Admission Viewbook

St. Mary’s An IB World School • 7 Pursuit, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 • Tel 949.448.9027 • www.smaa.org

St. Mary’s AN IB WORLD SCHOOL

Education with the World in Mind

St. Mary’s: Our Mission St. Mary’s is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School dedicated to inquiry-based academic excellence, developing well-rounded, confident children who flourish in a creative environment founded on Christian values.

St. Mary’s: Our Mission St. Mary’s is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School dedicated to inquiry-based academic excellence, developing well-rounded, confident children who flourish in a creative environment founded on Christian values.

“Mine is not a tiny vision.”

So said The Reverend Canon Ernest D. Sillers, the late Episcopal priest known as much for his tireless advocacy of service and education as his religious commitment.

It was Sillers’ grand vision – to create a string of schools strong in academic and moral development, with an emphasis on values – that set in motion the founding and natural expansion of St. Mary’s School.

Sillers referred to St. Mary’s (his fourth school, opened in 1994 with only four classroom trailers) as the Jewel in the Crown for good reason; it was the first of his schools to be non-church affiliated and, in his words, “most in line with the world.” Including all faiths in a school that defines itself within the trinity of integrity, academics, and spirituality, he believed, is the best way to prepare youths for the inevitability of a more globally-connected world … one that is intellectually diverse, interconnected by technology, and perennially in flux.

His dream was to develop students into world citizens who, when tested, would find strength from their St. Mary’s foundation.

Sillers’ ambition matched those of parents everywhere, and in its 20-year history St. Mary’s has attracted droves of multi-lingual, religiously diverse, international families. His vision also matched that of the International Baccalaureate (IB) World School Organization, and in 2007 St. Mary’s became the first and, to this day, the only school of its kind in Orange County to incorporate the IB curriculum for preschool through Grade 8.

The palpable pride within the St. Mary’s community stems directly from this clarity of purpose: academic excellence, with compassion…for a better world.

S t. M a r y ’ s

OUR STORY

“Academic excellence, with compassion …for a better world.”

“Mine is not a tiny vision.”

So said The Reverend Canon Ernest D. Sillers, the late Episcopal priest known as much for his tireless advocacy of service and education as his religious commitment.

It was Sillers’ grand vision – to create a string of schools strong in academic and moral development, with an emphasis on values – that set in motion the founding and natural expansion of St. Mary’s School.

Sillers referred to St. Mary’s (his fourth school, opened in 1994 with only four classroom trailers) as the Jewel in the Crown for good reason; it was the first of his schools to be non-church affiliated and, in his words, “most in line with the world.” Including all faiths in a school that defines itself within the trinity of integrity, academics, and spirituality, he believed, is the best way to prepare youths for the inevitability of a more globally-connected world … one that is intellectually diverse, interconnected by technology, and perennially in flux.

His dream was to develop students into world citizens who, when tested, would find strength from their St. Mary’s foundation.

Sillers’ ambition matched those of parents everywhere, and in its 20-year history St. Mary’s has attracted droves of multi-lingual, religiously diverse, international families. His vision also matched that of the International Baccalaureate (IB) World School Organization, and in 2007 St. Mary’s became the first and, to this day, the only school of its kind in Orange County to incorporate the IB curriculum for preschool through Grade 8.

The palpable pride within the St. Mary’s community stems directly from this clarity of purpose: academic excellence, with compassion…for a better world.

S t. M a r y ’ s

OUR STORY

“Academic excellence, with compassion …for a better world.”

St. Mary’s A snapshot of St. Mary’s from any angle, on any day, captures the school’s unmistakable character … that is, a unique blend of visible engagement, compassionate inclusion, and genuine delight.

But, we invite you to look deeper.

Adherence to its founding principles and IB core has enabled St. Mary’s to build a community that is rich in diversity and character, a curriculum that delivers exceptional academics with real-world context, and a shared commitment to weave kindness into every act.

Frankly, the facts support.

S t. M a r y ’ s

O U R FA C T S “St. Mary’s offers a unique blend of visible engagement, compassionate inclusion and genuine delight.”

