Portrait of a Graduate

Who are you going to be?

From a young age, many children are asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  Just as important to us at Saint Mary School is “Who are you going to be?”  Regardless of when your student joins us, through their experiences from Preschool through Grade 8, our students grow and develop academically, spiritually, and in community.  We have a clear vision of who they will be upon graduation.

A Lifelong Learner.  A Person of Faith.  A Leader and a Team Member.  A Permanent Part of the Saint Mary Family. We send our graduates to high school not with all the answers, but with all  the tools they need to become the person they were meant to be.

Saint Mary Graduates are well prepared academically for the rigor of high school. They have a strong foundation in our core subjects of English/Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science, World Language, and Religion, and have an appreciation of the Fine Arts, Physical Education, Technology, and Team Building. Today’s world requires people to analyze and discern information, think critically, and solve problems. Furthermore, they need the courage to ask challenging questions, remain open-minded, and think independently. Our students practice these skills from a very young age. They have many opportunities to do so, not only in the classroom with their peers, but in larger settings with older and younger students, parents, teachers, and staff. The pinnacle of their academic journey is the Grade 8 Capstone Project, which provides our students with the opportunity to undertake a year-long project based on personal interests under the guidance and direction of adult mentors. Saint Mary School provides a safe place for students to learn and grow. Throughout their years, our program of study fosters students’ curiosity and sense of wonder and encourages enthusiasm in their lifelong pursuit of knowledge.

Religion is not only a subject at Saint Mary School, but is woven into our identity as a Catholic School. Students are proud of their faith, and actively participate in Mass and the Sacraments. We foster our students’ prayer life through daily prayer, daily Religion class, monthly Mass, and visits to the Adoration Chapel.  They are encouraged to seek a personal relationship with God that will continue to grow throughout their lives and are guided on how to truly embrace and live the Catholic faith. Our Catholic faith provides a framework of right and wrong, and our students develop a strong moral compass and sense of integrity which guides them through their teenage years and the rest of their lives.

Kindness is a cornerstone of what we value at Saint Mary School. Students are taught not just the tenets of our Catholic faith, but to respect the beliefs of others. They are called to spread God’s love through service to others, and often initiate their own projects which reinforce their empathy and compassion towards others in various circumstances. Through experience, our graduates know that one person can make a great difference in the lives of others.

Saint Mary students are encouraged and guided to work collaboratively to ensure individual, as well as group success.  As a result, our graduates enter high schools with the skills they need to both contribute to, as well as lead, groups. Whether through classroom jobs, small group projects, contributions to the student newspaper, or a voice in student government, students experience the importance of being respectful, supportive, committed, flexible, and active listeners while working toward a common goal. Students have the confidence to present their point of view but also value the contributions of others.  Students learn that they do not always have the only answer or solution. As a result of our Buddy Program, students are comfortable interacting with people of all ages and are confident in their ability to serve as role models.  Because of the multitude of opportunities, they have both inside and outside of the classroom, a hallmark of our graduates is their public speaking ability.

Students and families often describe Saint Mary School as their home away from home.  Our relationship with our graduates does not end on graduation day. Our alumni come back to visit every chance they get: to see a sibling participate in our Christmas Pageant, to volunteer on a day off from high school, or to visit a favorite teacher while home from college on spring break. They develop deep and meaningful bonds not only with their former classmates but with teachers and staff as well.

We celebrate their success in life, whether it is a college acceptance or a new job, and as our earliest graduates are now young adults, we are beginning to celebrate marriages and births. Our alumni often volunteer at social events, serve as speakers at school, and mentor younger students — and we even have two dynamic alumni on our staff.  We consider all of our students a part of our family, and once you are a part of our family, you are always a part of our family.