It is with great pleasure that I can say I’ve been a proud Knight for over 25 years. Starting as a biology teacher and now as the president of our beloved school, it truly is an honor and privilege to serve the St. Mary’s Ryken community.
Throughout this booklet you’ll find lots of ways to make the most of your experience as an SMR Knight. From the robust fine arts programs, athletics teams and clubs, all of our students find something to support their interests and grow their leadership skills.
This is the most exciting time to become a St. Mary’s Ryken student! Earlier this year, we opened the St. Mary’s Ryken Flight Academy with over 24 flight simulators. Last year, the new MIL Family STEM and Innovation Wing opened. This space houses a wind tunnel, virtual reality, 3-D printers, drone lab, robotics build area and space for STEM classes.
I hope you will join us for our fall open house on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. You’ll have the opportunity to meet students and teachers and tour our beautiful campus. Also, look on the back cover for information on our Knight for a Day program. It’s a great way to get the true St. Mary’s Ryken experience.
I look forward to meeting you. It’s a Great Day to Be a Knight!
Dr. Rick Wood President and CEO
St. Mary’s Ryken is a Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school community operated under the Xaverian Brothers’ sponsorship dedicated to academic excellence and individualized student growth.
As a Xaverian Brothers sponsored school, we embrace the spiritual values of our founders: simplicity, humility, compassion, zeal and trust. These values define our community and call us to lives of faith and service.
being a Catholic community. embracing the Xaverian Brothers’ charism and their values.
preparing our students for success in higher education and beyond.
offering and promoting academic excellence. fostering mutual respect to ensure a safe environment for the spiritual, mental, physical and emotional development of our students.
protecting the rights and embracing the contributions of all individuals within our community.
acknowledging the transitional period between adolescence and young adulthood and supporting the growth of our students. addressing the learning differences of our students within the college preparatory curriculum.
motivating our students to show integrity and leadership in actions through responsible citizenship.
We realize you have many choices for your child’s high school experience. Let us prove that St. Mary’s Ryken is the right choice for your family!
At St. Mary’s Ryken, your child’s future success is at the forefront of everything we do, and our alumni are proof of that.
Over $21 million in college scholarships were awarded to the 134 graduates in the SMR Class of 2022! On average, the Class of 2022 earned $164,000 per graduate in scholarships.
Catholic schools outpace public schools in national assessments year after year, according to The Nation’s Report Card,* the country’s leading measure of academic achievement in public and private schools.
* Source: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov
Graduates from Catholic schools generally experience higher earning potential than public school graduates.
Each day at St. Mary’s Ryken, students are welcomed by faculty and staff who share a strong moral foundation rooted in Xaverian values of compassion, humility, simplicity, trust and zeal.
A dynamic sense of family and community has become our hallmark. The St. Mary’s Ryken community reaches beyond the high school years with students, alumni, athletic teams and faculty maintaining connections for years. This includes a solid alumni network that leads students to professional opportunities and strong friendships beyond high school.
On-campus technology includes a 1:1 iPad program, and Project Lead the Way biomedical, computer science (focus on cybersecurity) and engineering (focus on aerospace) courses that lead to internships with local industry experts.
As a member of the highly competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, we offer a well-rounded athletic program with 23 varsity sports.
Annually, we celebrate championship-winning teams and student-athletes who commit to four-year universities to continue playing their sport.
The importance of service to others and servant leadership is instilled in the St. Mary’s Ryken curriculum and practiced daily. Service to others is modeled by our faculty and staff.
Students are offered numerous leadership and extracurricular opportunities through clubs, mentoring, volunteering and positions within their athletic teams and fine arts groups.
The St. Mary’s Ryken Campus Ministry is the backbone of our school community, and over 200 students a year benefit from the faith formation and spiritual direction program.
We offer daily Mass, monthly schoolwide liturgies and an on-site chapel for daily prayer.
Our teaching environment and college-like campus promote self-discipline, and we instill high expectations for proper behavior on and off campus.
More than 150 college preparatory, honors and Advanced Placement courses are offered, including Project Lead the Way and dual enrollment opportunities with the College of Southern Maryland.
