Our School Crest

The new school crest for San Miguel Academy of Newburgh reflects its origins and its mission. The top portion portrays the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge which symbolizes the joining together of two diverse communities for a single purpose. The initial support for San Miguel Academy of Newburgh traces its origins to the Parish Community of Saint John and Saint Mary in Westchester County, New York. There, faithful and socially aware people rallied behind a vision and a dream to provide underserved youth in the City of Newburgh an educational alternative. From points beyond Westchester, the school enjoys great support in the present day. The bridge recognizes those who made great sacrifices and contributed their time and resources to make a dream a reality.

The lower left portion depicts the cross of the Order of Preachers, better known as the Dominicans. This religious community follows the charism of Saint Dominic de Guzman, a 13th century visionary priest who believed that the Gospel must be preached, not just from a pulpit, but from the very example and way of life of the disciple. To this end, the Dominican Order became a dominant force in the developing university system of Europe at that time. Today, it is common to find many Dominican religious committed to the ministry of education. In the early stages of San Miguel Academy’s development, the Dominican Sisters of Hope, based in Newburgh since 1883, became the sponsoring organization for the school. This association between laity and religious allowed the school affiliation with the Nativity Miguel Network of Schools.

The lower right portion of the shield depicts a soaring American Bald Eagle, the mascot of the academy and our nation’s symbol. The soaring eagle, a common sight in the Hudson Valley, serves to remind our faculty and students of our mission. The soaring eagle rises above to seek and to find. So too our students are provided a unique opportunity daily to rise above the destructive forces of the economically and ethically deprived environment in which they are situated so that each may pursue his full purpose as a child of God. San Miguel Academy’s mission is to assist and encourage all of its students toward a path of  total personal development – spiritual, intellectual, moral and social. The inspiration provided by the soaring eagle will be both a challenge for which all should strive and an encouragement towards self-reliance and excellence.

The name “San Miguel” is derived from Miguel Febres de Cordero, a Brother of the Christian Schools, and the first saint of Ecuador. The De la Salle Brothers, as they are often called, were early participants in the development of the academy and remain as contributors through their service on the Board of Directors.