On the evening of June 21, 1909, ground breaking ceremonies were held for the building of a church for the newly incorporated Catholic parish community of St. Mary of Rutherford. The new church, a beautiful English Gothic structure, was dedicated to the Queen of the Holy Rosary on April 10, 1910 and remained the parish church until 1956 when the present church was constructed. In 2010, the current structure was renovated and expanded to meet the needs of a growing community.
During the 1960’s enrollment reached a peak of thirteen hundred students in the Elementary School and five hundred in the High School. As a result, a major change took place in 1970 when St. Mary Junior-Senior High School was created by shifting the seventh and eighth grades from the elementary school structure to the high school. It remained that way until 1984 when the seventh and eighth grades were returned to the Elementary School.
During the 1980’s, the High School occupied two classrooms in the Elementary School and five classrooms underneath the Church. When the renovation of the Church began, the High School could no longer use the five classrooms underneath the church. To compensate for the loss of classroom space, four classrooms on the third floor of the Elementary School became the Annex of the High School. These classrooms are still being used by the High School.
While the High School and the Elementary School maintain their own administration, the sharing of programs and resources of the same campus has and will continue to bring many benefits to the entire system.
Although there have been changes to the structure of St. Mary throughout the years, the mission remains the same:
To develop the inherent abilities of its students to think independently, communicate effectively and solve problems creatively within a framework of a college prep curriculum and Gospel values.
St. Mary High School’s tradition of commitment to Catholic education extends to students from Grades 9-12. We provide a safe, nurturing environment where excellent teaching and innovation develop students for college and life experiences.
We strive to instill in our students sound moral and spiritual values rooted in the teachings of Jesus, enabling them to live faith-filled lives in a culturally diverse world with respect for self and others.
The teachings of Jesus instruct us to respect the dignity and sacredness of the individuals; direct us to accept stewardship by developing our abilities; call us to serve the needs of others and invite us to build the kingdom of God in our world.
St. Mary High School, a community based on faith is comprised of students, parents, faculty, staff and administrators who accept the challenge of Jesus’ teachings and endeavors.
It is the responsibility of each member of our community to create and enhance spiritual, academic, social, emotional and physical growth. The primary channel for these opportunities is the educational process. A faculty of life-long learners is dedicated to using their knowledge and experience to nurture the intellectual curiosity of their students, to develop their skills and provide them with direction that develops their own educational passion. By challenging, guidance and modeling, the staff encourages students to be self-disciplined in the pursuit of knowledge; to respect the rights of others; and to appreciate the diversities which exist in our community.
St. Mary High School places strong emphasis on the development of the whole person by providing experiences that foster an awareness of self. A variety of courses and activities offers students opportunities to help them discover their individual potential and enables them to become leaders. By gaining self-knowledge, self-confidence, and self-esteem, students will be able to effectively reach out to others. These are life-long processes that will encourage young people to seek cooperation and collaboration. Not only will these Christian lessons, learned and lived, equip them to be participants in a democratic society but will also empower our students to fulfill their roles as citizens of the global community.