Zephyrs History
Now known as St. Mary Catholic Schools (SMCS), the first Catholic school system in the Fox Cities (Twin City Catholic Educational System (TCCES)), was formed in 1989 when four parishes in Neenah and Menasha joined forces to create a single middle school, supported by the parishes, at the central location of St. Patrick’s Church in Menasha. Today, St. Gabriel and St. Margaret Mary Parishes in Neenah and St. Mary Parish in Menasha remain the sites of our pre-3 through grade 5 Catholic schools.
High School in 1997, Middle School in 2015
In 1997, the brand new St. Mary Central High School opened its doors, replacing St. Mary High School in Menasha. With the beginning of the 2015-16 school year, our first group of students started school in the brand new St. Mary Catholic Middle School, a state-of-the-art middle school campus.
Name Change in 2015
Effective July 1, 2015, we changed our name from Twin City Catholic Educational System (TCCES) to St. Mary Catholic Schools (SMCS), which more deeply reflects our Catholic identity and history, and better represents our student population from across the Fox Cities.
We are grateful for the financial and prayerful support of all five parishes of Neenah and Menasha, as well as the support the high school receives from other area parishes.
Accreditation
St. Mary Catholic High School is accredited by Cognia. The elementary and middle schools are accredited by the Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools (WRISA). The schools are members of the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA).
What is a Zephyr?
In 1934, the Burlington Railroad introduced the Pioneer Zephyr, America’s first diesel-powered streamline passenger train. On May 26, 1934, the Burlington Zephyr staged a 1,000-mile record breaking non-stop run from Denver, Colorado to the World’s Fair on Chicago’s lakefront. The event was a highlight of the “Wings of a Century” transportation pageant.
The train streaked across the Midwest at speeds over 100 mph on its epic journey, with a total fuel cost of $14.64.
Through the efforts of the St. Mary’s coach who traveled on the Zephyr and the school’s administration, the Zephyrs became our inspiring nickname and mascot.
#ZephyrsPride
Named for the speedy and powerful train with the same title, our SMCS Zephyrs are on the right track! All students (pre-3 through grade 12) are Zephyrs! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram to join in the fun.
Zephynator
The Zephynator is the official mascot of the SMCS Zephyrs. He frequently appears at sporting events, robotics tournaments, reading challenges and pep rallies—pretty much anywhere Zephyrs are gathered!
School Colors
The SMCS school colors are Columbia blue with gold and navy trim. Represent your #ZephyrsPride. Visit the Spirit Stop
School Song
St. Mary Catholic we’re true to you
Our alma mater to you is due
All our loyalty and love, we ask God’s blessing from above
Send out a cheer and raise voices high
Thunder a loud cheer up to the sky
From our path we’ll never waver
For you we’ll carry on.