The mission of Saint Mary’s School is first and foremost to communicate Christ to the students and families whom it serves. Our school seeks to impart a hopeful vision of the future in which students may begin to glimpse the Kingdom of God and to imagine the ways in which their own gifts may be developed and used in the service of Christ. We seek to be a community of prayerful love, free from fear, in which students are unafraid to take risks, to explore, to grow, and to learn. Here they will be encouraged to ask the ultimate questions, not only "How well did I do?" but more importantly, "How shall I live?". We are a learning community in which students embrace their gifts and talents. We seek to bring students to a truly incarnational understanding of Christ in me as well as a school community that works ceaselessly to live in justice, peace, kindness, and understanding.
Belief Statements
A. The Purpose of the School
We believe that the school should be:
- A place that encourages an authentic encounter with Christ.
- A place that holds high the standards of goodness, truth, and beauty.
- A place of discovery in which each person is able to grow and learn.
- A place in which horizons are expanded and new worlds are explored.
- A place that values the contributions of all of its members.
- A place in which the worth and value of each person does not depend upon academic success.
- A place in which
- the minstrel will sing
- the poet will extol
- the builder will create
- the artist will paint
- the mathematician will calculate
- the adventurer will explore
- the scientist will investigate
- the actor will perform
- the athlete will run
B. The Nature of the Student
We believe that each student:
- Is created in the image of God.
- Is unique and irreplaceable.
- Has a purpose according to God’s will.
- Is more than a mind and has spiritual and emotional needs that must be addressed.
- Will find his or her true identity by listening to and obeying Christ.
- Has the potential to bring the light of the gospel to dark places.
- Has a strong need for validation and affirmation.
- Has been blessed with valuable gifts that need to be developed.
- Needs to grow in awareness of his or her own potential and strengths.
C. The Nature of the Process
We believe that:
- Education is essentially a spiritual endeavor; the spiritual well-being of students must be the highest priority.
- Students have the best chance of flourishing academically, socially, and emotionally when the highest priority is honored.
- One of the most important tasks of Christian educators is helping students discover their own gifts and find the spheres in which they can make their most meaningful contributions.
- All members of the school community must seek to validate the beauty within all children so that they never doubt the importance of their own existence.
- All programs and materials should be evaluated in the light of gospel values.
D. The Nature of Relationships
We believe that:
- Parents bear by divine right the primary responsibility for the education of their children.
- Parents who choose a Catholic school are asking and expecting the teachers to be partners with them in the educational endeavor.
- The spiritual climate of a school is one of its most important attributes. It should be characterized at all times and in all ways by care and kindness.
- A school should be a place in which people are able to accept mistakes and to correct them without harsh criticism.
- A sound educational environment must be one in which students experience real freedom from fear.
- Smiles and hugs are important