St. Mark Catholic School Home to the SMARTLAB®
St. Mark Catholic School has set the standard for private education in Collin County since 1982, serving students in preschool through eighth grade. Committed to academic excellence, emotional intelligence, and rooted in faith, St. Mark teaches the whole child: mind, body, and spirit.
The school has twice received the U.S. Department of Education “National Blue Ribbon Award” and recently qualified for a rare third nomination. Both students and faculty have been honored on the local, regional and national levels for academic excellence and innovative teaching methods. St. Mark was recently named one of the top three schools in the nation for technology integration by Today’s Catholic Teacher magazine. The Diocese of Dallas “Teacher of the Year” hailed from St. Mark in 2016, 2017, and 2020. All teachers are degreed and certified by the State of Texas, with many holding advanced degrees.
As home to the SMARTLAB®, St. Mark students benefit from a fully integrated, customized facility where they explore multiple disciplines through applied technology and project-based learning. Experiences include graphic design, robotics, Photoshop, biomedical applications, digital animation, scientific data analysis, software engineering, music studio applications, circuitry, mechanics and structures, and much more. Students rotate through projects discovering, exploring, and applying a wide range of technologies to their work, which is then presented to the class. Further, an appropriate level of challenge is provided to each student, addressing all learning styles. From students who need extra support, to average learners, to students identified as gifted/talented, there is something to enable everyone to work at their own level and pace.
Innovation meets tradition as the classic subjects of math, science, language arts, and social studies are taught from preschool through eighth grade. In addition, cursive handwriting, music, art, foreign language, outdoor education, and daily physical education are integral to the curriculum. Instruction is enhanced with the latest technology including virtual/augmented reality, coding, iPads and Chromebooks, computer lab instruction, interactive smart boards, and an integrated STEM curriculum.
St. Mark is among only a few schools in the State of Texas to be recognized as a Digital Citizenship Certified School by Common Sense Media. The purpose of this program is to equip students with the skills they need to be responsible online citizens. St. Mark is committed to teaching students how to navigate the behavioral and social issues that stem from the use of online resources.
Learning differences are addressed by full-time resource teachers and a full-time guidance counselor. Differentiation is also utilized to target individual student needs in the classroom, in addition to small group work and on-site tutoring.
An integrated, structured guidance program encourages discussions about social/emotional issues at an age-appropriate level. Health is integrated into the curriculum, and emotional intelligence is fostered through various hands-on activities that challenge students’ perseverance. St. Mark also utilizes Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body program which teaches fifth through eighth grade students that all mankind should treat their bodies with reverence and live in a way that is worthy of our great dignity as human beings.
The student experience is enhanced through a wide variety of enrichment clubs and extra-curricular activities including numerous academic competitions, robotics, competitive speech, scouting organizations, drone club, engineering club, art club, and more.
Physical activity is encouraged through daily P.E. classes, outdoor recess, and many competitive sports teams. Preschool through fourth grade students may participate on parent-formed teams through various city leagues. Fifth through eighth grade students have the opportunity to participate on a variety of athletic teams: baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
A well-rounded Fine Arts program offers instruction and extra-curricular activities in art, music, band, choir, and drama.
Daily religious instruction and weekly church services reinforce virtues and values, and encourage children to build on their faith. Community service is a cornerstone of the program. Students in preschool through eighth grade participate in monthly service projects, and middle school students are required to perform additional service hours.
To accommodate working parents, St. Mark offers an optional 7:15 AM drop-off time and morning supervision at no charge, as well as an After School Program that is available until 6:00 PM on school days with flexible pick-up times charged at an hourly rate.
Financial aid is available.
For more information, upcoming Open House dates, or to schedule a private tour, please call 972-578-0610 or visit www.stmcs.net.