A small school with a big presence in the Back of the Yards community.
Each year, we empower our San Miguel scholars to dream big dreams, reach for the stars, and achieve their full potential.
Read on to find out how:
- San Miguel School Chicago is a Lasallian, Catholic middle school for students in grades six through eight. We serve students of all academic abilities in the Back of the Yards neighborhood and surrounding communities.
- We provide a safe and nurturing school environment and the support that every young person needs to succeed in middle school, high school and beyond.
- We challenge our students to grow academically and personally with one teacher for every nine students, an extended school day, and instruction in English language arts, math, science, social studies, and religion.
- We meet our students where they are and provide one-on-one support for emerging readers, group tutoring for English language learners, and diagnostic testing to address each child’s diverse learning needs.
- San Miguel is a 1:1 computing environment, which means every student has a Chromebook and access to other 21st-century learning technologies.
School-day enrichment
San Miguel scholars develop their talents and discover new interests as they participate in art, health, and physical education classes; build their logic skills in our Chess Club; and develop leadership skills as members of the Student Ambassadors Club.
Growth beyond the classroom
When the school day is over, San Miguel scholars pursue personal growth beyond the classroom as they engage in after-school clubs and activities such as:
- Art Club
- Competitive Chess League
- Girls That Code
- Math Circles
- Boys and Girls Basketball
- Boys and Girls Volleyball
- Coed Soccer
- Softball
- Intramural Sports
Local field trips
Throughout the year, students explore their city and broaden their perspectives during school-day field trips to Chicago-area cultural, business, educational, and recreational destinations.
Experiential learning
Our eighth-graders gain valuable insights into civics and civil rights during multi-day trips to the Illinois State Capitol Building in Springfield and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. During summer and fall retreats in Minnesota and Wisconsin, San Miguel scholars experience the healing rhythms of nature as they grow closer to God and one another, engage in outdoor adventures, and participate in team-building and leadership exercises.
Counseling and Social-Emotional Support
Our students benefit from a safe and nurturing school community where caring adults provide the social- emotional support they need to succeed during their middle school years. Through individual and group counseling and other social-emotional supports, students learn how to regulate their emotions, resolve conflicts, and build positive relationships with their peers.
High School Bridge Program
Our eighth-graders have all the support they need to navigate the next step in their academic journeys: high school! We guide students through every part of the high school search, selection, and enrollment process—and even offer an entrance exam test-prep course for students applying to selective enrollment or Catholic high schools.
Graduate Support Program
The support doesn’t end when our students’ San Miguel days are over. Through our Graduate Support Program, alumni can access a wide range of services during their high school years, including tutoring, mentoring, counseling, and assistance with the college search, selection, application, and enrollment process. This graduate support pays off: Our alumni earn high school degrees at nearly twice the rate of their neighborhood peers—and more than half of these high school graduates continue on to college. You’ll find San Miguel School Chicago alumni pursuing degrees at Concordia College, DePaul University, Lewis University, St. Xavier University, University of Illinois Chicago, and other institutions of higher learning in Illinois and across the nation.
Family Programs
- To help parents achieve their personal and educational goals, we offer free ESL classes and workshops on topics ranging from parenting to physical and emotional health.
- To support family health and well-being, we partner with community organizations to distribute nourishing food and offer free vaccinations, health screenings, oral health care, and family counseling.
- To foster a sense of community and family belonging, we host a welcome event at the start of the school year, as well as school masses, family dances, a Cinco de Mayo festival, a neighborhood Kermes festival, and a Christmas celebration.