Academics at Marion St. Mary School

St. Mary school teachers are committed to providing strong instruction in all subjects integrated with the Catholic faith. We believe in inspiring curiosity and awe to bring students to the truth. 

Academic rigor is important in all grades, with our goal being to immerse students in deep learning tasks and experiences. Our instruction pushes students to collaborate, communicate, and think critically about the world.

Students will experience two major emphases in their classes: the importance of learning, and how our learning informs our faith. 

We push our young scholars to be strong, be courageous, and do all things in love. ​

Small Class Sizes: We currently restrict class sizes to 20 or fewer to ensure all students receive individual attention and have a chance to form positive relationships with teachers.

Support Services: Our English Learner Instructor Irene Tron serves many students who are developing their English skills. Multiple tutors and aides on staff serve students in small groups multiple times per week. Speech services and counseling are also available for students who apply and qualify. 

High Quality Curriculum: Our curriculum follows the Columbus Diocese Course of Study guiding instruction in all content areas. We pair our belief in traditional rigor with a desire to grow and adapt to the needs of today's learners. 

Technology: The most important instructional resource in the classroom is the teacher. Nonetheless, we are proud to provide many tools that help teachers and students to study, explore, and create. All students are assigned their own Chromebooks for use in the classroom, and we provide access to many apps through the Clever portal that students can use both in school and at home. 

Partners: St. Mary School is excited to partner with OSU Marion for nutrition classes, Marion Voices for art classes, and BalletMet for the Moving Into Literacy program that serve students in multiple grades. These partners bring valuable experiences to our students that expose them to important concepts in the arts and sciences.
Specials at Marion St. Mary
We structure our special classes to expose students to a wide range of concepts in the fields of art and health. 

Physical Education
Grades PK-4: Two times per week
Grades 5-8: Two times per week

Choral Music
Grades PK-8: One time per week
*Our school choir class is a selective class that takes the place of a student's music class. ​

Art
​Grades PK-8: Two times per week
Assessments and Grades

We administer alternative standardized tests approved by the state of Ohio. At this time we use the STAR test by Renaissance to measure student progress in Math and Reading. Results are regularly communicated to parents so that families and teachers may collaborate to promote student growth. In grades 5 and 8, students take the required State AIR Science test. 

All grades and student information are posted to the FACTS Family Portal, found at the link below. The Diocese of Columbus uses Standards-based grading in grades K-8, in which teachers rate student mastery of different standards in each content area instead of assigning an overall letter grade. More information can be found at the diocesan Standards-based Grading page.