St. Michael's Catholic Academy (Austin)

St. Michael's Catholic Academy is a college preparatory Roman Catholic high school for young men and women in Austin, Texas and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin. It is owned and operated by a self-perpetuating board of trustees. It has an enrollment of approximately 350 students. St. Michael's requires the student to have at least 28 hours before graduating, including a full year of a fine arts credit and one year of athletic credits. St. Michael's students gain admission to colleges such as Princeton University, Stanford University, The University of Texas, Reed College, University of Notre Dame, Emory University, Carleton College, Washington University in St. Louis, and Rice University,^[2] and is considered one of the most reputable academic institutions in the Austin area. The student to teacher to ratio is approximately 12:1, and the average ACT of a student is 28. Athletically, St. Michael's has achieved unparalleled success, with over 25 state championships in just 25 years of existence. Also, the athletic programs boasts many division one athletes annually in sports such as football, baseball, basketball, track and field, golf, volleyball, cross country, softball, and soccer.

Background

St. Michael's Catholic Academy was established in 1984 to fill a void left by the closing of the only Catholic high school in Austin in 1972. During the period from 1972 to 1984, Austin was the largest city in the country without a Catholic high school. A small group of parents and Catholic lay leaders commissioned a study that revealed the Austin community would enthusiastically support such a school. In 1984, St. Michael's Catholic Academy opened its doors. It was one of the first Catholic schools in the nation to be established entirely by lay persons. Since the school’s beginning, trustees, parents, faculty, and staff have labored to realize its founding vision: to be a top-tier Catholic secondary school that nourishes the minds, bodies, and spirits of its students, preparing them for a challenging college education and a Christian adult life.^[3]

Mission

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

Core Values

• Encounter Christ. Be Christ to others and seek Christ in the Eucharist, the Scriptures, and the people around us.
• Radiate joy. Be happy, thankful, hopeful, and kind.
• Aspire for better. Set and passionately pursue aspirational goals.
• Collaborate. Work together for the common good, through informed candor rooted in relational trust.
• Respect the family. Nurture the bonds of family, the primary source of education and spiritual formation.
• Act with integrity. Cultivate an inner voice of honor and heroic virtue.

Notable alumni

• Amber Heard, actress.
• Selena Scott, professional basketball player for Los Angeles Sparks; All-American at the University of Kansas for women's basketball
• Kyle Martin, 2009, pitcher for Texas A&M University ^[4]
• Mitch Morse, 2010, offensive lineman at the University of Missouri^[5]

Notes and references

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
• School website

Diocese of Austin Ordinaries Bishops Louis Joseph Reicher Vincent Madeley Harris John E. McCarthy Gregory Michael Aymond Joé Stephen Vásquez Auxiliary Bishops Daniel E. Garcia Priests who became Bishops William Mulvey Michael J. Sis Churches Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Mary Education University St. Edward's University High Schools Holy Trinity Catholic High School, Temple Reicher Catholic High School, Waco St. Joseph Catholic High School, Bryan St. Michael's Catholic Academy, Austin San Juan Diego Catholic High School, Austin St. Dominic Savio Catholic High School, Austin Catholicism Portal