When Sam Govea arrives in Santa Fe this summer to become principal of St. Michael's High School, he'll be bringing a moral toolbox with him.

Govea (pronounced go-vey-a) has been principal of Cathedral High School in El Paso for 10 years. Previously he served as a history teacher, basketball coach and vice-principal of Cathedral — which, like St. Michael's, is a Lasallian institution that stresses respect, service for the poor, acceptance of all faiths and a strong academic education.

Govea is no stranger to Santa Fe. He graduated from the College of Santa Fe in 1984. And when he comes on board effective July 1, he'll be working with the not-yet-hired president of St. Michael's in a partnership.

He's not expecting to pull off any big changes right away. "I'll be listening to a large number of people — students, parents and 150 years' worth of alumni," he said by phone from El Paso on Friday.

"I'll be doing a lot more listening than talking at first, but I am principal, and I will make the appropriate decisions when the time comes to do so. But in the beginning, it'll be about understanding the lay of the land and getting the pulse of St. Michael's."

St. Michael's was founded as a boys school in 1859 at the behest of New Mexico Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy. The school opened under the direction of four French Christian Brothers. (Only three Christian Brothers still teach at St. Michael's today.) St. Michael's became co-educational in the mid-1960s and moved to its home on Siringo Road in 1967.

In 2008, the school adopted a president/principal model of leadership, with principal Bill Armijo sharing duties with president Saundra Johnson Austin until this past January, when she resigned. The school is conducting a search for a new president. In the interim, three members of the school's board of trustees — John Fox, Max Myers and Brother David Sinitiere — share the duties of that office. Armijo will step down as president this June and return to teaching math at St. Michael's.

Speaking by phone Saturday, Fox praised Govea as a "dynamic Lasallian leader who has about 20 years experience in Christian Brothers schools." Fox said Govea will be in full charge of the academics, while the new president will handle the facilities, the fundraising and the finances.

Catholic schools are facing more challenges today, Govea acknowledged. The National Catholic Education Association recently reported that some 14,000 Catholic schools have closed over the past 10 years. One reason is declining enrollment; another is the rising cost, which includes the need to hike up tuition rates to pay for lay teachers who, unlike priests, brothers and nuns, will rarely work for free.

Govea said such schools have not financially prepared by starting endowments or building fiscal foundations. Plus, he said, "People are not believing in a Catholic education as much as they once were. We're in a time when religion is perceived differently than it may have been 20 years ago. There are a lot of choices out there in terms of religion and in terms of education, and people don't always see the value of Catholic education. We have to build that back up.

"Being faith-based doesn't mean it's a generic education that gives standardized tests to get you into college. Being faith-based gives us more opportunities to find ourselves, help ourselves and direct ourselves."

One thing parochial schools do is administer to the poor, Govea said. "I don't see the cost of going to these schools as tuition," he said. "I see it as an investment. I believe it's a matter of how you want your son's or daughter's education to be shaped. But people don't always have those types of funds for tuition. I think St. Michael's is doing a wonderful job in trying to assist with financial aid and give everyone an opportunity to receive this type of education."

St. Michael's has about 765 students in grades 7 through 12. While tuition is about $6,500 per year, scholarships are available, he said.

Both Fox and Govea stressed that St. Michael's is open to all faiths.

"What makes us strong in our religion is learning of someone else's religion," Govea said.

Contact Robert Nott at 986-3021 or rnott@sfnewmexican.com.