St. Mary’s A snapshot of St. Mary’s from any angle, on any day, captures the school’s unmistakable character … that is, a unique blend of visible engagement, compassionate inclusion, and genuine delight.

But, we invite you to look deeper.

Adherence to its founding principles and IB core has enabled St. Mary’s to build a community that is rich in diversity and character, a curriculum that delivers exceptional academics with real-world context, and a shared commitment to weave kindness into every act.

Frankly, the facts support.

S t. M a r y ’ s

O U R FA C T S “St. Mary’s offers a unique blend of visible engagement, compassionate inclusion and genuine delight.”

OUR COMMUNITY An International, Multi-Cultural Student Body

World-Class Faculty

• There are 26 second or third languages spoken by St. Mary’s students.

• 100% of our Language Instruction is taught by native-trained speakers

• 15 countries and 16 religions are represented in our student enrollment.

Low Teacher-to-Student Ratios • Early PS 1:6 • Preschool and Pre-K 1:8

• 70% of our K-8 Faculty hold Advanced Degrees

• Total faculty: 98

Culture of Kindness • Each year, our students go way beyond their Service Learning program … naturally.

• Not to be outdone, parents give about 22,000 volunteer service hours each year.

• Junior-Kindergarten 1:9 • Lower School (K-2) 1:11, (3-5) 1:22 • Middle School (6-8) 1:8-25 • Total students from Early Education through Middle School: 800

• As a community, St. Mary’s has helped thousands of individuals and families in need across the county and the world.

OUR COMMITMENT Field Studies • Our unique, Field Studies program marries academic content with real-world context in developmentally fitting, relevant settings.

• Through one-day field trips or multi-day field studies, we fortify academic concepts in meaningful locales like: Sacramento, Catalina, Jet Propulsion Laboratories, Astro Camp in Idyllwild, Yosemite, NYC and Washington, DC. • In Middle School we offer international field studies destinations including Costa Rica, France and Hong Kong.

These trips are designed to enhance student learning and promote personal growth.

S t. M a r y ’ s “St. Mary’s has helped thousands of families in need.”

Collaborative Learning Experiences • St. Mary’s School has a reciprocal IB exchangestudent relationship with the International School of Milan, Italy.

• Ongoing collaborative learning experiences with other global IB schools are facilitated via Skype and blogs.

OUR COMMUNITY An International, Multi-Cultural Student Body

World-Class Faculty

• There are 26 second or third languages spoken by St. Mary’s students.

• 100% of our Language Instruction is taught by native-trained speakers

• 15 countries and 16 religions are represented in our student enrollment.

Low Teacher-to-Student Ratios • Early PS 1:6 • Preschool and Pre-K 1:8

• 70% of our K-8 Faculty hold Advanced Degrees

• Total faculty: 98

Culture of Kindness • Each year, our students go way beyond their Service Learning program … naturally.

• Not to be outdone, parents give about 22,000 volunteer service hours each year.

• Junior-Kindergarten 1:9 • Lower School (K-2) 1:11, (3-5) 1:22 • Middle School (6-8) 1:8-25 • Total students from Early Education through Middle School: 800

• As a community, St. Mary’s has helped thousands of individuals and families in need across the county and the world.

OUR COMMITMENT Field Studies • Our unique, Field Studies program marries academic content with real-world context in developmentally fitting, relevant settings.

• Through one-day field trips or multi-day field studies, we fortify academic concepts in meaningful locales like: Sacramento, Catalina, Jet Propulsion Laboratories, Astro Camp in Idyllwild, Yosemite, NYC and Washington, DC. • In Middle School we offer international field studies destinations including Costa Rica, France and Hong Kong.

These trips are designed to enhance student learning and promote personal growth.

S t. M a r y ’ s “St. Mary’s has helped thousands of families in need.”

Collaborative Learning Experiences • St. Mary’s School has a reciprocal IB exchangestudent relationship with the International School of Milan, Italy.

• Ongoing collaborative learning experiences with other global IB schools are facilitated via Skype and blogs.

