Remsen St. Mary's Schools in Remsen Iowa

St. Mary's Schools in Remsen Welcomes You!

PHILOSOPHY

The philosophy of St. Catherine-St. Mary’s is based on Biblical teachings, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and continuing through current Catholic Church teachings. Our school complements the family by promoting the holistic education of each student, focusing on spiritual, scholastic, and social development.

SPIRITUAL

Our school provides a God-centered atmosphere that allows students to develop their knowledge of the Catholic faith and to live that faith in their personal lives. As Christians, we proclaim counter-cultural values and teach respect for God, all people and all creation. We instill moral values in our students and encourage one another to foster stewardship of the gifts God has given each of us.

SCHOLASTIC

Our educational system helps each student to gain a broad base of knowledge and experience across all curriculum areas. In order to prepare individual students to be citizens of a global community, we stress effective communication, physical well-being, advanced technological skills, responsible decision-making, higher-level thinking, individual creativity, and the ability to access and interpret information. Since education is ongoing, we approach these essential skills as part of a lifelong process.

SOCIAL

We acknowledge the dignity and uniqueness of each person. As Christians, we also have a responsibility to our community and the world. We emphasize that acceptance, cooperation, compassion, personal accountability, responsibility, and Christian leadership be expressed in daily life. Christian service is a fundamental expression of these beliefs.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES

St. Catherine-St. Mary’s School System continues to promote Catholic Christian principles in a challenging academic program designed to prepare our students for their future.

St. Catherine–St. Mary’s students have the opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist many times throughout the year. Retreats are held for each class as well as for faculty. Reconciliation Services, Prayer Services, daily prayer, as well as Gospel values are all part of and incorporated into the curriculum.

St. Catherine-St. Mary’s stresses service to others. This is apparent through the many service projects in which the students can participate throughout the year. Projects include working at the Siouxland Soup Kitchen, Gospel Mission, Ronald McDonald House, Opportunities Unlimited, and The Vincent DePaul Homeless Shelter. Twice a year St. Mary’s students go out into the community visiting shut-ins, taking meals and fruit baskets to the elderly or sick, raking leaves and cleaning gutters. During Advent and Lent, students and staff bring items to donate to the needy.

St. Catherine-St. Mary’s graduates have been offered over a quarter of a million dollars in grants and scholarships each year for the past five years. This is evidence that St. Mary’s is producing the kinds of students colleges and universities are looking for. Ninety-five percent of our seniors go on to post-secondary education.

St. Catherine-St. Mary’s has an ICN Room which provides students, faculty, and community members with the opportunity to take college credit classes. Elementary students have participated in special events over the ICN in which they have taken a trip on the under- ground railroad, visited with an astronaut, and a race car driver. The ICN provides opportunities for students to explore the world without leaving the school.

St. Catherine-St. Mary’s has state-of-the-art computer equipment and software which provides our students with cutting edge technology in exploring the World Wide Web, creating our own home page using html code, and learning practical hands-on applications. We proudly claim a 4:1 student: computer ratio.

St. Catherine-St. Mary’s is fortunate to have a weight room which is considered “second-to-none” for schools of comparable size. It is very well equipped and has helped build strength and endurance in our students, enhancing our athletic programs.

St. Catherine-St. Mary’s Great Beginnings Preschool is a Christian-based, nondenominational preschool dedicated to fostering each child’s unique gifts and talents. We acknowledge the natural sense of wonder young children have and will nurture this in a safe, caring, and loving environment. Each child will be encouraged to explore, share, play, and discover through developmentally appropriate activities and experiences. Age-appropriate prayer and Christian values will be included in the daily activities. For additional information, please call 786-1160.