Dear Friends,

Brother Ed, Co-Founder of San Miguel Schools Chicago, has been on sabbatical since October 2008.  During that time of well deserved introspection, Brother Ed has determined that the time is appropriate to turn over leadership at San Miguel to someone better qualified to take the schools to the next level.  This being said, Brother Ed will remain involved in an advisory role with the schools he loves serving as Chairman Emeritus.

Your Board of Directors were challenged with finding an individual capable of replacing Brother Ed while also skilled and adept to write the future chapters of San Miguel.  After a search, we found the most clearly qualified individual in our midst.  We are pleased to announce that Mike Anderer-McClelland - an individual who has spent the past nine years at San Miguel's Back of the Yards Campus - has accepted the position of President and Executive Director of San Miguel Schools Chicago.  Our enthusiastic support of Mike comes from realizing that, in Mike, we have a leader that bundles the skill of a master teacher and great educational leader, a heart for the poor and marginalized, a unique vision for what education could be, and the passion to work for change in order to usher in new realities.

Mike has extensive experience in and knowledge of urban education and community development.  Mike has been connected to the De La Salle Christian Brothers and Lasallian ministries for over 22 years.  After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in Molecular Biology and obtaining his teaching certification, Mike spent seven years living as a De La Salle Christian Brother, teaching and working in campus ministry in high schools within the Baltimore District.  

Mike is also a national and international leader in the Lasallian world.  He co-founded the Lasallian Social Justice Institutes in El Paso and Chicago, co-founded a San Miguel School in Camden, NJ, and served as an original organizer and founding board co-chair of the Lasallian Association of Miguel Schools (now known as the Nativity Miguel Network of Schools).  

Mike began his role as President on June 1, and we know he is looking forward to working with you.  We want to thank you for your on-going support of San Miguel Schools, especially during this time of transition.  We can assure you that the Board of Directors, together with Mike and the extremely dedicated staff, are committed to making sure that the San Miguel Schools Chicago continues to be a local and national leader in the education of children most in need.

Sincerely,