Welcome to St. Mary Catholic School!
St. Mary Catholic School serves student in prekindergarten (3) through eighth grade. Our school operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Office of Catholic Schools. We also hold membership in the National Catholic Educational Association, NCEA.
We are accredited through the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department, TCCB ED. SMCS completed their recent accreditation visit in October,2019. The SMCS staff was happy to show their strengths and plan for improvement in areas that we continue to challenge students to grow in mind, heart and spirit! It was noted that we had improved and made significant updates between the 2012 accreditation visit. SMCS was commended in all domains:
Domain I: Catholic Identity
Domain II: Governance, Administration and Management
Domain III: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Domain IV: Student Services and Activities
Domain V: Plant and Facilities
The St. Mary educational environment is based upon four pillars of education: faith, family, academics and service.
Faith: Each morning students meet to pray together, say the American and Texas Pledges and sing a patriotic song. Prayer service is student led and is a wonderful way to start the day. Parents are always welcomed to join us during prayer. Students attend daily religion class and Catholic virtues and teachings are taught across the curriculum. Students attend Mass each week and participate by reading as lectors, Mass Buddies (sitting with younger students and modeling Mass behavior), singing in choir and alter serving. Students demonstrate their faith in action not only by their mass participation, but the way they carry themselves in the classroom, the playground and in the community.
Family: Parents and guardians, as the first teachers of their children, lay the foundation for learning and faith. We join as partners, reinforcing and integrating our Christian values and educational experiences into the daily life of each student. Parents are encouraged to be involved within the learning process. Parents volunteer in a variety of ways at St. Mary, such as the Parent School Association (PSA) and Watch D.O.G.s, (Dads of Great Students) dedicated to volunteering wherever needed. St. Mary Catholic School is blessed to have dedicated families who volunteer their time and talents to the school. We are a strong community that works together to offer many opportunities, in and out of school for fellowship; special events such as Parent Luncheon, Grandparent Luncheon, Steps for Students Celebrations and seasonal celebrations are always a fun way to meet other families!
Academics: SMCS has a long history of strong academics, beginning with students enrolled in the prekindergarten program through eighth grade. The curriculum of St. Mary Catholic School complies with time allotment and subject requirements of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Department (TCCB ED). The school year is divided into four nine-week quarters. Education at St. Mary Catholic School involves the emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual development of children. Evaluation procedures reflect the consideration of each of these aspects. Grades are based on discussions, participation, written work, quizzes, portfolios, projects and tests. Students study major subjects: English Language Arts (reading, writing, spelling and vocabulary), Math, Science, Social Studies and Religion. All students participate in auxiliary including Spanish, Technology, Art, Music and PE. Eighth grade students are eligible to take two classes for high school credit, Algebra 1 and Spanish 1.
Various education and athletic opportunities are available to our students as extracurricular activities. Students are also invited to participate in clubs and activities to promote higher order thinking and growth. Clubs include: Orchestra, Sign Language, Robotics, Spirit Squad, Chess, Theater, Sports Club and Crochet Crew. Students in grades four through eight are eligible to join sports’ teams: volleyball, soccer, cross-country and basketball. Students enrolled in third through eighth grade are eligible to join the track team during the spring semester. St. Mary graduates perform at high achievement levels in high school within private and public school settings.
This quarter we introduced the SMCS Distance Learning Plan to support our school community during the COVID pandemic. The online plan was implemented within two days of the school closure. Students met with their teachers via Zoom for instruction. Students participated in all subjects and grade levels. Classes were added for younger students to support literacy growth. Older students had the opportunity to attend online field trips and book clubs. SMCS students participated in the SMCS Orchestra Solo Performance!
Service: At SMCS we take our tagline, Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve very seriously! We look for opportunities for our students to take advantage of their God given abilities. We encourage them to dedicate their time and talents to the school, parish and to the surrounding community. Students in all grade levels participate in service projects, both in and out of school. Service projects are based on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Students support our local food pantry, write letters and visit assisted living centers, volunteer their time at local animal shelters; and SMCS is collection and drop off center for Cross Catholic Outreach’s Box of Joy Program. Many students organize their own service projects. It is a blessing to see students make a difference in our community! We strive to support growth in mind, heart and spirit so students will make a difference in their community throughout their lifetime!
St. Mary Catholic school students are given the opportunity to excel academically, grow in faith, and learn to respond to the needs of the community, both locally and globally.
Thank you for taking the time to explore our website to learn more about the school, our students, the staff and opportunities for parents and community members. Please do not hesitate to contact me, via email or telephone, lhalbardier@stmarylc.org, 281-332-4014.
Blessings,
Laura L. Halbardier, M.Ed.
Laura L. Halbardier, M.Ed.
The mission of St. Mary Catholic School is to develop the whole child’s spiritual, moral, and intellectual growth and well-being in a Catholic environment.