Welcome to St. Mary Catholic Middle School!
Regardless if you’re a current St. Mary Catholic Schools (SMCS) family or you’re thinking of joining our community, we welcome you!
The foundation of an SMCS education is in faith, academics, service and personal development. These tenets, in conjunction with strong co-curricular opportunities, provide a well-rounded experience that encompasses students’ intellectual, spiritual, physical and emotional growth and development in a real-world environment. SMCS faculty and staff are committed to ensuring that every student achieves his or her highest potential.
We are humbled and blessed to witness the many gifts and talents of the greater SMCS community. Together, we strive each and every day to transform the heart and mind of our growing student community discerning God’s will for what is good and acceptable and purposeful in developing Jesus centered truths. As Catholic disciples, our core is Christ.
St. Mary Catholic Schools has integrated Project Lead The Way (STEM-based program) into our curriculum. With Project Lead The Way, we have entered an exciting era in preparing students for the future and equipping them to thrive and succeed.
St. Mary Catholic Middle School benefits from its location on the grounds of St. Mary Catholic High School, but stands alone in its 21st-century layout that is designed to accommodate collaborative learning, interactivity, technology and nurture our Catholic faith. Our faculty and staff at St. Mary Catholic Middle School (SMCMS) are faith-filled, dedicated, knowledgeable and experienced professionals who strive to meet the individual needs of students and the embrace the unique characteristics of a middle school community.
At SMCMS, every student is known by name, and our instructors work to address student’s individual learning styles and social and emotional needs. Discipline issues are rare because students are engaged, involved, known and appreciated.
SMCMS believes strongly that parents are partners in the learning process and encourages parents to become involved as volunteers in school to further foster that partnership. We offer frequent after school socials so students can have fun with peers in a safe and welcoming atmosphere.
Our middle school focuses on the values that so many seek in a quality education: superior academic results, faith formation, the building of character, and a safe, caring community where each child is accepted, respected and never lost in the crowd.
Character Development and Expectations
As an active and engaged member of the St. Mary Catholic Middle School community, we are all expected to act with integrity. Actions, behaviors, and decisions, both inside and outside of the classroom, should reflect and support the school’s five Pillars of Honor.
- Faith: “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4-13)
- Honesty: Truthfulness in all we do and say
- Respect: Sincere consideration and appreciation for individuals and the differences among them
- Responsibility: Pride in and responsibility for one’s actions
- Trust: Belief in the integrity and reliability of others
St. Mary Catholic Middle School has adopted the Pillars of Honor to help teach the character traits of faith, honesty, respect, responsibility, and trust. SMCS Middle School also uses a positive approach to discipline and expectations. Throughout the school our expectations of behavior in relation to these Pillars of Honor are posted.
Our goal is a shared partnership between school and home to create a positive learning environment for everyone at St. Mary Catholic Middle School and help students better understand their responsibility as students.
Advisory Groups
Advisory Groups are a teacher & student-based counseling program based off the CharacterStrong program. Its purpose is to provide students with a teacher/advocate who promotes group identity, friendship, a sense of belonging, and pride in self and school. The goal is to develop an understanding and value of self, others, and life experiences.
Groups are made up of 12 to 18 students. They meet formally for 30 minutes three times a week, as well as at the end of every day. A typical weekly routine includes: school news, individual conferences, planning and practicing for prayer services, discussions, and activities on a monthly theme. Themes include careers, conflict resolution, friendships, getting along with others, kindness and respect, as well as other character education or guidance themes.
Summer Reading Requirement
To maintain reading stamina, we recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of reading, 5 days a week. Reading material should include a balance between challenging (at or slightly above your child’s reading level) and choice – some challenging reading should require parent involvement to assist in processing higher-level concepts — other choice reading can include topics of high interest to the student. Ultimately, the idea is to foster a love of reading across a range of genres and levels. We also value journaling as a tool to develop critical thinking skills for both reading reflection as well as independent thinking and processing. We won’t require anything to be turned in, but you are strongly encouraged to find a way to hold your child accountable for this weekly reading as it will only improve all their skills and help them to be ready for school in the fall.