Click on the Course Name to view the prerequisite, description, and textbook(s) for the course.

PHILOSOPHY
As part of graduation requirements, St. Mary's requires all students to volunteer through a Non-Profit organization (ie, St. Mary's High School, church, etc) for a minimum of 150 hours of Community Service over the 4 years of high school. This program is designed to help students become active, concerned individuals who are committed to the well-being of others.

St. Mary's High School uses the Mobile Serve app to log volunteer hours and to request verification from the supervisor of the service event. Students can log into https://mobileserve.com or they can download the app onto a mobile device/cell phone. The Mobile Serve app allows students to instantly log their hours, get the hours verified, and then see their total hours at a glance.

Click HERE to see examples of Non-Profit organizations.

PHILOSOPHY
We believe that writing, reading, and speaking English is critical to success in academics and in life. The English department offers classes in world literature, American literature, British literature and two AP classes - AP Language and Composition, the study of rhetoric and argumentation, and AP Literature and Composition, the study and analysis of advanced literary works.  We work to build strong composition skills by offering instruction in different modes of writing, such as narrative, expository, argumentative, and persuasive. We also teach basic speech skills that are needed in all walks of life and all occupations. The St. Mary's research standard is MLA which is introduced during the freshman year and practiced through all four grades.

PHILOSOPHY
“Every child is an artist. The challenge is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” – Pablo Picasso

Our faith and the art created within has played a leading role in the history and development of Western Art since at least the 4th century. The life and times of Jesus Christ, his disciples, saints, and more are central to some of the world’s best-loved and most widely recognizable works of art. Creating art with child-like faith, enthusiasm, discipline and respect for one another are vital to our Art Program, which, via diverse instructor-lead projects, will nurture life-long virtues of wonder and discovery, innovation, consideration, team work and confidence in our student learners.

PHILOSOPHY
We believe that all students must engage in challenging and meaningful mathematics to meet the demands of today and the future. We are devoted to developing students who are critical thinkers and problem solvers who can reason logically and ethically, raise questions, persevere, and apply those skills in real-world situations. The focus of the department is for students to grow in their understanding of mathematical skills and concepts and be well-prepared to thrive in college, career and life.

“Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.”
– Galileo Galilei

CALCULATOR POLICY
When selecting a calculator to be used in St. Mary’s High School Math and Engineering courses, it was desired to have a single calculator that students could use for four (4) years of high school and most likely meet student needs when they move onto college.

The calculator must:
- Meet the curriculum needs of all St. Mary’s math and engineering courses;
- Be approved for use on ACT, SAT, and AP examinations;
- Be supported by computer software which allows instructor demonstration of use;
- Be easy to use.

The Texas Instruments TI-84 family of calculators meets all of these requirements. The TI-84 Plus CE is the latest model; however, any TI-84 calculator will be satisfactory. St. Mary’s High School recommends purchasing a TI-84 calculator during the month of August, as these calculators are often up to 25% off during the back-to-school sales.

PHILOSOPHY
Physical education teaches students about movement, strategies, teamwork, problem solving, and health related fitness in a fun, Christ-centered environment. Many sports promote competition, leadership, and sportsmanship, which give students a drive that can be applied to other areas of their life. Introducing students to various physical activities, sports, and methods of fitness can better provide enjoyment of physical activity, as well as help them become more confident with their abilities, increase their knowledge of health-related fitness, and help them find ways to continue to be physically active. A healthy lifestyle is a lifetime commitment to mental and physical health.

Health class promotes healthy lifestyles by implementing many basic skills, such as eating a healthy diet, sleeping regularly every night, regular doctor visits for check-ups, drinking eight glasses of water a day, regular physical activity, and a daily routine. When students enjoy learning they pass it on to others, thus when they are older they pass on their knowledge of healthy living to their children, reinforcing healthy lifestyles over the years, making healthier communities.

St. Mary’s PLTW Engineering program began in 2013-14 and finished its four-year roll out during the 2017-2018 school year. PLTW classes are year-long electives for students interested in any technical career path; hands-on problem solving, critical and creative thinking, and strategies to solve “gray” problems highlight these electives. Discernment regarding technical career paths is another key benefit of the program - students who graduate from the PLTW track are entering college with clearer focus regarding the degrees and careers they want.

PHILOSOPHY
We believe all students deserve access to modern, real-world learning experiences that enable them to thrive in college, career, and life. Learning is not just understanding the formulas, but seeing the application and how much fun it can be. As a nationally-certified Project Lead the Way (PLTW) high school, St. Mary's provides a four-year engineering curriculum that offers dual college credit opportunities through the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS).

"Scientists discover the world that exists; engineers create the world that never was. Possible worlds are not fictions, but the business engineering is all about."

-- Theodore Von Karman, mathematician, aerospace engineer and educator

DUAL CREDIT FROM UCCS
All five PLTW courses offer concurrent enrollment credit from University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (at student expense). Our students have the opportunity to earn up to 14 college engineering credits while attending St. Mary's High School.

The PLTW elective courses offered at St. Mary's are:

1. Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) / dual

2. Principles of Engineering (POE) / dual

3. Aerospace Engineering (AE) / dual

4. AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) - alternating years

5. Engineering Design and Development (EDD) / dual - a capstone course

IED earns 2 credits and POE, AE, AP CSP, and EDD earn 3 credits/each from UCCS (see price rates on the UCCS website). Our students also have the opportunity to earn national credentials, such as the Autodesk Inventor Professional Certified User and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-hour General Industry certification.

*Disclaimer
Students enrolled in the St. Mary’s PLTW Engineering Program will be using small hand and power tools. Parents and students understand that the risk of injury in this class is higher than a standard classroom course.

PHILOSOPHY
We teach the foundations, methods, and implications of science as viewed through the Catholic lens.

PHILOSOPHY
The goal of the St. Mary's social studies department is to develop students' historical thinking skills through analysis, contextualization, interpretation, synthesis, argumentation, and causation. This will be achieved through the study of culture, tradition, events, and people throughout the world.

PHILOSOPHY
The Study Skills course, part of the Academic Support Program (ASP) at St. Mary’s High School, provides help and supports for the student desiring to strengthen his/her individual study skills and enrich his/her success in core academic classes. Administrative Approval is required for the Study Skills course.

PHILOSOPHY
Catholic education is rooted in the conviction that Jesus Christ provides the most comprehensive and compelling example of the realization of full human potential. Our educational model, based on the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools (NSBECS), states that St. Mary’s High School is centered in the person of Jesus Christ as we hold that all truth, goodness and beauty point to Jesus, who is the Truth.

Essential to St. Mary’s pedagogy is the formation of the whole person in the image of Jesus Christ. As such, we seek to integrate Catholic values and morals into our curriculum, seeking to develop the whole person to excel spiritually, intellectually, academically, physically and socially. Our faith-life and campus ministry extend to all aspects of our curriculum and community: classrooms, clubs, sport teams, fine arts, community service, and our class retreats. 

St. Mary’s seeks to provide an environment in the Catholic tradition where students have an opportunity to pray, celebrate the sacraments, and freely seek to know, follow and proclaim Jesus Christ.

PHILOSOPHY