STATE OF SCHOOL
2024-2025
Welcome
On behalf of our Board of Trustees and school leadership, we are proud to share the 2023-2024 State of the School. Throughout this microsite you will see the meaningful work and achievements we have accomplished over the last year. Please take the time to read about: our strategic plan progress, academic enhancements and outstanding test scores, groundbreaking plans for the Design The Future campaign, our financial health, development, alumni, engagement and more.
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This school year marks our 30th anniversary. We are so blessed that Father Sillers purposely founded our school to be different. St. Mary’s is unlike any other school around. Father wanted a welcoming and warm community school that would prepare students for a rapidly evolving world. That foresight is pretty incredible when you look at where we are today. There are 2,000 Falcon alumni making a difference in the world. There are 715 Falcons in our nest right now growing their world-sized hearts and world-class minds. We have incredible leadership, faculty and staff preparing the hearts and minds of our future leaders. This is such an exciting and pivotal time for St. Mary’s and I am inspired for what the next 30 years brings.
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Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our school. The 2025-2026 school year will be historic for St. Mary’s and we are blessed to have your family in our community.
Head of School Address
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Academic
Each summer, our academic team invests considerable time reviewing test results, analyzing parent survey feedback, and engaging in meaningful discussions with our teachers. These efforts allow us to identify a clear and intentional focus for the upcoming school year.
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Benchmark Testing
In Lower and Middle School our students participate in two primary forms of standardized testing. The first is the NWEA™ Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) Growth Math Test and the second is the International Schools' Assessment (ISA). The purpose of these tests are to inform instruction and highlight the strengths and opportunities for growth in our program.
What is the MAP Assessment?
The NWEA™ Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) Growth Math Test is a computerized assessment that measures students' proficiency and knowledge in mathematics. The test is adaptive, meaning the questions' difficulty level changes according to the student's previous answers. This ensures that the test is uniquely tailored for each student to show his or her individual academic progress irrespective of grade level in algebra, geometry, statistics, probability, and complex number systems.
What Does the Data Mean?
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A significant percentage of our St. Mary's students are scoring in the 80th percentile or above.
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A large percentage of our students are scoring in the 60th-80th percentile range.
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These numbers indicate our students are vastly outperforming national norms.
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St. Mary's students are consistently outperforming both California private schools and national norms.
What is the ISA?
The International Schools' Assessment (ISA) is designed for students in Grades 3–10 in international schools and schools with an international focus. The ISA assesses how well students can apply skills to situations relating to real life in the 21st century. The ISA extends beyond multiple-choice; it includes open-ended questions and writing tasks which provide a better insight into students’ thinking processes. The questions often require students to construct a response, explain their reasoning, find evidence, or justify their opinion.
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ISM Parent Survey
As we approach creating our next Strategic Plan, we conducted a confidential community survey to assess how successfully we are delivering our program and aligning to our mission, vision and values.
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We partnered with Independent School Management (ISM), the largest independent school consulting firm in North America, to develop, administer, and report the findings of this survey. St. Mary’s has worked with ISM for over a decade on community surveys. ISM has over 25 years of experience surveying school constituencies and absolutely guarantees the anonymity of your responses. ISM shared our core areas of strengths and areas where we need to prioritize our focus.
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93% of parents surveyed agree or strongly agree that teachers at St. Mary’s encourage students to learn about other ethnicities and cultures
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90% of parents surveyed believe the school ensures that a sense of community is prioritized
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85% of parents surveyed believes our curriculum allows for different viewpoints and perspectives to be heard and discussed
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90% of parents felt good or excellent about faculty care and concern for their child
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90% of parents surveyed believed St. Mary’s was good or excellent at delivering the mission
Faculty & Staff
Finance
Our Board of Trustees and leadership team work diligently to ensure the long term health of St. Mary’s. The following metrics indicate our fiscal health and strength.
Capital Campaign
Design The Future
In June 2024 we broke ground on the Design The Future project, and in that short time, the building has begun to take shape before our eyes, marking the start of a transformative new chapter for St. Mary’s. Thanks to years of thoughtful planning and the unwavering support of our community, our vision is becoming a reality. We are proud to see the creation of innovative learning spaces, revitalized community and outdoor areas, and a brand-new home for our Early Education Program take shape.
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We are grateful for the 170 families who have generously contributed $12.2 million to the campaign. We are on the path to elevating the educational experience for current and future generations of St. Mary’s students.
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As we enter the final phase of this campaign, we invite all community members to join us in reaching our goal. Together, we are building a space that not only reflects the uniqueness of St. Mary’s but also enhances our IB and Design Thinking curriculum – creating a hub where students can become innovators and critical thinkers.
2024 Campaign Highlights
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Project Update
The two-story, 28,000-square-foot building (will house Design Center & Early Education Center) and outdoor community spaces will complete the master plan.
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The Design Center
The Thompson Family Early Education Center
The second floor will house state-of-the-art STEAM and Design Thinking focused labs for all students. Spaces include:
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Arman Family Empathy Lab
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Tavakoli Kadar Idea Lab
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Garage
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Tang Family Falcon Workshop
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Keif Family Tool Shed
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Lisa Argyros Studio
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Gallery for showcasing student work
These facilities will encourage collaboration, hands-on learning, and creative problem-solving, preparing students for innovation and leadership.
