September 9th Dedication Officially Opens the New San Miguel School
Once housed in the St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church, the San Miguel School of Washington now has a place to call its own, located at 7705 Georgia Avenue, NW. The new, three story San Miguel School building, a project eight years in the making, was dedicated Wednesday September 9th, 2009, with benefactors, faculty and staff, students, and Brothers from the Washington, D.C. communities in attendance.
Councilmember Muriel Bowser and Br. Thomas Gerrow, FSC stand with San Miguel students to pose for photos in the front lobby of the new school building.
Before the dedication, guests were invited to tour the school led by San Miguel’s students. “It’s a beautiful, bright, and inviting learning space for the students,” described Brother Ernest Miller, FSC, Associate Director for Mission and Ministry, and the Brothers of the Christian Schools District of Eastern North America representative at the dedication ceremony. “Saint John Baptist de La Salle is smiling.”
As part of the dedication ceremony, a multimedia presentation highlighting students’ and school accomplishments, past and present, was introduced by Brother Francis Eells, FSC, Principal of San Miguel School. Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser joined Brother Thomas Gerrow, FSC, President of St. John’s College High and San Miguel, during the dedication exercises. Br. Thomas and Councilmember Bowser, along with the Board of Trustees and generous benefactors, were instrumental in making the new San Miguel School building a reality. The ceremony concluded with the blessing of the new school facility by Auxiliary Bishop Francisco González, S.F. of the D.C. Archdiocese.
“I love the new building. The classrooms are bigger, we have our own lockers, a cafeteria and new computer lab. I am so excited to show off our new school.” — San Miguel student
“This school is the beginning of a renaissance in the northwest neighborhood,” said Councilmember Bowser during her dedication remarks.
“St. John’s College High School is proud to be a part of the San Miguel movement, added Br. Thomas. As part of the Lasallian tradition, we are proud to serve this community.”
Auxiliary Bishop González also spoke of education as an investment for children. “The San Miguel School will offer these boys a safe and orderly place to learn,” explained González. “This school is wonderful in developing the whole person, the mind, the body and the soul.”
The San Miguel School of Washington is a 6th through 8th grade middle school, serving predominately Latino boys from poor and low-income families. Founded by the Brothers of the Christian Schools and St. John’s College High School, the San Miguel School is committed to providing its students with a Catholic Lasallian education that is faith-based, academically excellent, service oriented, and socially nurturing. With state of the art features like wireless internet, library, and new Apple computer lab, The San Miguel School can better accommodate a specialized teaching approach of providing extended school days, small class sizes, and a progressive personalized curriculum for its students. Founded in 2002, San Miguel School has graduated 60 students with a majority of them attending competitive college preparatory Catholic high schools.
The new San Miguel School of Washington, D.C.
The San Miguel School of Washington is part of the San Miguel Movement, empowering middle schools to provide a unique, faith based education that breaks the cycle of poverty in underserved communities across America. In turn, these schools empower thousands of students at a critical developmental crossroads to realize their potential, forge brighter futures and enjoy the lifelong benefits of a holistic education. This movement began in Rhode Island with The San Miguel School of Providence in 1993 and has grown to 15 like schools across the nation.