Our faculty is committed to being accessible to students and parents, and has a genuine interest in the students’ success. Tutors and mentors are available in all subjects.
The Scholars Program offers accelerated curriculum concentrations to our students who want a more rigorous and advanced course of study.
The SMR Scholars Program offers STEM pathways in: Biomedical Science Computer Science (focus on Cybersecurity) Engineering (focus on Aerospace)
And the following Humanities pathways: Global and International Studies Humanities
Performing Arts Visual Arts
The STEM curriculum uses Project Lead the Way (PLTW), the nation’s leading provider of STEM programs. PLTW’s success in preparing students for higher education has been recognized by colleges and universities.
To view benefits of the program, selection criteria and courses for each pathway, scan the QR code:
The Campus Ministry Department encourages and supports students’ spiritual growth and development. Students are able to seek spiritual formation through Mass, theology class, daily prayer, service opportunities, mission trips, retreats and spiritual direction.
On campus, the Caritas Resource Center serves as a location for students to earn service hours, but, more importantly, understand the importance of serving others. At the center students can assist with helping those less fortunate prepare to move from homelessness to housing, participate in a mobile food pantry and help to prepare and pack items that are needed for the moves.
St. Mary’s Ryken supports a well-rounded education that includes a competitive athletics program, fine arts curriculum and various extracurricular activities.
Scan the QR code to view a list of club options:
An appreciation of the arts is a priority at St. Mary’s Ryken. The Fine Arts Department offers a host of visual and performing arts classes taught by faculty who are accomplished, practicing professionals in their field.
An abundance of performance opportunities and extracurricular clubs are available to students who wish to hone their talents.
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12 St. Mary’s Ryken High School
sports,
dance team in 2022!
a
Class of 2022 graduates
continue to use their talents as collegiate athletes
Teams by season: Fall Cheerleading Cross Country Dance Field Hockey Football Sailing Boys Soccer Girls Soccer Girls Tennis Volleyball
Winter Boys Basketball Girls Basketball Cheerleading Boys Ice Hockey Girls Ice Hockey Swimming Wrestling Spring Baseball Golf Boys Lacrosse Girls Lacrosse Sailing Softball Boys Tennis Track & Field
As part of our mission to focus on individualized student growth, St. Mary’s Ryken offers support services to students with learning differences. We are equipped with fully qualified staff, and students apply through the regular admissions application.
To learn more about the levels of support and documentation needed to receive services, scan the QR code:
SMR provides assistance in reading, writing and math for students with diagnosed learning disabilities and medical conditions that affect their performance in the classroom. Services include classroom and testing accommodations, and daily or weekly meetings with a resource specialist.
The SMR counseling team supports students socially, emotionally and academically throughout their four years. Students are assigned a counselor based on the student’s last name and stay with that counselor throughout their time at SMR. This fosters a strong counselor-student relationship. An on-site school therapist is available to meet with students needing additional support.
The SMR Counseling Department is an invaluable team player in your child’s college choice journey. With its age-appropriate events and workshops for both students and parents starting freshman year, the team shows it’s never too early to prep for the college application process.
A robust college preparation and application process curriculum integrated into academic classes
Student workshops on how to write college essays, apply for scholarships, apply to college and choose the right school
College night events with appropriate content for each grade level and parents
SMR-sponsored college tours during the school year
Annual on-campus college fair with over 60 colleges represented
Coffee With Counselors is held quarterly. These morning events are open to all SMR parents and are an opportunity to talk to the counseling team about various topics including:
Course selection
College preparation for all grade levels
Mental health
Technology and social media
Freshman Experience is a four-day summer program designed to acclimate incoming freshmen to the SMR campus, learn the curriculum, and meet faculty and fellow classmates. It also gives students a chance to make new friends before the school year begins.
New students are paired with upperclassmen who help to guide and mentor their freshmen and transfer mentees into becoming successful new Knights. Mentors are selected based on their ability to be positive, responsible role models.
During orientation, students will prepare for the school year through several activities including: connecting with their mentors, meeting their teachers, learning about student activities, attending technology check-in and participating in a Battle of the Houses!
Throughout the summer, SMR offers opportunities for new students and parents to get to know each other and the SMR community.
