St. Mary’s School Celebrate 25 Years of Excellence
St. Mary’s School, located in the heart of Oak Ridge, reached a significant milestone this school year. The 2023-2024 school year marks 25 years of being an accredited institution. While the education practices and standards and the accrediting organization’s name has changed (originally Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, then Advanced Ed, and now Cognia), the devotion of the St. Mary’s faculty and staff to continuous improvement and their unwavering commitment to their students has not changed.
The school accreditation process is an opportunity for improvement. The organization gives the institution a framework of standards analyzed and evaluated for proficiency. The standards examine everything from policies and practices to the culture and climate of the school. Through school visits, interviews, and panel discussions they evaluate the institution and provide improvement goals and areas of commendation.
St. Mary’s opened its doors in 1950 and serves a student population of around 200 from five counties. They offer small class-sizes from 3-year-old preschool to 8th grade. General academics are enhanced with dedicated science labs for both their elementary and middle school students, physical education, music, Spanish, art (including drawing, pottery, and glasswork), library, and technology (including coding, 3D printing, keyboarding, and program usage). Aside from their amazing academic programs, students, families, and even visitors comment on the loving, family atmosphere of the school.
At St. Mary’s your child can truly experience a journey that matters. If you are interested in exploring more of what St. Mary’s has to offer, visit their website at school.stmarysoakridge.org or contact their admissions office for at tour, 865-483-9700.
Patriot Pen Winner Announced
Congratulations to Saint Mary’s School’s Ellie Greeson for winning the Veterans of Foreign Wars essay contest! This award is given annually to a local middle school student and Ellie, a 6th grade student at Saint Mary’s School in Oak Ridge was announced this year’s winner. Mickey Vickery, representing the VOFW Post 12051, said that her essay brought tears to the eyes of those who read it. He then talked with middle school students about his experience with war and presented Ellie her certificate and a check for $100. Pictured above from L to R is Superintendent Mary Ann Deschaine, Ellie Greeson, Mickey Vickery. Picture on the right is Mr. Vickery presenting Ellie her certificate and check.
Click here to read Ellie’s award winning essay.
2024 Science Fair
Saint Mary’s held their annual Middle School Science Fair on Thursday, February 8th. Judges from the area and local laboratories discussed with the students, in detail, everything about their project including their hypothesis and conclusion. The 1st – 5th place winners will go on to participate in the Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair held on UT campus on March 26th.
First Place winner Josh Diaz speaks to judge Rick Lowden, retired Engineer from Oak Ridge National Lab, about his project titled “Seeds Unite or Divide.”
Winners front row L to R: Principal Sr. Mary John, O.P., Aliana Ayala – 3rd Place; Phinley Halcrow – Honorable Mention; Betty Johnson – Honorable Mention; Arianna Paoletto – Honorable Mention; Sr. Gloria Christi, O.P. – Middle School Science Teacher
Back row: Leilani Cooper – 4th Place; Josh Diaz – 1st Place; Gabriel McCallum – 2nd Place; James Lutz – 5th Place.
