Mission & Values

Our Mission

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.

As a private high school, sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers, St. Mary's Ryken offers a unique experience.

Our 87-acre waterfront campus is located in Leonardtown, Maryland and models a small college, with four academic buildings, a 48,000 square foot health and wellness center, campus cafe, several athletic fields, tennis courts and a stadium with a six-lane track.

Students come to SMR from a large geographic region including Calvert, Charles, St. Mary's and Prince George's counties, as well as from Virginia. Although the majority of our students are Catholic, a variety of religions are represented.

The school community fosters an environment of mutual respect and nurtures a faith-filled view of existence. Intellectual growth is fostered by acknowledging students' varying learning styles and promoting the creative use of every student's talents. Students experience diverse and progressive opportunities in academics, fine arts, athletics, activities and campus ministry. By graduation, a St. Mary's Ryken student is a young adult who is well prepared for college and committed to Christian service and responsible citizenship.

Academic and scholastic enrichment opportunities are available to the entire student population through the Naval Air Station Patuxent River Educational Partnership Program, College of Southern Maryland and St. Mary's College of Maryland.

SMR is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Maryland State Department of Education. SMR is recognized as an independent Catholic high school by the Archdiocese of Washington.

Philosophy

In the spirit of its founders, St. Mary's Ryken prepares young men and women to become loyal, intelligent and self-directed persons. 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.

With a St. Mary's Ryken education, students 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 and the values 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 learning differences of our students within the college preparatory curriculum.
• motivating our students to show integrity and leadership in actions through responsible citizenship.

Read Portrait of a Graduate Statement