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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 chose 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
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