Our 87-acre, waterfront campus offers a high school experience like no other in the Southern Maryland area. Our college-like campus prepares students for life after high school. Each day, students attend classes in six different buildings on campus, allowing them plenty of time outdoors.
The spaces include a virtual reality system, 3-D printers, robotics arena, robotics build rooms and two large classrooms for labs.
Daily Mass is held in the Chapel of Charity.
Classroom spaces are equipped with modern furniture, Apple TVs and Wi-Fi.
Mary Joy Hurlburt Theatre, Romuald Hall
The auditorium is used for fine arts events, theatre productions, student assemblies and parent meetings.
St. Mary’s Ryken High School
The St. Mary’s Ryken Flight Academy is an interactive classroom that provides all students with an opportunity to learn about the field of aviation.
Centrally located on campus, this all-inclusive health and wellness facility bridges the upper and lower campus. It’s the main hub for most school events, all-school Masses and indoor athletic competitions.
SMR athletic facilities include a state-of-the-art, 1,000-seat outdoor sports stadium with a professional-level, NFL-grade turf field and a six-lane track.
Students utilize the college-level training facilities to maintain the level of competitiveness required as members of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. All SMR community members have access to this space.
Located on Breton Bay, St. Mary’s Ryken offers opportunities for students to try many new and different activities, such as sailing—which is offered during the fall and spring.
Coming soon! New turf for the MIL Family Stadium and upgrades in the Chapel of Charity
The school day starts at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 2:40 p.m.
Freshmen carry a full roster of seven classes plus a study hall. Each day has four class periods (1-4, then 5-8), on a rotational schedule. Each student will have a study hall every other day so that they can complete assignments and meet with teachers as necessary. The rotating schedule varies the routine for students, which sets them up for success in the classroom. It also lessens the impact of early dismissal on students who participate in extracurricular activities.
There are 10 minutes between classes and 30 minutes for lunch.
The Course Map is a visual tool to assist with understanding course requirements for each grade.
Below is a typical freshman schedule: Theology
Literature and Composition
Conceptual Physics
Ancient World History
Algebra I or Geometry
World language of their choice
2 electives
To view the rotational schedule, scan the QR code:
As a school community, we are committed to proving to you that St. Mary’s Ryken is the right choice for your family and your child’s future!
In the Xaverian tradition, a challenging Catholic, college preparatory, educational program is a hallmark of St. Mary’s Ryken. As a center of growth and learning, SMR expects that all students and faculty are committed to academic integrity and excellence as well as spiritual growth. Such an atmosphere instills the desire to learn for the sake of learning and increases our students’ personal confidence as they experience success in the classroom, on the stage, in the community, among their peers and on the athletic field. Understanding the importance of developing the whole, unique individual, it is our hope that an SMR graduate will:
Be a person of moral character, be able to nurture a relationship with God through prayer, be a steward for social justice, and possess an understanding of Catholic theology and tradition
Possess a deep intellectual curiosity with a passion for lifelong learning, have the ability in personal and professional pursuits to effectively utilize evolving technology and understand how it impacts our society, have the competency for critical thinking and analysis in the humanities and the sciences, and be well prepared for post-secondary academic pursuits
Be a confident, self-assured young adult capable of developing enduring personal relationships, nurturing a spirit of harmony, be open to diversity and possess a global perspective, and be committed to making a difference in their community by their leadership.
22 St. Mary’s Ryken High School
Arizona State University
Bucknell University
Columbia University
Dickinson College
Franklin & Marshall College
Gettysburg College
Hampton University
Indiana UniversityBloomington
Loyola University Maryland
Mount Holyoke College Muhlenberg College
North Carolina
A&T State University
Pennsylvania State University
Providence College
Rochester Institute of Technology
St. John’s University
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Texas Christian University
United States Air Force Academy
United States Naval Academy
University of Dallas
University of Delaware
University of MarylandBaltimore County
University of MarylandCollege Park
University of Pittsburgh
University of Vermont
Ursinus College Virginia Tech
Washington & Jefferson College Washington College Worcester Polytechnic Institute
“ St. Mary’s Ryken has been partners in building the foundation of the lives of myself, my brothers (Classes of 1983, 1985, 1986) and sisters (1991, 1995) and now my own children.
