St. Mary's School

VISION

St. Mary’s School is a value-energized learning community wherein educators and students responsibly participate in the teaching-learning processes, aimed at fostering the holistic growth of persons towards becoming spiritually and morally-grounded life-long learners who are self-motivated, self-disciplined and self-oriented and steeped with a sense of commitment to the ongoing challenges of personal wholeness and social transformation.


HISTORY OF ST. MARY'S SCHOOL

In 1987, a professional educator-social scientist couple, Dr. Micheal A. Costello and Dr. Marilou Palabrica-Costello, impelled by a vision and need of a high quality co-educational school in Cagayan de Oro, founded St. Mary’s School. They invited some colleagues to form the Board of Incorporators of the legal entity set up as the judicial personality of the school. The school was conceived as non-sectarian, innovative and anchored on authentic human values.

From the very start, SMS has adopted the Personalized Education Program (P.E.P.), a pioneering educational innovation, derived from the pedagogy of Saint Pedro Poveda, and introduced in the Philippines during the early seventies by Poveda Learning Centre, in Quezon City. This approach was later adopted by other private schools in the country. St. Mary’s was the first and, to date, the only school in Mindanao region, that practices this program. During the first five years of its foundation, administrators and some teachers of St. Mary’s underwent training in P.E.P. at Poveda Learning Centre. As a personalized teaching-learning approach, P.E.P emphasizes teacher-student personal interaction as well as the balance of individual and cooperative learning among the students. The P.E.P is particularly considered one of the distinctive features of SMS academic program.

The first batch of First Year High School, of the foundational school year 1987-1988, was composed of thirty-three boys and girls, enthusiastically taught by eight teachers who were inspired by the vision and mission of the school. The original location was rented bungalow at Vamenta Compound in Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City in 1988. The school was moved to its present campus in Sitio Mandumol, Barangay Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City. The spacious new campus new campus is on a hilltop that commands a breathtaking view of Cagayan de Oro City River valley and the opposite wooded hills beyond. The clean and pleasant surroundings accented by lush green lawns, flowering plants and shady trees are conducive to a wholesome atmosphere of well-being, serenity and harmony and relaxed spirit. This atmosphere enhances the joy of learning and the creation of a family-like interaction within the whole educational community and with the families of the students.

In 1988, the school opened the Pre-School Program and the following year, the Grade School Program starting with the first Grade and gradually adding another grade level every year. The first Elementary School graduation from Grade Six took place in 1995. The first High School graduation was in 1991.


SCHOOL LOGO

The school’s logo, derived from an ancient Chinese symbol representing the principles of the Yin and Yang, communicates the stress on the holistic thrust of the school’s educational endeavor. It embodies its dream of laying the foundation for student’s growth towards becoming well-rounded, integrated and empowered persons, imbued with moral principles and responsiveness to the on-going challenges of personal growth and social transformation. The blue in the logo of a reminder of the School, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Model of teacher, and of a fully integrated, life-integrated person. The gold color signifies wisdom that comes from deep faith, authentic knowledge, spiritual insights and self-transcending, loving service to others. Thus, it is also the symbol of Mary, Seat of Wisdom and inspiration of the teaching-learning community.


SCHOOL MOTTO

The school’s motto underscores its principal takes and on-going challenges: “DISCERE, CRESCERE, SERVIRE,” that is “TO LEARN, TO GROW, and TO SERVE”.