St. Mary's Academy (Cherry Hills Village)

St. Mary's Academy
Address
4545 South University Boulevard
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado 80113-6099
United States
Coordinates 39°38′2″N 104°57′38″W / 39.63389°N 104.96056°W / 39.63389; -104.96056Coordinates: 39°38′2″N 104°57′38″W / 39.63389°N 104.96056°W / 39.63389; -104.96056
Information
Motto The Premier Academy of the West
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic; Sisters of Loretto
Established 1864
President Vicki Shwartz
Principal Kathryn McNamee (HS)
Martha Ashley (MS)
Florence Swanson (LS)
Grades JK12
Enrollment 657 (2014)
Campus type Urban
Color(s) Navy Blue and White         
Mascot Wildcat
Accreditation

National Association of Independent Schools National Association of Colorado Independent Schools
National Coalition of Girls' Schools

National Catholic Educational Association
Director of Admissions Gracie Carr
Athletic Director Kelli Logan
Website http://stmarys.academy

St. Mary's Academy (SMA) is a Catholic, independent day school in the Loretto tradition located in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. Founded by the Sisters of Loretto in 1864, St. Mary’s Academy educates boys and girls in a vibrant community grounded in the Loretto School Values of faith, community, justice and respect. St. Mary’s Academy is composed of a co-ed Lower School (co-ed junior kindergarten through grade 5) and Middle School (co-ed grades 6-8), and continues its long tradition as a college preparatory high school for girls (grades 9-12). Three times the U.S. Department of Education has honored St. Mary’s Academy as a School of Excellence (a program initially titled Blue Ribbon Schools). St. Mary's Academy High School offers 15 Advanced Placement courses. Community service is an important aspect in every division of the Academy.

History

St. Mary’s Academy is one of Denver’s pioneer institutions. It is the oldest continuously operating pre-collegiate school in Denver and has the distinction of awarding the first high school diploma in 1875, a year before Colorado became a state. Originally situated at 14th and California Streets on the edge of the prairie, in 1911 the school moved and built next door to Margaret “Molly” Brown on Pennsylvania Avenue. Needing additional space and recognizing that families were moving to the suburbs, St. Mary’s Academy located to its current home in the early 1950s. Begun as a school for girls, boys were welcomed into all Lower and Middle School grades in the mid-1970s.

Campus

Students enjoy the spacious yet homey feeling of a 24-acre campus composed of five classroom buildings, the Bishop Evans Sports Center and athletic fields with breathtaking views of the mountains. A Community Center to serve needs of every division will be completed in April 2015. Spring 2015 will also be the inaugural season for the new Pam Bent Turf Field, currently under construction.

Activities

At every division, students enjoy opportunities to extend learning beyond the classroom:

Athletics

Middle School Boys

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Tennis

Middle School Girls

  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Dance
  • Field Hockey
  • Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball

High School Girls

  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Dance
  • Field Hockey
  • Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swim & Dive
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball

Affiliations

Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS)
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
National Catholic Education Association
National Coalition of Girls’ Schools
Colorado High School Activities Association
3A Metropolitan League

Notable alumnae

Notes and references

"St Mary’s Academy: 150 Years of Courage, Tenacity and Vision" (September–October 2014 issue of Colorado Heritage, the magazine of History Colorado).

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