Adam ’18, Brian ’20 and Nina ’22 have all graduated from SMR with a solid academic background as well as strength in their Catholic faith! Both are very important for young adults moving on to college or their vocation. The faculty as well as the clergy have all been pivotal in preparing our children to take on the world with confidence in themselves, their abilities and their faith. Having a high school where our children can learn academics, participate in sports and theatre and most especially be free to express, share and grow in their Catholic faith is a gift to parents. The spiritual direction program and the priests volunteering their time for the students is unique and a huge benefit for every student that chooses to participate.
God Bless St. Mary’s Ryken!”
—Julie Ferrero ’87
Nina Ferrero speaking during the Class of 2022 Commencement Ceremony
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St. Mary’s Ryken has not only prepared Nyla academically, but she has expanded her cultural awareness and built a strong sense of community. She has grown into a well-rounded young adult and is more than ready to take on the rigor of college.”
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Our experience at St. Mary’s Ryken has been nothing short of spectacular! Our daughter transferred from the public school system the summer of her junior year. The staff at SMR made the transition seamless, providing support every step of the way, from a personal campus tour to the selection of classes. Midway through her first quarter, we knew we made the right decision. While the public schools were still struggling to adjust to the COVID pandemic, SMR established a hybrid learning system that focused on safety and education. As soon as public health officials determined it was safe to return to in-person learning, SMR made the switch. This allowed our daughter to get the full experience of a real college preparatory learning environment, and this is where SMR stands out. The staff at SMR created an environment that nourished her strengths and improved her weaknesses. As she makes the transition to college, she is surely better prepared due to her experience as a student at SMR!”
—Arthur Ellis
Nyla Brown ’22 —Dana Brown Macy Ellis ’22In 2021, SMR marked its 40th anniversary as St. Mary’s Ryken. Because of the fortitude and determination of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the Xaverian Brothers, the all-girls St. Mary’s Academy and all-boys Ryken High School were merged to combine their vision of continuing Catholic education to serve high school students in Southern Maryland.
The newly formed St. Mary’s Ryken High School opens in September on the grounds of the former Ryken High School with 560 students. Brother Matthew Burke is the principal. The St. Mary’s Academy grounds become home to the College of Southern Maryland.
The performing arts building, Romuald Hall, is constructed. The building houses a 320-seat theater and media center and also becomes home to the history department.
The library in Rupert Hall is renovated to become the Chapel of Charity in honor of the Sisters of Charity.
Many other renovations are finished, including a new cafeteria, refurbishments to the exterior of Paschal Hall and its classrooms, and the lower athletic fields and tennis courts.
SMR joins the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), the most prestigious private school athletic conference in the country. By being part of the WCAC, SMR student-athletes are more likely to have the chance to continue to play their sport in college.
Mary’s Ryken
2007
The Knights football team begins its first season.
The Donnie Williams Center opens and becomes the campus hub for many school, community, spiritual, sporting and alumni events. The MIL STEM Innovation Wing, which includes a computer lab, robotics arena, STEM spaces and wind tunnel, also opens.
The St. Mary’s Ryken Flight Academy opens with 24 flight simulators.
In June, construction begins on a stadium with a turf field and six-lane track.
The Caritas Resource Center opens to assist the less fortunate in the local community move from homelessness to housing.
The school year opens with 680 students from over 40 middle schools, 6 counties and 2 states!
You are invited to our Fall Open House on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022.
Scan the QR code to learn more and RSVP:
Please contact the Admissions Team at admissions@smrhs.org if you would like to schedule a family tour. They are offered year round.
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Students in grades 8-10 are invited to join our community for the day and learn what SMR is all about. This is the best way to get the true St. Mary’s Ryken experience. Visiting students are paired with a current SMR student, attend classes, enjoy lunch on us, explore our beautiful campus, and experience a day in the life of an SMR student.
Scan the QR code to sign up:
Inspiring Lives of Learning, Faith & Service. Discover the Difference of a St. Mary’s Ryken Education!
For more information, contact our Admissions Team: 301-475-7668 | admissions@smrhs.org