OUR CURRICULUM Multilingualism • St. Mary’s offers three foreign languages, taught as core subjects: Chinese, French and Spanish.

• All students take Spanish from Early Education through Grade 4. Fifth graders take one trimester of each language offered. Middle School students select their language of choice to study for three years.

Concept-Driven, Inquiry-Based, Transdisciplinary • The St. Mary’s learning philosophy centers on studentgenerated inquiry, with a curriculum organized around six IB transdisciplinary themes that are revisited from Early Education through Grade 5. (See: PYP) • By Middle School, students are required to study eight subject groups – English, a second language, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and technology – through five areas of interaction.

(See: MYP and Curriculum Inserts)

Exploratory Subjects, Electives, and Enrichment • In Lower School, connected to its core academic subjects, St. Mary’s offers exploratory courses in: Art, Music, Christian Enrichment, P.E., Science and Technology.

• Alongside exposure to a multitude of Studio Art techniques, students can experience an exceptional variety of Performance Arts, including: Drumline, Choir, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Music Theory, Musical Theater and Set & Lighting Design.

• Our student-athletes are well served, as well. We have 30 boys’ and girls’ sports teams, including flag football, golf, cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse and track.

• Both after-school and summer enrichment programs are offered year-round, and include topics such as: yoga, hip-hop dance, musical instruments, languages, math, academic chess and science.

STEM Excellence

• 3 mobile class set of Chromebooks

• The St. Mary’s campus boasts four, fully-stocked science laboratories.

• 3-D Printer

• Programming and Robotics training in Lower and Middle School.

• Four St. Mary’s students from Grades 5 & 6 took first place in the 18th Int’l Maths Quest competition in Berlin, Germany.

• Middle School utilizes a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, where each student in grades six through eight are required to bring a device of their choice to school every day.

• World-view learning and a multi-platform approach to technology go hand-in-hand. As such, at St. Mary’s we offer: • 1 Mini-Lab with 4 iMacs

• 3 Robotics class sets • Document Cameras in every classroom • Interactive Whiteboard and Projector in every classroom • 4 Light Tables in Early Education • 1 Interactive SMART Touch Table in Early Education • 5 Computers in every K-Grade 5 classroom • iPad Centers in Grades K-1 • Middle School Innovation Lab • Digital and Video Cameras available for checkout • Digital Audiobooks and MP3 Players available for checkout • Wireless Access across campus

• 6 mobile class sets of iPads • 5 mobile class sets of Laptops

S t. M a r y ’ s “Through inquiry, teachers help students make connections.”

OUR CURRICULUM Multilingualism • St. Mary’s offers three foreign languages, taught as core subjects: Chinese, French and Spanish.

• All students take Spanish from Early Education through Grade 4. Fifth graders take one trimester of each language offered. Middle School students select their language of choice to study for three years.

Concept-Driven, Inquiry-Based, Transdisciplinary • The St. Mary’s learning philosophy centers on studentgenerated inquiry, with a curriculum organized around six IB transdisciplinary themes that are revisited from Early Education through Grade 5. (See: PYP) • By Middle School, students are required to study eight subject groups – English, a second language, humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and technology – through five areas of interaction.

(See: MYP and Curriculum Inserts)

Exploratory Subjects, Electives, and Enrichment • In Lower School, connected to its core academic subjects, St. Mary’s offers exploratory courses in: Art, Music, Christian Enrichment, P.E., Science and Technology.

• Alongside exposure to a multitude of Studio Art techniques, students can experience an exceptional variety of Performance Arts, including: Drumline, Choir, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Music Theory, Musical Theater and Set & Lighting Design.

• Our student-athletes are well served, as well. We have 30 boys’ and girls’ sports teams, including flag football, golf, cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse and track.

• Both after-school and summer enrichment programs are offered year-round, and include topics such as: yoga, hip-hop dance, musical instruments, languages, math, academic chess and science.

STEM Excellence

• 3 mobile class set of Chromebooks

• The St. Mary’s campus boasts four, fully-stocked science laboratories.

• 3-D Printer

• Programming and Robotics training in Lower and Middle School.

