St. Joseph Services is an organization that partners with San Miguel School, Gary Comer Campus to provide various youth programs and adult education services.

This past July, St. Joseph Services hosted their 4th annual Summer Camp at the Gary Comer Campus, providing San Miguel students and neighborhood youth ages 10-14 a fun summer in a safe environment.  This four week camp is designed to provide youth a fun alternative to enhance their self image and world view through enaging activities, field trips, sports, games, swimming, and classes on science, environmental awareness, and nutrition.

Many of the children in the surrounding community have limited access to safe and positive activities available to them, or would otherwise stay indoors during summer break.  St. Joseph Services also sees this camp as preventative by teaching and modeling healthy behaviors and attitudes while keeping kids off the streets.

Check out the photos from the camp on our Flickr page here!

Families pay only $60 for this four-week long camp, and scholarships are also available to families who need financial support.  St. Joseph Services uses funds raised through grants, individual donors and the Daughters of Charity, the organization that started St. Joseph Services, to subsidize the cost of this program.

SJS's goal is to keep youth engaged with a wide variety of activities that will challenge them to grow socially and academically.  Three fieldtrips a week are planned to enable them to explore the environment around them which will give them opportunity to expand their perspective to life beyond the "hood."

Maria Hubeny, St. Joseph Services Site Coordinator, says that  "the camp is very appreciated because the kids get to experience some awesome field trips and get to do some really fun stuff!"

Campers traveled to an urban farm on the south side, learned to row with Loyola Academy, spent a day at the beach, visited the Chicago History Museum, and had fun at Millennium Park!  In addition to field trips, campers also participated in physical activities through sports and weekly daily community clean-up, as well as learned about health and nutrition through PCC Wellness.

For more information on St. Joseph Services, please visit their website at http://www.stjosephservices.org/.

Now in it's 15th year, Co-Chairs Jack Hallberg and Kathy Valek and their committee will host another fantastic outing at the Crystal Tree Country Club on Monday, August, 23rd.

One hundred percent of funds raised at the Golf Benefit will benefit the nearly 400 students who receive support from San Miguel and its Graduate Support Program.

The day at Crystal Tree, an exclusive Robert Trent Jones designed course, will begin with a buffet lunch at 12:00 p.m. followed by a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m. The evening festivities will include a cocktail hour, dinner, prizes, and a silent auction. The course and clubhouse are spectacular!  Past participants have raved about Crystal Tree and the fun atmosphere of this event.

Click here for a letter from our co-chairs.
Click here for the registration form.

After many years at the Community House at 48th and Damen, our Business Office is moving across town to the Gary Comer Campus!  Please change your address books to:

San Miguel Schools Chicago

819 N. Leamington Avenue

Chicago, IL 60651

Did you know, that the Community House where the Business Office has resided is where San Miguel first began?  Classes were taught in the dining room of this building before moving across the street in 1997 where the Back of the Yards Campus is today.

Over the years, this building has housed not only the Business Office, but was also the home to our Lasallian volunteer teachers living in Community.

Moving our Business Office to the Gary Comer Campus will succeed in ensuring that San Miguel is as financially sustainable as possible, as well as allowing the opportunity to be in direct contact with the students and staff. 

As we embark on a new chapter in our 15 year story, we can reflect back to where San Miguel began.  Photographer John Lee captured images of San Miguel in 1996, a year after our inception.  Check out the photos below, and then head to our Flickr page to see all of the photograph's from his visit nearly 14 years ago.

For more information on John Lee, please check out his website at www.johnleepictures.com.

Watch Our Video!

On July 1, the 8th grade class at the Gary Comer Campus celebrated their graduation with friends, family, teachers and supporters.

Check out all of the photos on our Flickr page here!

The Graduate Support Program will continue to work with these students to ensure their success in high school.  Read more about this program!

Congratulations to all of our graduates who are going on to 16 different high schools throughout Chicago!

North Lawndale College Prep
Urban Prep High School
Chicago Bulls Academy
Christ the King
Fenwick High School
Providence St. Mel
St Gregory the Great High School
St. Patrick High School
Al Raby
Austin High School
Roberto Clemente High School
Marie Curie High School
Edwin G. Foreman High School
Proviso East
Westinghouse

SAN MIGUEL SCHOOLS
Back of the Yards Campus\Gary Comer Campus

Technology Safety Policy

It is the policy of San Miguel Schools Chicago and its member schools to: (a) prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications; (b) prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; (c) prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors; and (d) comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No. 106-554 and 47 USC 254(h)].

We seek to offer a realistic balance between "Always On - Always Available" learning opportunities and "Always Safe - Always Appropriate" filtered electronic access to media and information.  We strive to ensure students are aware of the dangers related to inappropriate internet activity including vulnerability to predation and exploitation while remaining compliant with state and federal regulations regarding access to electronic media and communications.

Commitment to Acceptable Use Standards.
All individuals within San Miguel Schools Chicago and member schools will be informed of the Acceptable Use Policies, Appendix B  The commitment to compliance with the Acceptable Use Policies is required prior to any individual being granted access to the technology network, internet or telecommunications devices within San Miguel Schools Chicago.  In addition, parents shall be informed of the access granted to their children while at school and to the Cyber-Bullying policy within the context of daily school operations and extending beyond the school day when the impact is related to the safety of the school environment.

