St. Mary’s High School (St. Mary’s) was the dream of Fr. Robert Byrne in the 1880s, who, along with the help of the Sisters of Loretto, began teaching students in 1885. Throughout the years of continuous operation since, St. Mary’s has flourished and maintained Fr. Byrne’s and the Sisters of Loretto vision of an uncompromising devotion and commitment to Catholic education.
The Mission of St. Mary’s is that it “exists to educate students in the Catholic tradition to be responsible, moral, critical thinkers and leaders who are well prepared for college and life.” With an educational philosophy that looks to provide students with a foundation of faith, allowing them to be free to seek truth and live joyful, fulfilled lives in becoming who God made them to be. The school also welcomes parents, with the understanding that parents are the primary and principal educators of their children. Students learn how to be part of their community as moral, responsible leaders.
St. Mary’s and the Diocesan schools of Colorado Springs are partnering together, dedicated to enriching children’s lives so that they may become faithful, healthy, well-rounded individuals who are productive members of society. To achieve this goal, St. Mary’s High School and the Diocesan schools of Colorado Springs have formed a strategic alliance, becoming the Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs.
The Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs understand that there is a financial barrier for some families in the community who may think they cannot afford private school. To make private, faith-based schools more accessible, Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs have partnered with several organizations to support families with children in public schools to make the change to private school. They are excited to share that two scholarship programs, ACE and the Schmitz Family Foundation, recently expanded their qualifications to help even more public-school students move to a private Catholic School.
The ACE and Schmitz Family Foundation (SFF) scholarships are provided to low-income parents so they have the freedom to choose the K-12 schools that are best for their children. ACE and SFF believe all children should have access to excellent private schools and that parents know the best education environment for their children. They know school reform is a huge undertaking and believe the best way to make a real impact is helping one child at a time. In partnership with the Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs, ACE has changed their financial qualifications for families to help more students make the move that can change their life.
The curriculum at Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs is holistic and seeks to not only grow students in their faith and knowledge, but also participate in community service, clubs, and sports. Clubs vary by school but may include: the National Honors Society, Engineering and Art Clubs, and Speech and Debate Teams. Available athletics include popular sports such as basketball, football, track and field, tennis, lacrosse, cross-country, and swimming. Students have access to every core subject in a public school with the addition of theology, and a faith-based, community-centered, family-inclusive culture.
If you have a student in public school and would like for them to be educated in the Catholic tradition in a safe, Christ-centered environment that also teaches responsibility, critical thinking, morality, and how to be well-prepared for college and life, apply today. Your student will be set on the path of becoming a moral, responsible leader prepared for success beyond their years at Catholic Schools.
Learn more about the Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs at enrollment.smhscs.org.