• Four St. Mary’s students from Grades 5 & 6 took first place in the 18th Int’l Maths Quest competition in Berlin, Germany.

• Middle School utilizes a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, where each student in grades six through eight are required to bring a device of their choice to school every day.

• World-view learning and a multi-platform approach to technology go hand-in-hand. As such, at St. Mary’s we offer: • 1 Mini-Lab with 4 iMacs

• 3 Robotics class sets • Document Cameras in every classroom • Interactive Whiteboard and Projector in every classroom • 4 Light Tables in Early Education • 1 Interactive SMART Touch Table in Early Education • 5 Computers in every K-Grade 5 classroom • iPad Centers in Grades K-1 • Middle School Innovation Lab • Digital and Video Cameras available for checkout • Digital Audiobooks and MP3 Players available for checkout • Wireless Access across campus

• 6 mobile class sets of iPads • 5 mobile class sets of Laptops

S t. M a r y ’ s “Through inquiry, teachers help students make connections.”

A Brief History of IB Overview of Our IB Programmes The International Baccalaureate (IB) World School was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 as a non-profit educational organization with a single, visionary curriculum designed for internationally mobile students preparing for university. Today, it offers four distinct educational “programmes” for students ranging in age from three to 19, over a half-million strong from nearly 140 countries.

But IB is far more than its syllabus and certification; it is a vibrant community of educators worldwide, motivated by a mission to create a better world through education.

Just like St. Mary’s.

St. Mary’s is uniquely suited to the IB ideal of developing internationally minded people who recognize their common humanity and joint guardianship of the planet. We share an aspirational goal that is irrefutably value-driven and, like IB Schools worldwide, achieve success through our partnership with teachers… educators immersed in the concept-driven, inquiry-based, cross-disciplinary education that is IB. Upon graduation, our students do not just have full understanding of their subject areas but, more importantly, show levels of communication, thinking skills and all-around knowledge that equip them for high school and life beyond.

Specifically, St. Mary’s incorporates the IB framework designed for students from Preschool through Grade 8.

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) provides academic challenges designed to help students become critical, reflective thinkers and connect traditional subjects to the real world.

Both programmes deliver:

• Development of learning skills • A broad range of subjects

S t. M a r y ’ s

IB WORLD SCHOOL “Our mission will create a better world through education.”

• A strong international dimension

• Special emphasis on foreign languages

• Content from educational cultures around the world

• Individual and collaborative planning and research

• Individual subjects and transdisciplinary areas

• Encouragement to become responsible citizens

The key word is: framework. Integrating themes of global significance, encouraging inquiry and reflection, challenging students to tap creativity to solve problems… this is the crux of true learning, allowing curriculum to change as the world changes.

A Brief History of IB Overview of Our IB Programmes The International Baccalaureate (IB) World School was founded in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968 as a non-profit educational organization with a single, visionary curriculum designed for internationally mobile students preparing for university. Today, it offers four distinct educational “programmes” for students ranging in age from three to 19, over a half-million strong from nearly 140 countries.

But IB is far more than its syllabus and certification; it is a vibrant community of educators worldwide, motivated by a mission to create a better world through education.

Just like St. Mary’s.

St. Mary’s is uniquely suited to the IB ideal of developing internationally minded people who recognize their common humanity and joint guardianship of the planet. We share an aspirational goal that is irrefutably value-driven and, like IB Schools worldwide, achieve success through our partnership with teachers… educators immersed in the concept-driven, inquiry-based, cross-disciplinary education that is IB. Upon graduation, our students do not just have full understanding of their subject areas but, more importantly, show levels of communication, thinking skills and all-around knowledge that equip them for high school and life beyond.

Specifically, St. Mary’s incorporates the IB framework designed for students from Preschool through Grade 8.

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world. The Middle Years Programme (MYP) provides academic challenges designed to help students become critical, reflective thinkers and connect traditional subjects to the real world.

Both programmes deliver:

• Development of learning skills • A broad range of subjects

S t. M a r y ’ s

IB WORLD SCHOOL “Our mission will create a better world through education.”

