St. Mary's Elementary School - Admissions Guidebook

SCHOOL ST MA RYS A N N A P O L IS . O R G

school admissions guide ST. MARY’S ELEMENTARY PRE-K-8 STMARYSANNAPOLIS.ORG

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Welcome to St. Mary’s Elementary St. Mary’s Elementary School, a Catholic parochial school for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 8 located in Annapolis, MD, is committed to the charism of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the order which has led and served our school since 1862.

Thank you for your interest in St. Mary’s Elementary School! As you seek the best learning environment for your child, we are dedicated to providing a helpful, informative and open admission process for you and your family. St. Mary’s Elementary School celebrates a rich tradition of academic excellence for more than 150 years of continuous service to young minds and hearts. Our graduates leave us as well-prepared and eager students who are ready for the challenges of high school and beyond.

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Enrollment

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Our Mission & Philosophy Through spiritual, intellectual, physical and social guidance, we strive to develop lifelong learners. In cooperation with the family and Catholic community, St. Mary’s Elementary School seeks to foster and model Christian values founded in love of God, self and others.

St. Mary’s teaches more than academics—we are committed to the spiritual and moral, intellectual and physical, social and civic and aesthetic and emotional development of each child. Our religious values are reflected in our entire education and faculty and staff foster Christian attitudes founded in love of God, self and others. These attitudes include freedom, respect, conscientious responsibility, justice and a spirit of solidarity in service to the needy. We provide opportunities for healthy interactions with one another in an atmosphere of peace, harmony, joy and mutual respect. Above all else, St. Mary’s strives to grow as a model Christian community where all are sensitive and responsive to the needs of others.

Cognizant of each individual’s God-given talents and responsibilities, St. Mary’s provides a variety of learning experiences. Our school has a broad educational curriculum, which imparts both physical and academic skills to the students. These skills afford knowledge and attitudes that enable students to continue to learn and act with self-confidence in an everchanging world. We continually strive to identify each student’s talents and abilities to foster and develop a sense of individuality, a realistic self-concept and interdependence with others.

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Admissions Guidelines

Registration & Tuition

An essential part of St. Mary’s educational program is furthering and nurturing the knowledge and value of the Catholic faith. Another basic objective of the school is, through the development of excellent academic programs and an encouraging social surrounding, to provide an environment that is conducive to both the student’s academic growth and self-discipline. Inherent throughout the educational program is the advancement of positive attitudes toward all the races, sexes and creeds.

To support these objectives, certain policies, rules and guidelines have been developed by the St. Mary’s School Board. The guidelines that pertain to admission and annual re-admission to the school are below.

Registration

Religion St. Mary’s has a principal obligation to registered parishioners who are practicing Catholics. Therefore, regarding admission, preference will be given to children of parents who are practicing Catholics. New parishioners are expected to submit a letter from their former pastor stating that they are practicing Catholics.

Priorities Due to limited space availability, these guidelines will be followed: • Current Family, Parishioner Alumni • Parishioner • Catholic Alumni • Non-Parishioner Catholic • Non-Catholic Alumni • Non-Catholic The term “parishioner” is defined as: any family member who is registered and actively supports the parish.

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In order for the application of a student to be processed, a fifty-dollar nonrefundable application fee must accompany it. This is not a guarantee of acceptance to the program.

Application Fee: $50 non-refundable Registration Fee: $175 non-refundable

Tuition rates and school fees can be found at www.stmarysannapolis.org.

Financial aid is available for registered parishioners. Financial aid is based on demonstrated need. St. Mary’s out-of-parish students may also apply to their home parish for tuition assistance. Availability varies by parish. To apply for financial aid, please go to the Tuition and Financial Aid page of the St. Mary’s website.

Application TIMELINE January

All completed Pre-K applications are due.

February

All completed applications for K-8 are due. Pre-K students are notified by letter of acceptance to St. Mary’s Elementary School.

March

K-8 students are notified by letter of acceptance to St. Mary’s Elementary School.

Once a grade level is full, a wait pool is established for each grade level.

Spring

Kindergarten students will be tested by appointment. Students entering grades 6-8 will take a middle school math placement test.

Parent Conferences

New student conferences are held in August, prior to the start of school.

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Where we Excel Traditions, Catholic values and academic excellence are the foundation upon which St. Mary’s Elementary School is built. In the spirit of the Redemptorists and the School Sisters of Notre Dame, St. Mary’s strives to foster the spiritual, moral, intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, physical and social development of our students.

Foreign Language Program

Spirituality

Technology

St. Mary’s foreign language program boasts Spanish instruction for grades Pre-K through eight. Our primary program begins with instruction in simple vocabulary, phrases and songs. Intermediate instruction is a paced learning experience with an emphasis on listening and speaking. Middle school instruction provides grammar application through dialogue. The study of cultural awareness is present in all levels of Spanish instruction.