Access to Inappropriate Material
To the extent practical, technology protection measures (or "Internet filters," appliances and applications) shall be used to block or filter Internet, or other forms of electronic communications, access to inappropriate information in each school location.

Specifically, as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act, blocking shall be applied to visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child pornography, or to any material deemed harmful to minors.  Subject to administrative and instructional staff supervision, technology protection measures may be disabled or, in the case of minors, minimized only for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

Inappropriate Network Usage
To the extent practical, steps shall be taken to promote the safety and security of users of San Miguel Schools Chicago and member school online computer network when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications.
Specifically, as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act, prevention of inappropriate network usage includes: (a) unauthorized access, including so-called ‘hacking,' and other unlawful activities; and (b) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors.

Supervision and Monitoring
It shall be the responsibility of all members of San Miguel Schools Chicago staff and volunteers to supervise and monitor usage of the online computer network and access to the Internet in accordance with this policy and the Children's Internet protection Act.  Procedures for the disabling or otherwise modifying any technology protection measures shall be the responsibility of school administration or designated representatives.

Adoption
The Board of San Miguel Schools Chicago adopted this Internet Safety Policy at a public meeting, following normal public notice, on June, 25, 2010.
CIPA definitions of terms:

TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION MEASURE. The term "technology protection measure" means a specific technology that blocks or filters Internet access to visual depictions that are:

1. OBSCENE, as that term is defined in section 1460 of title 18, United States Code;

2. CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, as that term is defined in section 2256 of title 18, United States Code; or

3. Harmful to minors.

HARMFUL TO MINORS. The term "harmful to minors" means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

1. Taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

2. Depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and

3. Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

SEXUAL ACT; SEXUAL CONTACT. The terms "sexual act" and "sexual contact" have the meanings given such terms in section 2246 of title 18, United States Code.

Cyber-Bullying and Electronic Social Networking
The San Miguel schools continuously seek to develop young minds with strong ethical standards and high moral character.  All administrative staff and teaching faculty are committed to preparing students to understand the potential harm in all forms of bullying activities including "cyber-bullying."

Cyberbullying is defined as being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material, or engaging in other forms of social cruelty using the Internet, cellular telecom device, or other digital technologies.  It includes direct and targeted harassment, and indirect activities that are intended to damage the reputation or interfere with the relationships of the student targeted, such as posting harmful material, impersonating the person, disseminating personal information or images, or activities that result in exclusion.

Cyber-Bullying can occur both within the school environment and off-campus.  When the harmful online speech or interactions occur off-campus, personal interactions between the bully(ies) and target(s) may occur at school. It is this combination of online harm and on-campus interactions that presents significant concerns and risks for the safety of the students.  It is because the original harm is inflicted off-campus; the response to the harmful impact presents a complicated challenge.  San Miguel member schools will work in cooperation with parents and the local community to identify potential threats and respond in an appropriate manner to the concerns.  The ethical and social contract the schools have with students and families extend beyond the physical constraints of the school in the interest of healthy growth and development.

In situations where the off-campus speech causes, or threatens to cause, a substantial and material disruption at school or interference with the rights of students to be secure, the school administration will take the necessary and appropriate steps to remedy the situation.

San Miguel Schools Chicago will incorporate prevention and education strategies into the safe schools plan to address Cyber-Bullying and related online risks.  Planning activities will include school administrators, teaching faculty, staff and volunteers, Law Enforcement officials, community organizations, parents, and students.

For questions or comments about San Miguel's technology safety policy, please contact Tere Vega at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

"I've been waiting for this all year!" says Melissa Ramirez, an 8th grader from San Miguel Back of the Yards Campus, as the class walks to the pool at the retreat center in Minnesota.  For many students, their greatest memories of their time at San Miguel happen during an annual, week-long trip to Minnesota, during which students have the opportunity to canoe, rock climb, practice archery, play on a slip-n-slide, swim in a pool, swing on a rope swing and much, much, more.

Watch this video from last year's visit to Dunrovin!

This year, the 8th grade had a jam-packed week full of fun and running around outdoors, as well as an opportunity to reflect on the many blessings during their time at San Miguel and prepare for their transition to high school.

On the third day of the week at Dunrovin, students had the unique opportunity to go on a canoe trip down the St. Croix River.  For some students who have spent the majority of their lives in the inner-city, paddling themselves in a canoe can mean facing their fears.  As we approached the canoes, one of the 8th graders shook with fear.  "Last year I tried to get in the canoe three times, but I was just too afraid to do it.  I don't know if I can."  But as her friends encouraged her along, she was able to confront her fears and go with the class down the river and enjoy the day at the sand bar, while her face beamed with pride.  Similarly, many students are able to build their confidence and trust in themselves and in others throughout the many team building exercises.  When the week is over and all is said and done, most of the students have similar responses as Selena Negrete when asked about the week: "I loved everything about it.  My favorite memories of San Miguel are at Dunrovin.  It is the best trip I have ever been on!"

Check out all of the photos here!

Thank you to Dunrovin for providing this incredible experience for our students!