• A strong international dimension

• Special emphasis on foreign languages

• Content from educational cultures around the world

• Individual and collaborative planning and research

• Individual subjects and transdisciplinary areas

• Encouragement to become responsible citizens

The key word is: framework. Integrating themes of global significance, encouraging inquiry and reflection, challenging students to tap creativity to solve problems… this is the crux of true learning, allowing curriculum to change as the world changes.

St. Mary’s: Primary Years Programme (PYP) Early Education and Lower School St. Mary’s students three years of age through Grade 5 explore academic subjects through six units of inquiry.

Teachers organize their Early Education and Lower School curriculum through these six transdisciplinary themes:

• Who We Are

• How the World Works

• Where We Are in Place and Time

• How We Organize Ourselves

• How We Express Ourselves

• Sharing the Planet

These six to eight-week units are transdisciplinary investigations into important ideas and require a high level of student engagement. Presenting our curriculum within this framework helps St. Mary’s students to recognize the relationships between concepts and the world around them, and establishes reflection and active learning as a habit.

An example of this type of inquiry is a Grade 3 unit on Sharing the Planet. To support the concept that water is a limited resource, students examine the water cycle, water sources, use and reuse of water, how different people, cultures and countries use water, and the responsibility for water conservation. In this way, students increase their understanding in the areas of science and humanities while honing critical thinking and communication skills.

Reading, writing, mathematics, and information skills are embedded into our entire program. The PYP simply gives form to the St. Mary’s belief that students need to acquire knowledge in context, to explore content that is relevant to their lives and to transcend the boundaries of traditional subjects…to be truly educated.

By blending IB learning with traditional skills, both inside and outside the classroom, our younger students are well prepared for the transition into Middle School.

S t. M a r y ’ s

PRIMARY YEARS “We blend IB learning with traditional skills inside and outside the classroom.”

St. Mary’s: Primary Years Programme (PYP) Early Education and Lower School St. Mary’s students three years of age through Grade 5 explore academic subjects through six units of inquiry.

Teachers organize their Early Education and Lower School curriculum through these six transdisciplinary themes:

• Who We Are

• How the World Works

• Where We Are in Place and Time

• How We Organize Ourselves

• How We Express Ourselves

• Sharing the Planet

These six to eight-week units are transdisciplinary investigations into important ideas and require a high level of student engagement. Presenting our curriculum within this framework helps St. Mary’s students to recognize the relationships between concepts and the world around them, and establishes reflection and active learning as a habit.

An example of this type of inquiry is a Grade 3 unit on Sharing the Planet. To support the concept that water is a limited resource, students examine the water cycle, water sources, use and reuse of water, how different people, cultures and countries use water, and the responsibility for water conservation. In this way, students increase their understanding in the areas of science and humanities while honing critical thinking and communication skills.

Reading, writing, mathematics, and information skills are embedded into our entire program. The PYP simply gives form to the St. Mary’s belief that students need to acquire knowledge in context, to explore content that is relevant to their lives and to transcend the boundaries of traditional subjects…to be truly educated.

By blending IB learning with traditional skills, both inside and outside the classroom, our younger students are well prepared for the transition into Middle School.

S t. M a r y ’ s

PRIMARY YEARS “We blend IB learning with traditional skills inside and outside the classroom.”

St. Mary’s: Middle Years Programme (MYP) Middle School In Grades 6-8, St. Mary’s students are steeped in the concept of reflective, interconnected learning and are ready to take on greater academic challenges. At the same time, they are at a crucial period of personal, social, physical and intellectual development, transitioning through adolescence awash in uncertainty. The MYP is designed to help them find a sense of belonging in a shifting and increasingly interrelated world, and foster a positive attitude towards learning.

Within a characteristic IB framework, the MYP delivers academic challenges that forge connections between traditional subjects and the world-at-large through critical thinking and reflection. St. Mary’s Middle School students are required to study eight subject groups: language and literature, language acquisition, mathematics, sciences, individuals and societies, design, arts (both visual and performing), and physical and health education. Teachers organize this curriculum within six global contexts: identities and relationships, orientation in space and time, scientific and technical innovation, personal and cultural expression, globalization and sustainability, and fairness and development.

