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Lower School Portrait of a Graduate

Our Portrait of a Graduate statements, by school division, identify who we are as a school and define our expectations with respect to the experiences we create for students to realize the outcomes.

Join Hands

St. Mary’s Academy students reach out to each other, include one another, and celebrate their differences.

Kindness and compassion are cornerstones of thoughts, words, and actions in our Lower School classrooms. Community is cultivated across all divisions, leading to a  school filled with friendly students willing to lend a helpful hand.
Two young girls in school uniforms walk arm-in-arm on a gravel path through a grassy hillside, with a white abstract sculpture and trees in the background.

Act with integrity

Two smiling girls in colorful jackets hang on a playground structure with a blurry background of other children and equipment.

St. Mary’s Academy students are grounded in the Loretto School Values of faith, community, justice, and respect.

From their earliest years at SMA, students learn the Loretto School Values and what those mean in their lives, the history of our school, and the mission of Loretto. They learn what it means to be a Loretto Leader.
 

Exercise Kindness

St. Mary’s Academy students are kind and compassionate, and they strive to help others through daily actions and community service.

Lower School students participate in monthly collections of food, funds and materials for organizations selected by each grade level, inspired by the presentations of their peers.
Four smiling children huddle together in front of a brick building and a tree.

Think Deeply

Four children huddle around a table in a classroom, examining a small object.

St. Mary’s Academy students accept problem-solving challenges and enjoy designing solutions.

St. Mary’s Academy students develop strong foundations with a rigorous, sequenced curriculum in a highly supportive and collaborative environment. Learning is hands-on and project-based, sparking passions and deeper connections to the world.

Love Learning

St. Mary’s Academy students appreciate a diversity of experiences and discovering their passions.

St. Mary’s Academy students have special opportunities to explore their interests in the arts, sports, and technology. These experiences form neural and motor pathways for life, and the joy that comes from discovery.
A young boy reaches for a leafy green plant on a vertical hydroponic garden in front of a window with blinds.

Value Voices

Five children are gathered around a table in a classroom, with colorful decorations visible on the walls behind them.

St. Mary’s Academy students accept problem-solving challenges and enjoy designing solutions.

St. Mary’s Academy students develop strong foundations with a rigorous, sequenced curriculum in a highly supportive and collaborative environment. Learning is hands-on and project-based, sparking passions and deeper connections to the world.

Believe in your potential and power to change the world

A young girl smiles on a swing in the foreground, while other children play on playground equipment in the blurred background.
A smiling boy in the foreground holds a painted rock and glue stick, while other children paint in the background on a sunny day.
A young girl with glasses reads a book at her desk, with a colorful classroom in the background.