Family Oriented

A community devoted to children,
St. Margaret Mary is a Roman Catholic elementary school that has served West Rogers Park since 1921.

The commitment to our children is one shared by our pastor, faculty, support staff, parents, parish and alumni. We work together to foster a community of love and service. All our efforts are made so that our children grow academically, socially and spiritually.

The St. Margaret Mary community accepts the challenge to encourage, strengthen, teach and guide our students. We work with all our children to help them shape successful futures to the best of their abilities.

Early Childhood Program

The Early Childhood Program offers pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs. Children receive special attention, so that the transition from home or childcare to school is positive and non-threatening.

The pre-kindergarten is a full-day program that serves four-year olds. Teachers direct activities that help children develop motor skills and coordination, and learn to follow instructions. Art, music, gym and unstructured play round out the child’s first school experience.

Kindergarten introduces basic academic skills. The curriculum encourages creativity through art projects, music and a broad assortment of classroom activities and outings. Gym class and play time provide outlets for physical and social development. Kindergartners get the message that learning can be fun.

Curriculum

St. Margaret Mary recognizes that each student is an individual with his or her own developmental needs. We also know that a solid classical education gives students the firm foundation they will need for high school and beyond. Couple that with top-notch technological instruction in computer science, and we have students ready to take successful roles in the future.

Our areas of study include mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, religion, art, computer science, music and physical education. Students have additional opportunities to explore creative writing, compete in essay, art and spelling contests, raise their voices in the school choir, and train as leaders.

Enrichment programs at SMM begin as early as the second semester of the first grade and continue through the eighth grade. Students are encouraged to step up to more challenging assignments in every area of the curriculum.

Producing Results

The scores of SMM students on Terra Nova testing place the school consistently well above the average for Chicago area schools.

Each grading period, we see the seeds of our educational success. Our graduates are on the honor rolls at St. Ignatius, Loyola Academy, Regina Dominican, St. Patrick, Gordon Tech, St. Scholastica, Northside College Prep and other prestigious high schools. Many of our graduates go on to college receiving fully paid scholarships based on their academic achievements.

Religious Education

While the school community includes children of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, St. Margaret Mary is first and foremost a Roman Catholic School.

We go beyond teaching our students basic religious education. We know that the morals and values that will guide a child through life do not develop in a vacuum. Here at SMM, our children learn how they can apply their religious training to everyday life.

From pre-kindergarten to eighth grade, the teaching of religion and moral values is at the foundation of our students’ educational experience.

Extended Care

St. Margaret Mary recognizes the needs of working parents. It offers an Extended Care Program (ECP) that provides before- and after-school care for an additional fee. ECP is open to all SMM students. The program provides quality care and supervision, as well as recreational and enrichment activities.

Staff members escort ECP students around campus. Students spend time in the gym, participate in arts and crafts projects or simply have fun just playing.

A supervised homework center also is provided. Weekly and hourly rates are available to accommodate the schedules of parents.

Hot Lunch Program

For the convenience of our families, St. Margaret Mary offers nutritious and kid-friendly daily meals at an additional fee. Food service professionals administer the program. Dietitians plan the menus, which follow the requirements of the national school lunch program.

Physical Fitness and Athletics

All students participate in a comprehensive health and physical education program that recognizes the natural interests and needs of our children as they progress and develop.

Our after-school Athletics Program includes basketball, softball, volleyball, football and cheerleading. Student games are more than an opportunity for children to participate in sports. For it is here,
on the bleachers, that many long-lasting parent-to-parent friendships have evolved. Parents not only are cheering in the stands, but also coaching the teams, working the concession stands and selling the tickets.

Technology and The Future

New technologies emerge with regularity, and the school’s responsibility is to keep abreast of the pace of change and teach children how to cope with it. Our key areas of concentration are:
• Development of critical thinking, reasoning and analytical skills
• Mathematical competence
• Successful command of oral and written language
• Global awareness of events, people and culture

St. Margaret Mary currently fulfills these goals through the use of its extensive computerized educational system. In the Computer Lab, students work on up-to-date computers under the guidance of a specially-trained computer teacher. All students take part in regularly-scheduled computer learning classes. Computers are also in each of the other classrooms.

The world our children will face as adults will be much different from the one we know today. We at SMM believe a second language will not only be an asset, but a requirement for success in our more diverse society. Today, middle school students are given instruction in Spanish language and culture.

Culture

SMM enriches the academic curriculum in many ways. Throughout the school year, field trips, school projects and classroom visits add variety to the
program. Students encounter dance, music, theater and the visual arts from many disciplines.

Music has a special place in our curriculum. It promotes creativity and expression, as well as an understanding of the history and fundamentals
of music. Students share their talents through performances during the year.

Recognizing the importance of art in the curriculum, St. Margaret Mary has launched a program for kindergarten through eighth grade. Students get
to express their artistic creativity in our art room. Each grade has instruction in art appreciation.

Faculty and Administration

All teachers at St. Margaret Mary have full State of Illinois certification and as a group demonstrate expertise in many specialties. Teacher Assistants support the teachers and students in the learning process. Teachers and assistants alike participate regularly in conferences, workshops, in-service training and other professional development opportunities.

The SMM School Board, with a substantial parent representation, advises the administration regarding school policy. The Board provides strategic support to ensure an outstanding environment for education.