Anchored in faith, spirituality is the cornerstone of our program. St. Mary’s begins each school year with an outdoor school-wide Mass at which time the religion theme for the new academic year is revealed. This theme becomes our guiding light and is intricately woven into daily prayer and instruction, as well as the weekly Rosary and monthly prayer services and celebrations of Mass. Our student body is encouraged to express their faith through service to others. Saints in Action, our school-wide community service program, provides a different opportunity each month for students and faculty to reach out and help those who are less fortunate.

We have partnered with local food banks, shelters and charities, local hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Units and have supported military efforts overseas.

Technology plays a major role in enhancing and expanding our curriculum. Every classroom at St. Mary’s Elementary School is equipped with wireless Internet access and interactive SMART Board projection, which provides seamless access to information and skill-building resources as well as opportunities for students to interact more deeply with content they encounter. Students have access to iPads to refine their proficiencies through skill-specific software and apps, communicate and collaborate with peers and teachers and to create authentic products. While students in grades Pre-K through eight attend a STEM class to supplement their core academic classes and hone their skills, technology is integrated across the curriculum in all grades.

Academics

Enrichment Program

St. Mary’s offers a comprehensive and challenging academic program. We embrace standards-based education in our effort to align curriculum with instructional and assessment practices. Built upon the premise that reading and writing are mutually supportive processes, we have implemented an integrated language arts program for grades Pre-K through five and an integrated literature program for grades six through eight. Integrated learning facilitates the process of connecting one subject with another and prepares students to become life-long learners as well as fluent and independent readers.

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Through the combined efforts of St. Mary’s paid instructors and parent volunteers, we offer a variety of interactive after school programs and courses such as Chess, Hands on Science, Clay Bakers, Karate, Girls on the Run, Hero Boys, Robotics, Art and more.

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School Day Lunch

Hours

Lunches may be purchased in the cafeteria or students may bring a lunch from home and purchase a la carte.

7:45am - 2:45pm Official bell of the day rings at 8:00am.

Uniform

Curriculum

St. Mary’s students are required to wear the school uniform.

Religion Mathematics Language Arts Social Studies Science Computers Spanish Music Art Physical Education STEM Grades Pre-K-5: 2:1 iPad Program Grades 6-8: 1 on 1 iPad Program

Grades Pre-K-5 boys: white polo shirt with navy uniform pants.

Grades Pre-K-5 girls: jumpers with a white Peter Pan collar shirt.

Grades 6-8 boys: blue or white oxford shirt with uniform tie and navy or khaki uniform pants.

Grades 6-8 girls: uniform skort with blue or white oxford blouse.

In September, October, May and June, uniform shorts may be worn.

Brown, black or navy rubber soled shoes or black and white saddle shoes are to be worn to school.

Pre-K Students have the option to wear tennis shoes every day.

P.E. uniforms are required.

Winter P.E. uniform: St. Mary’s sweatshirt, sweatpants, polo shirt and tennis shoes.

Pre-K will wear their P.E. uniform during the winter season.

Summer P.E. uniform: St. Mary’s gym shorts and uniform polo shirt.

Uniforms must be purchased through the school’s designated uniform company, Flynn & O’Hara.

After School Care St. Mary’s offers an After School Care (ASC) program for our students. ASC begins at 2:45pm and ends at 6:00pm. This program is open to all students, however all must register, even if only using the program on a drop-in basis.

Students in grades Pre-K through three are escorted to the ASC rooms by a teacher and students in grades four through eight report to the ASC classrooms at dismissal.

After snack time, students are given the opportunity to play outside (weather permitting) or stay inside to begin their homework. After play, students return to the classroom to complete their homework, read or play a quiet game.

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Student Life Athletics St. Mary’s Elementary has a very clear philosophy in regards to athletics: all students have the opportunity to play, to build their skills and to have a fun team experience.

Our school continues to offer four very popular afterschool sports programs—girls volleyball, cross country, basketball and lacrosse for students in the seventh and eighth grade. All students participate in physical education as part of our program and our dedicated staff always seeks new ways to inspire students and promote fitness.

Fine Arts St. Mary’s offers a variety of fine arts programs at each grade level.

Grades 1 & 2: Cherub Choir - In the fall, students perform at Barnes & Noble and work on learning Christmas songs to perform at the Christmas Spectacular performance.

Students also perform at Christmas Eve Mass. In the spring, students work on songs for their performance at Celebrate the Arts Night in May. Students also sing for special Prayer Services and Rosaries throughout the year.

Grades 3-5: Kidz on Stage - In the fall, students will learn Christmas songs to be performed at the Christmas Spectacular in December as well as performances at Barnes & Noble. In the spring, students will learn a variety of songs for their performance at Celebrate the Arts Night in May. Students also sing for special school Masses throughout the year.

