com/academics

Winter Term: The Three Components 1) global travel grade level: 9 - 12

We offer three types of Winter Term Global Travel: academic Students experience the people and environments in selected countries and programs. Trips include language and culture study, home-stays, and sightseeing.

previous/current travel destinations • Spain • India • Greece • France • Italy • Panama • Morocco • Germany • Ecuador • Dominican • Poland • Guatemala Republic • Czech • China • Nicaragua Republic • South Africa

exchange To enrich their culture understanding, students live with host families and visit our sister schools Sainte Agnes in France and Highlands el Encinar in Madrid. service While on mission, students serve in multiple capacities, such as building houses or volunteering in schools, while interacting with local residents.

2) internships grade level: 11 & 12 only St. Michael’s partners with more than 70 local, state, national and international businesses and organizations to provide juniors and seniors with real-world work experience during the school year. These internships allow our students to discover their career interests as they engage in their college search.

3) mini-courses grade level: 9 - 12 Students who remain at St. Michael’s choose from dozens of specially-designed “mini-course” options. In these courses, students have learned how to fly a drone, how data travels in cyberspace, and how to analyze various economic sectors to make predictions about stock market prices.

a sample of internship partners • The Andy Roddick • MIT Foundation • NASA • Beansprout • Oracle Pediatrics • St. Austin Catholic • Dell Children’s School Hospital • Texas State Board of • IBM Pharmacy

a sample of previous mini-courses • Introduction to the Stock Market • Thermal & Optical Physics • Evolution of the Broadway Musical • Record Your Own Song • Cinematic Cold War • Intro to Python Programming

Potential unleashed Our students enrich their academic journeys through participation in the arts and athletics.

The Arts In each visual and performing arts class, we provide students with a variety of practical activities and hands-on production work. The Arts Department offers a wide variety of courses with beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of work available.

Students must have two fine arts credits for graduation.

arts electives offered • Dance • Film • Music

• Visual Arts • Theater

→ Learn more: smca.com/arts

arts + athletics

FAST FACTS The Arts

Popular Music Education.

St. Michael’s is the only school in Texas to offer a full music curriculum based on popular music.

Learn more: smca.com/arts/music

10

75%

8

19

4

Percentage of students who participate in arts

Performances each year

18

Fine Arts district and state awards

Crusader bands who perform at tailgates Years of film courses making St. Michael’s the only high school with a full film curriculum in Texas

Athletics Our students compete at the highest level of private school sports. As a Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) 5A school, St. Michael’s competes against the many competitive teams in the state and regularly brings home team trophies and individual district and state honors.

Students must have one P.E. or sports credit for graduation.

sports offered • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Baseball Basketball (Men’s and Women’s) Cheer Dance Cross Country (Men’s and Women’s) Football Golf (Men’s and Women’s) Lacrosse (Men’s and Women’s) Soccer (Men’s and Women’s) Swimming (Men’s and Women’s) Tennis (Men’s and Women’s) Track and Field (Men’s and Women’s) Volleyball

→ Learn more: smca.com/athletics

FAST FACTS Athletics

38

State Championships in our 35-year history

83%

Percentage of the St. Michael’s student body who participate in at least one sport

70%

Percentage of athletes who participate in two or more sports

111

St. Michael’s athletes who earned Division 1 scholarships since 1984

4

Consecutive state Championships for women’s cross country (2015. 2016, 2017, 2018)

6

Athletics facilities located on campus including a main and auxiliary gymnasium

Find your sport here.

In a high school climate where accessibility to athletic teams may be limited, St. Michael’s offers the opportunity for student athletes to participate in multiple sports, often trying them out for the first time.

Leading through service We prepare students for leadership, service, and decision-making consistent with Christian values.

→ faith life + leadership

At St. Michael’s leadership is not only woven into our school’s culture, it’s an implicit part of our core values.

Leadership is learned through trial and error, and our students are encouraged to take risks - to compete, serve, mentor, and participate.

12

Faith life at St. Michael’s, coupled with our service learning program, supports the school’s mission of inspiring lives of service through a relationship centered on Jesus Christ.

We encourage our students to become servant-leaders who make a difference in their communities.

Retreat Life

Service Learning Students are required to complete 20 service hours by the end of each school year, totaling 80 hours completed by the end of their senior year.

Discussions in theology classes help facilitate learning from the service experience.

Campus Ministry The Campus Ministry Program at St. Michael’s seeks to serve the needs of every student. Programs include a vibrant liturgical life, retreat ministry, and leadership development.

Leadership Opportunities From student government to the performing arts, students have abundant opportunities to become leaders, collaborators and team members.

St. Michael’s faculty and staff serve as sponsors for many student-led leadership initiatives including: • Student Ambassadors • Student Connectors • Student Councils • Senior Leadership Team • Club Officers

Liturgical Life We celebrate Mass in two ways: Advisory Mass and all-school Mass.

Advisory Mass is celebrated on Wednesdays at 10:20 a.m. and 11:20 a.m.

All-school Mass is celebrated on the following days: • First full week of school • Archangel Mass • Feast of the Immaculate Conception • Catholic Schools Week • Senior Blessing / End of the year Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered one day each during Advent and Lent.

→ Learn more: smca.com/student-life

Retreats play an important role in the faith formation of our students.

