Saint Mary's School - Philosophy

St. Mary School is an elementary school whose members recognize Jesus as the founder of the whole educational enterprise in a Christian environment. As members of a Christian community, we view, "Catholic education as an expression of the mission entrusted by Jesus to the Church." We support the goals of the Bishops of the United States, those of Message, Service, and Community (TO TEACH AS JESUS DID). We believe that parents are the primary educators of their children (APOSTOLATE OF THE LAITY, p.11). Therefore, the instructors and community of St. Mary School complement and enhance the role of the parents by teaching as Jesus did, in making faith living and active through the educational formation of its young people (TO TEACH AS JESUS DID, p.11), and by providing a curriculum which integrates Christian values with a strong academic program.

It is our aim, therefore, to present Christian values, personal responsibility, and an awareness and respect for human dignity as an integral part of life. Students are led to discover a deep spiritual purpose in life so that they seek to establish in school and later in society, the Gospel values of love, justice, and peace. We are committed to the education of the whole individual; that is, the religious, moral, intellectual, physical, social, psychological, and aesthetic growth of each student.

A deep concern for the welfare of our students guides us in our common goals. We, as educators, administrators, and parents, recognize the fact that faith is assimilated and nurtured through contact with those who live it in a community atmosphere. With the spirit of the Gospel to give us perspective and vision, we strive to foster a loving and supportive environment where each individual is accepted and encouraged to grow.

RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT

We affirm and support the role of parents as the primary religious educators of their children. We provide their children a Christian environment where the Catholic faith is taught and lived.

To achieve this, we provide a religious education that gives the students:

a well-rounded knowledge of Christian Revelation and its signs in nature, human experiences, the Gospel, Christian witness, and the Liturgy and teachings of the Church, in a manner adapted to their age and development
opportunities to internalize Gospel values, particularly those of peace, justice, and compassion, and to relate these values to their own behavior and life
special sacramental preparation
an awareness of social justice issues
opportunities to become actively involved in community services
an appreciation of Mary, Mother of God, and her relevance in their lives
the means to develop a deeper personal relationship with God through prayer and liturgical experiences, and
commitment to the poor and disadvantaged.

MORAL DEVELOPMENT

Society today sends our youth many conflicting, confusing, and even destructive messages. Christ's teachings offer children guidance necessary to sort through these messages and ultimately live successful and fulfilling lives. Catholic education is committed to teaching children the morals and values of Christ and helping them adopt and apply these teachings in their own lives.

It is thus our aim, as Christian educators, to develop in our students an understanding of moral values and choices. We hope to instill in the students a sense of responsibility in their decision-making toward peace and justice, and an awareness of the human dignity of each person.

To achieve this, we:

provide opportunities for students to develop self-discipline and to assume responsibility for their actions
guide students to recognize and choose Christian values which lead them to discover a deep spiritual purpose in life
encourage students to work toward peaceful solutions to conflict and social problems
teach respect for life, in all its forms, as being a precious gift from God
develop an appreciation for honesty and truth in all their dealings with others.

INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

St. Mary School seeks to provide a supportive educational environment where each student can develop a love of learning, a sense of personal responsibility, and realize his/her fullest potential.

We strive to achieve this by:

providing a quiet and orderly classroom atmosphere conducive to listening, thinking, and sharing information
providing creative experiences in exploration discovery, and group learning, which foster intellectual curiosity, open mindedness, critical thinking, and problem solving
accommodating individual differences through the use of various resources and teaching methods
developing study skills such as note taking, time management, organization of materials, and completion of assignments
developing basic computational and verbal skills which enable students to become productive members of society
providing a curriculum which teaches the skills necessary to operate in a highly technological and ever-changing world.

SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

A caring, Christian environment fosters awareness of basic moral values and a sense of social responsibility so that children may develop the skills needed to respond to the challenges of daily living while retaining a deep love of God.

Hence, we strive to show our students that happiness is developed from an appreciation of one's own personal worth and from the gifts and talents of others, versus material acquisitions. We recognize our role in helping the students to develop the social skills needed to respond to the challenges of daily living so that he/she may become a valuable member of society.

To achieve this, we encourage students to:

actively participate in Church and school activities
seek happiness by exploring their unique place in the universe and by living the Christian message, rather than through the fruitless pursuit of material goods
develop an understanding, appreciation, and concern for our city, our nation, and our world, as well as other cultures and religions
show respect and understanding for all members of the community regardless of race, nationality, sex, age, or creed
value the uniqueness of each person
learn to work cooperatively with each other and understand the value of courtesy to others
constructively express his/her opinions, feelings, and reactions towards others, towards situations, and towards life
educate the child for the future by giving him/her the opportunities to make responsible moral choices in their everyday lives
reach out to those who are disadvantaged.

PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

It is one of the purposes of Christian education to foster positive attitudes towards physical and mental health. We believe that physical and emotional growth are essential in the transition from youth and adolescence to adulthood.

To achieve this, students are encouraged to:

participate fully in the recreational activities of school
participate in a well organized PE and sports program, where students learn to interact through a healthy spirit of competition and teamwork
develop sound habits of physical exercise toward recognition of their individual potential
seek guidance and counseling when needed
deal constructively with the tensions and problems inherent in their growth and development
be educated to the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and the harmful effects of the social diseases.

CULTURAL AND AESTHETIC DEVELOPMENT

We believe that each person provides individual and unique preferences and viewpoints. We are a community of different cultural backgrounds, but each one has many enriching gifts to offer.

To achieve this, we:

recognize the student's creativity and provide opportunities for self-expression through the fine arts: music, art, drama, and literature
encourage an appreciation of the many cultures in our community as well as those represented throughout the world
create an awareness of our Christian responsibility to reach out to our less fortunate brothers and sisters in need
guide students to appreciate their dignity as human beings and to acknowledge and appreciate the talents of others.