An example of this type of interaction occurs during a Year Two language and literature course. Students read and analyze the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry within the framework of the global context “globalization and sustainability.” After examining the structure of the fictional community presented in the novel, and comparing and contrasting it with our present civilization, students then work in small groups to address the question, “How can we create the perfect society?” Groups engage in research, complete write-ups, and ultimately design a multimedia demonstration to present a conceptual utopia to a panel of individuals and societies educators.

S t. M a r y ’ s

MIDDLE YEA R S “Teachers guide students to make connections.”

Through inquiry, the MYP helps teachers guide students to make connections …connections between traditional concepts – like governmental and economic frameworks – and their personal experience in today’s world. The six global contexts overlap through all eight academic subjects and lead students from knowledge, through reflection, to thoughtful action.

St. Mary’s: Middle Years Programme (MYP) Middle School In Grades 6-8, St. Mary’s students are steeped in the concept of reflective, interconnected learning and are ready to take on greater academic challenges. At the same time, they are at a crucial period of personal, social, physical and intellectual development, transitioning through adolescence awash in uncertainty. The MYP is designed to help them find a sense of belonging in a shifting and increasingly interrelated world, and foster a positive attitude towards learning.

Within a characteristic IB framework, the MYP delivers academic challenges that forge connections between traditional subjects and the world-at-large through critical thinking and reflection. St. Mary’s Middle School students are required to study eight subject groups: language and literature, language acquisition, mathematics, sciences, individuals and societies, design, arts (both visual and performing), and physical and health education. Teachers organize this curriculum within six global contexts: identities and relationships, orientation in space and time, scientific and technical innovation, personal and cultural expression, globalization and sustainability, and fairness and development.

An example of this type of interaction occurs during a Year Two language and literature course. Students read and analyze the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry within the framework of the global context “globalization and sustainability.” After examining the structure of the fictional community presented in the novel, and comparing and contrasting it with our present civilization, students then work in small groups to address the question, “How can we create the perfect society?” Groups engage in research, complete write-ups, and ultimately design a multimedia demonstration to present a conceptual utopia to a panel of individuals and societies educators.

S t. M a r y ’ s

MIDDLE YEA R S “Teachers guide students to make connections.”

Through inquiry, the MYP helps teachers guide students to make connections …connections between traditional concepts – like governmental and economic frameworks – and their personal experience in today’s world. The six global contexts overlap through all eight academic subjects and lead students from knowledge, through reflection, to thoughtful action.

The IB Learner Profile All faculty and students at St. Mary’s develop an understanding of the IB Learner Profile. The ten qualities of the learner profile inspire and motivate our work while providing a statement of the aims and values of St. Mary’s, and a definition of what we mean by “international mindedness.”

IB Learners strive to be:

Inquirers

St. Mary’s students develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable

St. Mary’s students explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers

St. Mary’s students exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators

St. Mary’s students understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled

St. Mary’s students act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded

St. Mary’s students understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring St. Mary’s students show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers

St. Mary’s students approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced

St. Mary’s students understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective St. Mary’s students give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

The IB Learner Profile All faculty and students at St. Mary’s develop an understanding of the IB Learner Profile. The ten qualities of the learner profile inspire and motivate our work while providing a statement of the aims and values of St. Mary’s, and a definition of what we mean by “international mindedness.”

IB Learners strive to be:

Inquirers

St. Mary’s students develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives.

Knowledgeable

St. Mary’s students explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers

St. Mary’s students exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators

St. Mary’s students understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled

St. Mary’s students act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.

Open-minded

St. Mary’s students understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring St. Mary’s students show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers

St. Mary’s students approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced

St. Mary’s students understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective St. Mary’s students give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

St. Mary’s An IB World School • 7 Pursuit, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 • Tel 949.448.9027 • www.smaa.org

St. Mary’s AN IB WORLD SCHOOL

Education with the World in Mind