St. Mary's Ryken is a private, coeducational, Catholic secondary school sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers. As a Catholic school, St. Mary's Ryken admits students of varying abilities who seek the benefits of a Catholic, college prep education and provides them with a program of studies challenging their intellectual abilities. We acknowledge students' varying learning styles and promote the creative use of every student's talents. By graduation, a St. Mary's Ryken student is a young adult who is well-educated, prepared for college and committed to Christian service.
St. Mary's Ryken is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the Archdiocese of Washington and the Maryland State Department of Education.
Mission Statement
St. Mary’s Ryken is a Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school community operated under the Xaverian Brothers’ sponsorship dedicated to academic excellence and individualized student growth.
Philosophy
In the spirit of its founders, St. Mary's Ryken prepares young men and women to become loyal, intelligent and self-directed persons. Drawing inspiration from the Gospel and the charism of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the Xaverian Brothers, our mandate is to teach as Jesus did and to reach out to all through Christian service.
Essential to the educational methodology is the characteristic of living in concordia. St. Mary's Ryken recognizes that each individual is unique and gifted with innate goodness. The school community encourages the respect for and appreciation of diversity, and nurtures a faith-filled view of existence. A student's intellectual growth is encouraged to flourish in an environment not hampered by undue competitiveness. Students experience diverse and progressive opportunities in academics, fine arts, athletics, student activities and campus ministry.
The challenge of the St. Mary's Ryken education is to enable students to realize their potential, continue their academic journey and assume responsibilities in their family, the civic community and the professional world. Our task as educators is not accomplished by ourselves. We share this mission and its responsibilities with parents, who are the primary educators, the community and the Church.
We value:
- Being a Catholic community
- Embracing the Xaverian Brothers charism: the virtues of humility, trust, zeal, compassion and simplicity
- Preparing our students for success in higher education and beyond
- Offering and promoting academic excellence
- Fostering mutual respect to ensure a safe environment for the spiritual, mental, physical and emotional development of our students
- Protecting the rights and embracing the contributions of all individuals within our community
- Acknowledging the transitional period between adolescence and young adulthood and supporting the growth of our students
- Addressing the special needs of our students within the college preparatory curriculum
- Motivating our students to show integrity and leadership in actions through responsible citizenship
