Principals
A letter from the Principal of St. Michael's High School
Sam Govea
Dear St. Michael’s Family and New Visitors:
Welcome to the SMHS website. I hope you find what you are looking for in these pages—especially if you are looking for the finest college preparatory experience available in northern New Mexico. St. Mike’s offers an excellent education, character-building experiences inside and outside of the classroom, stellar athletics and extracurricular activities, and one of the most caring teaching staffs I have ever had the honor of working with. Each student is valued as an individual at St. Mike’s, and this applies not only to grades and academic success, but to our students’ spiritual lives as well.
This fall, we have seen a successful transition to our new trimester schedule. The block schedule in use for the past few years no longer suited our needs, so after much study and consultation with our faculty and other educational experts, we are now using the trimester system, which means that—unlike with the block schedule—every class meets every day, and teachers see all of their students every day. Course loads are more balanced, with students taking five classes per week instead of eight, and the new schedule also allows for more convenient exam times and the opportunity to make up missed or failed courses within the academic year, alleviating much of the need for summer school. Most courses meet for two trimesters, though half-credit courses meet for one, and some courses extend over all three trimesters of the school year.
Of course, our Lasallian Catholic tradition continues to inform all we do at St. Mike’s, from administrative and curricular decisions, to discipline and day-to-day interactions between all members of our community. The five core principles of a Lasallian education are Faith in the Presence of God, Respect for all Persons, Quality Education, Concern for the Poor and Social Justice, and Inclusive Community. We take these core principles as seriously today as when the De La Salle Christian Brothers were first forming the essence of their tradition over 300 years ago, which eventually became the foundation of modern education. At St. Mike’s, respect for spirituality and the Catholic religion are truly important, as is respect for all of our differences, including cultural and religious differences. Though not all of our students and teachers are Catholic, each of us continually strives to enhance our moral purpose, ethical standing, and relationship with God.
Have a wonderful school year—
Sam Govea
Principal