Throughout their time at St. Michael’s, students will have the opportunity to take time out of their everyday lives to spend with one another as they grow together in faith. freshman: fish camp

Fish Camp is an overnight retreat before school begins in August during which students meet one another and participate in team building.

sophomores: leadership retreat

Sophomores have the opportunity to grow in their roles as leaders at a one-day retreat during which they participate in group prayer experiences and challenge courses.

juniors: street retreat

Juniors apply the concept of solidarity as they participate in a Mobile Loaves and Fishesdesigned “Street Retreat.” This retreat challenges students to see Christ in their neighbors who live on the streets of Austin.

seniors: kairos

Kairos is a four-day religious retreat that serves as the culmination of the St. Michael’s faith journey.

It includes a poignant experience of community with a series of talks given by peers and adults. Prayer, Mass, and group discussion are essential elements of the program.

how to apply Application Timeline

Application + Supporting Documentation Application (Required)

September 15, 2019

Applications and application deadlines are available at smca.com/apply. A nonrefundable $150 application fee is required.

October 18, 2019

Official Transcript (Required)

Application Opens

Shadow Visit + Campus Tour

October 24, 2019 Learn & Lunch

November 5, 2019

Shadow Visit + Campus Tour

November 16, 2019 ISEE Hosted at SMCA

December 1, 2019

The transcript release form will be accessible through the online portal once an application is started. Within the portal checklist, parents/guardians can download and print the form. Parents/guardians should complete the top portion of the request form and submit the form to the applicant’s current school’s registrar (and each previous school’s registrar). The registrar will then send official transcripts reflecting the last three years, any standardized test scores, and discipline records.

Recommendations (Required)

December 6, 2019

A recommendation from the applicant’s current math or science teacher AND current English teacher are required. Within the online portal checklist, applicants can submit a teacher request by selecting the “start” button and inputting their teacher’s contact information. An applicant may submit additional recommendations from other teachers or school officials as well, if desired, by having other recommenders e-mail admissions staff directly. Recommendation letters received by St. Michael’s are treated as confidential.

December 11, 2019

Shadow Visit (Required)

Financial Aid Application Opens

December 4, 2019 Early Decision Application Deadline

Shadow Visit + Campus Tour Early Decision Admission Notification

December 18, 2019 Early Decision Contracts Due

January 23, 2020 Open House

January 25, 2020

ISEE Hosted at SMCA

February 6, 2019 Learn & Lunch

February 11, 2020

Shadow Visit + Campus Tour

February 1, 2020

General Admissions Application Deadline

February 2, 2020

Rolling Admission Begins

March 2, 2020

General Admission Decision Notification

March 11, 2020

Accepted Student Social

March 24, 2020

The shadow visit provides prospective students the opportunity to experience the St. Michael’s community by spending a half-day at school with a current student.

Students will attend class, tour the campus, enjoy a complimentary lunch, attend mini sessions and learn more about our award-winning programs.

Please visit smca.com/visit to RSVP.

Interview (Required)

After the previous steps are complete, the prospective student is required to attend an interview. The interview provides an opportunity for the applicant to ask questions about St. Michael's and for our Admissions Team to meet the applicant. Families will receive a sign-up link to schedule an interview after all application materials have been received.

Testing (Required)

The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is the standardized student test required for a St. Michael’s applicant. The ISEE assesses students in areas of verbal and quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, math, and writing. It is designed to offer an objective overview of a student’s achievements. Testing accommodations are permitted. Information may be found at www.erblearn.org/parents/isee-overview.

Visit (Suggested)

Families and students are welcome to join us on campus for events throughout the school year, including Campus Tours, Open House, Future Crusader Night and the Learn & Lunch event. Families are also welcomed to attend athletics or arts events.

Please visit smca.com/visit to RSVP.

Shadow Visit + Campus Tour

May 5, 2020

Shadow Visit + Campus Tour

smca.com/apply

Tuition + Financial Aid

$22,100

Domestic tuition for the 2019-202 school year

$867,000

$27,400

→ Learn more about financial aid opportunities at smca.com/admissions

available for needbased financial aid for our students

International tuition for the 2019-20 school year

We cover a lot of ground.

Our students live in Austin and the surrounding area, including 20 different ZIP codes, and our embedded international program attracts students from around the world.

78735

6

78738 78739 78746

20 ZIP codes

78731 78734 78737

Over the course of a school year, we host exchange programs and students from up to 6 countries.

Students travel from up to 30 miles away to attend St. Michaels.

78730 78703 78669

China

Germany

6% of our student body is international.

78749 78610

different countries

78748

Mexico

South Korea

South Africa

Vietnam

78704 78733 78640 78750 78620 78732 78759

Dripping Springs

Top Non-Austin Cities where our students live Our School

Bee Cave 8.3 miles

Spicewood

16.6 miles

Lakeway

13.7 miles

26.8 miles

Buda

22.1 miles

Kyle

29.3 miles

smca.com/visit

connect with us St. Michael’s Catholic Academy 3000 Barton Creek Boulevard Austin, TX 78735 (512) 328-2323 smca.com

smcacrusaders smcacrusaders

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY: St. Michael’s Catholic Academy prepares the whole student for leadership, service and decision making consistent with Catholic values. St. Michael’s Catholic Academy admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.