Grades 6-8: Middle School Musical - Middle school students will have the opportunity to audition, practice and perform a Broadway Junior® show each spring. In the past, students have performed Alice in Wonderland Jr., Annie Jr., Beauty and the Beast Jr., Aladdin Jr., and Peter Pan Jr. Art Club: The Art Club is open to fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth-graders and meets during lunch and recess. Young artists work with a variety of mediums through guided projects.

The Art Club creations have been used to improve our campus and community.

Band: Offered to grades 4 and up

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Foreign Language Pre-K-2: Students are given the opportunity to learn not only simple phrases and songs, but to develop an awareness of other cultures.

Grades 3-5: Students develop listening and comprehension skills in an atmosphere of fun and creativity. General Spanish vocabulary relates to the thematic units, with commands and directions given in Spanish.

Grades 6-8: Students learn content that includes gender of nouns, definite and indefinite articles, present, past, future tenses and advanced vocabulary. There is an increased emphasis on dialogue, tactile and visual approach through this program.

Students may achieve at their individual pace, which creates confidence and increased student achievement.

Additional Supplementary Programs School Counseling Services Intramural Basketball Sunshine Squad Enrichment Classes Yearbook Club

Community Service Each new day presents unique opportunities for our Saints to share their gifts and blessings with those less fortunate in our local communities and beyond. Our entire student body participates in weekly service projects that are ongoing through the entire school year. Donations to local outreach organizations and global service projects are part of our extensive community service program. From bagged lunches, school supplies and canned food, to coats, pajamas and books, our outreach stretches to many hearts and hands.

Outreach Programs Operation Rice Bowl The Light House Food Link of AACO Christ Child Society Saints in Action STMARYSANNAPOLIS.ORG

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Committed to Excellence Awards & Certifications PBIS Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports — Silver Award St. Mary’s Elementary School was awarded Silver Recognition for our Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program. PBIS programming works to create a learning environment focused on positive behaviors, furthermore recognizing students and offering intangible incentives for displaying positive behaviors throughout the school day. Students earn various rewards such as out of uniform passes, the opportunity to say morning announcements and eat lunch with their favorite teacher! St. Mary’s PBIS theme for the 2020-2021 school year is character education.

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Digital Citizenship Certification — Common Sense Media During their education at St. Mary’s, students earn their Digital Passport and Digital Compass through Common Sense Media by completing interactive modules designed to demonstrate a student’s ability to “think critically, behave safely and participate responsibly in our digital world.”

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Maryland Green School St. Mary’s Elementary School maintains the distinction of being on the registry of Maryland Green Schools.

St. Mary’s Elementary is dedicated to practicing institutional habits that support and defend the environment from modern life. St. Mary’s Elementary utilizes electronic, wastereducing communication tools on a daily and weekly basis. Our cafeteria efforts include recycling and waste-free lunch initiatives.

Our campus rain barrels provide water for our potted plants and gardens and our greenhouse sprouts seedlings to life, while our composters turn our food waste into a rich soil for our beginning gardeners to use. St. Mary’s Elementary School is in continuous effort to embrace and improve the protection of our beautiful planet.

National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence St. Mary’s Elementary School is the proud recipient of the United States Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award.

The National Blue Ribbon Award was granted in recognition of St. Mary’s exemplary teaching, as well as student achievement.

School Accomplishments Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Member of the National Catholic Education Association Standardized Achievement Test scores consistently above the National and Archdiocesan norms Marion Burk Knott Scholarship Recipients Participation in Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

When You’re a Saint, You’re Family St. Mary’s alone cannot prepare its students to lead Christian and productive lives.

The planning and implementation of the educational mission of St. Mary’s Elementary must involve the entire community, particularly parents, the first and foremost educators of their children.

St. Mary’s Elementary has numerous opportunities for parents to be more involved in the learning process including: • St. Mary’s Elementary Home and School Association • Classroom volunteers • Homeroom parents • Special liturgies • Field trips and overnight trips STMARYSANNAPOLIS.ORG

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Continue the Conversation Marybeth Holzer Director of Admissions (410) 990-4135 mholzer@stmarysannapolis.org

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Pastor

Fr. Patrick Woods

Principal

Rebecca Zimmerman

Assistant Principal Megan Back

Virtues of a St. Mary’s Saint • • • • • • • •

Love of God Compassion Respect Self-Discipline Perseverance Courage Responsibility Honesty

Director of Admissions Marybeth Holzer

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We honor St. Mary’s, who fosters and guides us.

The blue and the white will be strong in our hearts.

The friendships we make here; The mem’ries we will cherish, In the halls of St. Mary’s, our faith leads the way.

SCHOOL 111 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21401 18

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