St. Mary's is dedicated to and provides resources for the support and academic development of each student. St. Mary's administration and faculty realizes life is complicated, and we embrace the responsibility to assist our young women in making meaning of their world.

Placement for Incoming Students
Often we are asked how we make determinations about placement for our incoming students. This can indeed be a challenge with incoming freshmen coming from over 50 different middle schools throughout the Portland metropolitan area, not to mention transfer students entering with varying high school experiences.

Once a student has been offered admission and has returned the Confirmation Agreement with the registration fee, we begin the process of registering her for courses. The family will receive a mailing with forecasting information and a course catalog listing all offered courses. Students will register for the core classes needed for graduation (as noted in the four-year graduation plans on the following page) and make choices for electives. The mailing will also include information about Placement Testing for math and foreign languages.

Later in the spring, a number of students will be asked to come to St. Mary's to test in foreign language and math. Students who have previously taken a foreign language and wish to continue studying that language at St. Mary's will be tested to determine the appropriate class level. Students who have taken algebra level math or higher in middle school will be tested to determine math placement based upon the St. Mary's math curriculum.

Teacher Adviser Program
The TA Program provides each student personal contact with a teacher adviser throughout her entire four years of high school. This relationship enables the adult adviser to be available to motivate and support students in academic, co-curricular and interpersonal arenas. Complementing academic counseling, the TA program is meant to assist students in adjusting to and becoming active members of the St. Mary's community. Meeting with students at least four times a week in groups of 15 to 20, TA time is used for communicating information, coordinating TA functions, class and school activities, and celebrating special events including birthdays.

LINK Crew
LINK Crew is a transition program that welcomes freshmen and transfer students and makes them feel comfortable throughout the first year at St. Mary's. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, junior and senior LINK leaders act as role models to motivate our newcomers in their discovery about what it takes to be successful in high school. This program begins with an orientation before school starts. Following the orientation are periodic meetings throughout the first year to discuss pertinent issues. This creates a supportive network of students making real connections with one another.

For students needing advice, counsel or assistance, St. Mary's has the following resources available: two counselors, a learning center, an after-school program and campus ministry.

The Learning Center

The Learning Center, staffed by two full-time teachers, helps students improve their study skills and experience academic success. The Center provides academic support through study skills classes, workshops, and individual assistance provided during the school day.

After-School Program
The After-School Program is designed to provide additional support to students through more individual tutoring and focused homework assistance.

Call St. Mary's at (503) 228-8306 for more information or to speak with a counselor.