SCHOOL / ESCUELA

Founded in 1903, St. Michael’s serves 300 elementary and middle school students. St. Michael’s is a small safe school committed to providing an affordable Catholic education to students in Transitional Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. The school maintains close ties to the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose.

Our goal is to provide a quality Catholic education that will enable students to think for themselves, to make good critical decisions that are just and moral, to live with integrity, to care for others, to master necessary academic and technological skills, and to develop solid social and leadership abilities that will enable students to live meaningful lives as good citizens.

The academic program focuses on both Common Core and Archdiocesan standards. We offer a variety of after school enrichment activities including: soccer, basketball, volleyball, tutoring, academic decathlon, dance, and more. Many of the activities are free.

We are located in South L.A.’s Westmont neighborhood. It is a diverse neighborhood with a primarily Hispanic and African American population. Our student body reflects the neighborhood’s ethnic make-up with 10% African American and 90% Hispanic students. Many families are bilingual with Spanish as their primary language.

Most school families are parishioners at St. Michael’s Parish. The school and parish work diligently to maintain a strong partnership. Mass attendance by students and teachers helps to nurture that connection. Additionally, we host periodic Family Masses.The school population is 80% Catholic and 20% of other faiths.

Our annual tuition is one of the most affordable in the area. We offer generous financial assistance and a few scholarships. Approximately 97% of our families receive financial assistance. Tuition provides about 30% of our annual budget. The Pastor, Board of Directors, and Development Office raise over $400,000 annually to pay for expenses not covered by tuition.

The teacher to student ratio is approximately 30 to 1. Most students qualify for Title I services, but due to budgetary challenges about 20% of students receive Title I services. The school staff are professionally qualified and are dedicated to the school’s mission and philosophy. All teachers hold a teaching credential and a Bachelors degree or are working to complete them in the timeframe required by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Several teachers hold advanced degrees.

Most importantly, St. Michael’s School is a place where students feel loved, safe, and challenged to live the Gospel by following their model St. Michael the Archangel.