Student Life

Graduate Promise

A St. Mary graduate leaves with a faith-filled identity, strong academic preparation, and a servant’s heart. They leave ready to thrive in high school and committed to living as a Christian leader in the world.

Our students grow in faith through prayer, worship, and a well-formed conscience that guides moral choices. They learn to value and respect themselves, others, and all God’s creation, striving to live with integrity, virtue, and reverence each day.

Academically, St. Mary graduates are independent learners with a strong foundation in all basic subjects who think critically, solve problems, and communicate with clarity and creativity. They read widely, write effectively, and develop a lifelong appreciation for literature, music, and art.

Our graduates recognize their God-given talents and put them into service, responding to community and global needs with compassion, patience, and understanding, and modeling Christian values through their words and actions as they enter into young adulthood in high school and beyond.

Student Learning Expectations:

Our School-wide Learning Expectations (SLEs) give students a clear picture of who we are forming them to become. Not just academically, but spiritually and socially. The SLEs shape daily instruction in support of our Catholic mission, guiding student goal-setting, and provide an understanding of growth in faith, virtue, and leadership.

Link to our document: SLEs

Daily Campus Life

Nurturing Leaders

Leadership is part of daily campus life. On any given day, older students walk kindergarteners to class, classmates hold one another accountable for doing their best work, and student leaders help organize Mass, school events, and academic competitions. Our ASB, known as Student Council, is open to students in grades 6 - 8 and is guided by middle school teachers. Candidates complete an interest form, gather 15 student signatures, secure a teacher sponsor, create campaign posters, and deliver a speech to grades 4 - 8 before votes are cast. Elected students lead projects throughout the year, including fundraising initiatives like Silver Pumpkin, candy grams, middle school dances, school events, and serving as ambassadors for Open House and Back-to-School Night.

Stewards of their faith

Being a steward of faith is something students live out each day on campus. Students will lead morning prayer, read at Mass, and bow their heads in quiet reverence before lunch. Faith shines through with thoughtful questions in religion class, respectful conversations about values, and classmates reminding one another to choose kindness. Our older students guide younger ones not only academically, but spiritually by modeling patience, forgiveness, and gratitude. Whether preparing for Catholic Schools Week, serving at parish events, or simply helping a friend through a hard day, our students learn that faith is not just taught, it is practiced. Visit CCD page.

Fostering Teamwork and Sportsmanship

In our 5th to 8th-grade after-school sports program with the North County Parochial League, we prioritize teamwork and sportsmanship. Starting from 5th grade, boys can participate in flag football, basketball, and soccer, while girls can engage in volleyball, soccer, and basketball. The league organizes diverse tournaments throughout the year, providing opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills. We believe in a holistic experience and athletics makes a more dynamic educational setting for all. More athletics information.

Scholarly Pursuits

Our middle school students regularly train for and participate in the Catholic Schools Academic Junior High Decathlon, a ten-event team competition that includes logic and super quizzes as well as subject tests in areas like math, science, literature, and religion which builds teamwork, critical thinking, and intellectual confidence over months of preparation. Beyond decathlon, students engage in activities like spelling bees, reading contests, science challenges, and project-based learning that celebrate achievement and encourage a love of learning.

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School backpacks hanging on hooks outside a classroom, with a wooden cross and a picture of Jesus Christ in front of a window.
Beach with sandy shoreline, ocean waves, palm trees, and residential buildings along the coast under a clear blue sky.
Group of students and adults standing on steps outside a school, smiling at the camera.
A group of six middle school students, three girls and three boys, standing on a metal outdoor staircase. The students are wearing school uniforms with navy blue vests, white shirts, and khaki pants or plaid skirts, and they are smiling at the camera
A classroom filled with elementary students sitting at their desks, listening to a teacher standing at the front. The teacher is holding and reading from a book while students look attentive. Classroom decorations, supplies, and a window are visible.
Children sitting around a round table engaging in arts and crafts with playdough and scissors in a classroom setting.
A young girl in a purple jacket, black pants, and floral rain boots is jumping off a rock onto grass in a park with green trees and bushes in the background.
Group of students and adults standing on a staircase outside a school building.
Group of students and a woman standing in front of a blue and white tent with the words 'St. Mary, Star of the Sea School' and the school logo, outdoors on a cloudy day.
Six students in school uniforms standing on outdoor stairs, three boys in the front row and two girls in the back row, smiling at the camera.
Exterior of a white two-story apartment complex with landscaped flower beds in the foreground, including purple and yellow flowers, green bushes, and an arched sign that reads 'S. Mesa Garden Apartments.'
Aerial view of a coastal city with a street lined with palm trees, buildings, and parking lots, with the ocean in the background.
Group of young girls in blue volleyball uniforms with 'SMO' on shirts, posing on an outdoor basketball court after a game.
Group of eight students in school uniforms posing outdoors near a statue of the Virgin Mary surrounded by flowers.
Two girls in school uniforms sewing with yarn and cardboard in a classroom
A young boy dressed in a burgundy hoodie, khaki pants, and sneakers stands in a classroom with a man dressed as a bishop, who is wearing a black suit, a purple zucchetto, a clerical collar, and a cross necklace. The boy is smiling, and the bishop is
Group of five students and one adult standing in front of a tent that reads 'St. Mary, Star of the Sea School,' with a logo and text indicating the school's Catholic Decathlon Team, outdoors on a cloudy day.
Five children holding a blue banner that says 'Calling All Alumni!' in front of a colorful mural with cartoon animals and abstract designs.
Two boys in school uniforms playing soccer on a green field with a background of bushes.
Group of children dressed in white robes, one holding a large wooden cross with a small crucifix at the top, standing in a church or chapel with a priest in purple robes in the background.
A girl with long blonde hair and a braid, wearing a school uniform, is raising her right hand and appears to be volunteering or participating in a school event.
A young girl writing with a pencil at a desk in a classroom, focused on her work.
Children playing with a colorful parachute and plastic balls outdoors, with school building and palm trees in the background.
Four students in school uniforms laughing and chatting outside a school building.

Faith Excellence Service

Faith Excellence Service