The first floor will feature flexible classrooms for Early Preschool – Kindergarten and an Early Education Learning Hub designed for our youngest Falcons. These spaces will foster creativity, imagination, and intellectual growth, ensuring every child’s unique needs are met.
Outdoor & Community Spaces
New outdoor areas will create lush, park-like spaces for gathering, learning, and reflection. The Community Hub will include:
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40,000 sq feet of outdoor park-like spaces and seating areas make up the Floriani Family Park and the Liu Family Early Education Playground
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Coffee Café
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Lobby entrance and central seating areas for families to connect and gather
What's Next?
With construction progressing, we are entering a vital phase of the campaign. Our focus remains on fundraising to meet our goal, engaging the community to foster connection and support of Design Thinking and our new Design Center, and preparing for the grand opening in Fall 2025. These efforts will ensure that every family feels part of this transformative educational journey, welcoming a new chapter for St. Mary’s that reflects our mission of cultivating world-sized hearts and world-class minds. To support this campaign, please click here. For questions contact Jen Staudenbaur, Executive Director Advancement jen.staudenbaur@smaa.org. Together, we are shaping St. Mary’s future and empowering the next generation of innovators and leaders. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.
Development
From the St. Mary’s Fund to our Scholar Program we are achieving our fundraising goals and couldn’t be prouder. Your contributions, at any level, are deeply appreciated. By supporting these efforts, you are investing in the present and future of St. Mary’s, ensuring that we can continue to offer exceptional learning experiences and provide a campus that fosters growth and innovation.
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The St. Mary’s Fund plays a vital role in the ongoing success and advancement of our school by supporting initiatives that align with our six Strategic Pillars, the foundation of the St. Mary’s experience. Contributions to this annual fund enable us to advance our curriculum, provide professional development, and introduce new opportunities throughout the school, ensuring we continue to offer an exceptional education that prepares students to make a positive impact in the world. By saying YES to innovative ideas, supporting exemplary faculty, and addressing immediate needs, the St. Mary’s Fund ensures your generosity has a direct and meaningful impact on our community each year.
The 2024-2025
St. Mary's Fund
is only-half way through the campaign.
Scan this to donate or pledge now.
306
donors supported THE
St. mary's fund
46%
St. Mary's Families donated to the fund
$617,000
raised
THUS far...
$77,000 raised for scholar program in 23/24
8 scholars impacted by program
6 scholar students enrolled
2 scholar Alumni
Admission
St. Mary's continues to receive record-breaking interest and applications. The highlight of the St. Mary's admission season are the on-campus Information Session events held throughout the fall with the goal of introducing prospective families to our school first-hand. Every Information Session held this season has sold-out within hours. Each event introduces prospective families to our school with: a welcome from our student ambassadors, lunch provided by FLIK, presentation by school leadership, Middle School speakers and an interactive campus tour. Our balanced curriculum of strong academics and IB programme, new building and spaces, outstanding faculty and staff and engaged community are highly sought after. We are thrilled with our amazing new students and families.
726
Currently enrolled Students
493 families
91% Re-enrollment
retention rate
70 CAMPUS TOURS &
4 INFORMATION SESSIONS
HELD
XXX
APPLICATIONS 2025-2026
55% ACCEPTANCE
rate
665
inquiries
71% ENROLLMENT/ YIELD RATE
PTF & Engagement
ANNUAL GALA &
GOLF CLASSIC
Gala 2024: Rodeo & Rhinestones
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Over 320 guests, 15 event volunteers, 8 Event Sponsors
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Raised over $512,000 through ticket sales, sponsorships, auctions and more
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Raised $212,000 for the Fund-a-Need
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Save- the-Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025 VEA Hotel Newport Beach at 5:30 p.m
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Golf Classic 2024
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115 Golfers
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23 Volunteers
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14 Event Sponsors
COMMUNITY EVENTS
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PTF Pickleball Mixer - 75 Players
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New Family BBQ - 175 guests
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PTF Family Baseball Night - Over 100 guests
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PTF Founder’s Day - Over 500 guests
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New Family Roundtables - 51 families
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Inside the Nest Meetings - 84 guests
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Leadership Reception - 100 donors
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Grandparents and Special Friends Day - Over 500 guests
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Winter Market - Over 600 guests
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Community Candy Canes - Over 600 participants
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Alumni Holiday Party - 75 alumni attended
VOLUNTEERS
We are Engaged!
So far this school year we have had…
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Over 400 volunteers
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100 Volunteers for the Green Family Commons
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75 Community Event Volunteers
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146 Classroom Volunteers
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50 Art Classroom Volunteers
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39 Leadership Volunteers
Alumni
Our entire faculty and staff are committed to cultivating our students' world-sized hearts and world-class minds throughout their journey at St. Mary's. We are inspired by our Portrait of a Graduate. We want our students to think different, make an impact in their world and transcend the ordinary. With over 2,000 alumni in the world; our Falcons leave the nest prepared and inspired. The following is a snap shot of where the Class of 2024 attends high school and a sampling of the colleges the Class of 2020 is enrolled at this academic year.
Thank you for reading the 2024-2025 State of School.
We appreciate our community's ongoing support. Go Falcons!