About

We Believe. Two words that inspired our 12 founding sisters as they welcomed the first students to St. Mary’s Academy in 1859. And today, we still believe. We believe in developing the whole person, in going to college, in leading and changing the world. We believe in girls who lift each other up. We believe in the values of our Catholic founders, the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. We believe in social justice. We believe in the artist, the thinker, the dancer, the coder, the athlete, the servant, and the leader—especially the leader. We believe young women are powerful.

St. Mary’s Academy is Oregon's oldest continuously-operating secondary school. A nationally recognized school of excellence, St. Mary's is an established Catholic all-girls college-preparatory high school that readies students for the future. We invite you to review our Profile of Distinction.

With a more than 160-year tradition of educating young women, St. Mary's continues to serve a diverse school community and offer a challenging academic program that fosters the development of the whole person. St. Mary's is large enough to provide a wide variety of experiences, yet small enough to focus on the individual needs of each and every student, as we have done for 10,000 young women since 1859.

Our urban setting in downtown Portland enhances the school's curriculum with unique access to enriching educational and cultural opportunities that complement the classroom experience. Our many partnerships with companies, educational and artistic institutions, nonprofit agencies, and local and global leaders expand the experiences and impact of our students every day.

With the highest quality academic offerings and robust student support to match, along with keen focuses on innovation and social justice, we believe St. Mary’s Academy to be the best school anywhere! We invite you to learn more about St. Mary’s Academy—our rich history, our academic profile, our highly successful athletic program, multiple extracurricular opportunities, and to meet some of our brightest students, faculty, and alumnae—by clicking the links on this page.