Common Questions

What opportunities will my daughter have to be in a co-ed environment?

SMA creates a school-wide and classroom climate in which girls can express themselves freely and frequently, and develop their intellectual skills during the school day. These skills prepare them to be strong women in the co-ed world in which they live.

Girls find that they are able to use their skills in a co-ed environment through many of the co-curricular offerings at St. Mary's, such as: service projects, Model United Nations, Science Olympiads, robotics, Outdoor School, and more. We have three dances, including prom, each year and girls are encouraged to invite friends to join them.

What sports are offered at St. Mary's Academy?

We believe that athletics are an important extension of the classroom, where students learn the value of determination, resiliency, hard work and cooperation while developing their athletic abilities.

As a member of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), St. Mary's competes in 6A level sports — cross country, soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming, golf, tennis, and track & field — in the Three Rivers League. St. Mary's also competes in lacrosse under the auspices of the Oregon Girls' Lacrosse Association. Additionally, two Blues teams compete in Nordic and alpine skiing at the club level under the guidelines of the Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association (OISRA).

No-cut sports: There is at least one sport each season that does not require try-outs. These sports include cross country, swimming, skiing (both Nordic and alpine), and track and field.

St. Mary's also has a Dragon Boat team.

What transportation options are available to St. Mary's students?

Our campus is easily accessible by a variety of public transportation routes including the yellow, orange and green MAX trains, TriMet buses, the Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN buses.

SMA families often connect and form carpools with the carpooling software, Schoolpool.

Students who bike to/from school utilize bike racks directly in front of the school building. With a security guard at the entrance, bikes are well supervised.

Do you accept transfer students?

Yes! If your daughter is currently in high school, she may apply to transfer to SMA. Applications will be considered on a space-available basis for entry in the fall or at the start of second semester in late January. Transfer students must show a successful completion of appropriate number of credit hours for current status to reach fulfillment of the St. Mary's Academy graduation requirements.

Transfer Student Application Process

Do you have programs for students with learning differences?

We offer a challenging, college-preparatory program aimed at establishing a solid intellectual foundation from which our students can grow and succeed. The school is able to provide reasonable accommodations to students with a wide range of learning differences. We value the parent partnership and request parents disclose learning differences in the admissions application. Understanding a student's learning differences during the application process allows us to provide the best academic support possible. All requested accommodations need to be documented by an outside provider.