Serving Pre-K3 - 8th Grade
-
-
Philosophy
Since parents have given their children life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators. (1) Parents are the ones who must create a family atmosphere animated by love and respect for God and man, in which the well-rounded personal and social education of children is fostered. Hence the family is the first school of social virtues and every society needs. It is particularly in the Christian family, enriched by the grace and office of the sacrament of matrimony, that children should be taught from their early years to
have a knowledge of God according to the faith received in Baptism, to worship Him, and to love their neighbor. (2)
Saint Mary Catholic School was established in 1946 to proclaim the Gospel message. Saint Mary School provides a distinctive Christian environment in which the Church’s tradition of education brings to students the joyful pursuit of faith, wisdom, and virtue. This integration of faith with school life develops students whose values are centered on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Through experiencing the Gospel message, students develop an inner faith, which sustains them throughout their lives. In Catholic Schools, liturgy, prayer, and all forms of faith practice are incorporated into school life.
Catholic education has the responsibility to educate those who seek such an education. The school challenges students to fulfill their potential spiritually, intellectually, physically, and socially. The community of priests, administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students work cooperatively toward the school’s goals. A strong foundation of religious education and active academic learning, coupled with close relations with home and family, encourage students to reach out from the school community to the world around them.
Christian standards of social behavior are emphasized at Saint Mary Catholic School. As a result, a strong sense of social justice is developed during the students’ school years. The school provides many opportunities for service to others. Saint Mary Catholic School strives to form productive, caring members of society.
1. Divini Illius Magistri, 1, p. 59 ff.
2. Second Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, nos. 11 and 35: A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 16, 40
-
Accreditation
Saint Mary Catholic School is accredited by the
Florida Catholic Conference.
In 2017, the Florida Catholic Conference Accreditation Team awarded Saint Mary Catholic School Full Accreditation.
Only certified teachers who meet the requirements of both
the State of Florida Department of Education and
the Florida Catholic Conference are hired.Goal #1
Goal #2
Goal#3
Saint Mary Catholic School administration, pastor, faculty, staff, and school advisory council will have a core team in place by August 2017 to implement a comprehensive marketing, development and
enrollment plan to provide a framework to ensure viability and increase enrollment.Saint Mary School will use technology for student-centered learning so students can gather, evaluate, and use information from digital sources to create products and increase academic achievement in order to be prepared for society that is dominated by digital communication.
The Saint Mary Catholic School community will develop and implement a School-wide Family Stewardship Program to assist all stakeholders in nurturing their faith, and will provide service opportunities for faith formation and individual awareness of the importance of Catholic Social Teachings.
-
-
Catholic IdentityAt Saint Mary Catholic School, we walk with Jesus as we strive to live out the tenets of our faith. We are a community sustained by Gospel witness, and we infuse the Catholic worldview into all aspects of campus life.
As Pope Saint John Paull II said. "Catholic schools must help students to deepen their personal relationship with God and to discover that all things human have their deepest meaning in the person and teaching of Jesus Christ." -
-
-
-
Weekly Mass Attendance: Students in PK3 through 8th grade attend Mass weekly and on Holy Days. Students in grades 2 through 8 participate as:
-
greeters
-
lectors
-
altar servers
-
gift bearers
-
choir members
-
-
-
-
-
-
Special Liturgies and Events: Throughout the year, students plan, prepare, and/or participate in:
-
Adoration and Holy Hours
- Virtue Visits with buddy classes
- Eucharistic Processions
-
Classroom visits from priests
-
the Living Rosary
-
Advent prayer services
-
Reconciliation services
-
Stations of the Cross
-
the Chrism Mass
-
retreats
-
May Crowning
-
8th-grade graduation Mass
-
-
-
-
-
- Prayer: Schoolwide prayer is led each morning by an 8th grader. The Marian Antiphons are prayed throughout the seasons of the liturgical year. Classes also pray throughout the day, including before lunch and at day’s end.
Alma Redemptoris Mater (Kindly Mother of the Redeemer)
First Sunday of Advent until Candlemas (Feb 2)
Loving Mother of our Redeemer, gate of heaven, star of the sea,
help us who have fallen and strive to rise again.
To the wonder of nature you, a virgin, gave birth to Jesus.
You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting, have pity on us poor sinners. (revised)
Ave Regina Coelorum (Hail, Queen of Heaven)
Day after Candlemas (Feb3) until Easter Vigil
Hail Queen of Heaven.
Hail Lady of Angels
Hail the root, hail the gate
From whom the True Light was born.
Rejoice, glorious Virgin,
Lovely beyond all others.
Most beautiful lady,
Pray for us to Christ. (revised)
Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven)
Easter Eve until Pentecost Sunday
Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia!
Because the Son you were chosen to bear, alleluia!
Has risen, as He said, alleluia!
Pray for us to God, alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia!
Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia! (revised)
Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen)
Day after Pentecost until end of liturgical year
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee to we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
-
-
-
-
Virtues in Practice: Using this program, which is designed to help students grow closer to Jesus by imitating His life and virtues, the entire school studies the same virtue each month. This provides a whole-school (and whole-family) focus. Twenty-seven virtues are explored over a three-year cycle, with 81 saints held up as models of the virtues.
-
-
-
-
-
Awards:
-
Each month one student from every class is chosen as the Servant of the Lord. These students are selected by their teachers for modeling the Virtue of the Month.
-
At the end of each school year, two students from each class are chosen to receive the Religion Award for demonstrating the qualities of one who walks with Jesus every day.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Service Projects: Throughout the year, students are provided with opportunities to participate in service through activities including - but not limited to:
-
various projects in conjunction with Catholic Charities
-
CRS Rice Bowl
-
Catholic Schools Week projects
-
Work with Food for Thought
-
Children’s Advocacy Center donations
-
Box of Joy donations
-
"Change for Life" Baby Bottle Drive for FWB Center for Women
-
-
-
-
-
-
Today's Readings
-
-
Eucharistic Revival
-
an hour agoWhen we encounter painful areas of our lives, we can bring those to Jesus in the Eucharist. -
.png)
a week agoEucharistic faith is not some blind faith or a flight into the irrational. Eucharistic faith is entirely reasonable. -
2 weeks agoA Congress attendee shares her grace-filled experience at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis this past July.
-
-
-
ChurchPOP
-
6 hours ago“Remember to keep holy Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God.” -
yesterdayWhat a fun collaboration and a beautiful way to evangelize! -
yesterday"Let’s lift high the cross in our homes so that we may see it as we are purified and sanctified daily in our marriages."
-
-
