St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Avilla, Indiana, established St. Mary School in 1863. In 1876, the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart came from Germany to teach in the school. These dedicated Sisters staffed the school along with lay teachers through 2009. Even today two members of this community, one a former principal, Sr. Theresa Renninger, remain in a volunteer capacity as tutors. In 1967, the original wing of the current school was built and dedicated. New classrooms and library space were added in 1997, and then to accommodate the need for seventh grade, eighth grade, and preschool four more classrooms were constructed in 2007. The strong Franciscan tradition of teaching the gospel message continues to resonate throughout the school under the guidance of its current principal Mr. Damian Schmitt and staff.
St. Mary School is the only Catholic school in Noble County and truly shines as a crown jewel. With support of parishioners and friends, the school has contributed decidedly to the surrounding community by educating hundreds of students who are well prepared for high school and beyond by the well rounded spiritual, academic, and physical training they received. Its long heritage reflects multiple generations of graduates who love and support the St. Mary School community. Guided by the Holy Spirit and under the protection of the Blessed Mother, the school continues to grow ever faithful to the Lord in northeastern Indiana.
Virtues in Practice helps children grow in virtues through exploring what the virtues “look like” and “sound like.” These good habits free us to be our best selves. The program covers 27 virtues over a three-year cycle. Find out more about Virtues in Practice here.
A Message from Principal Schmitt
Welcome to Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic School where it is our mission to ensure an authentic Catholic education—one that allows children to become lifelong learners with an understanding of the call to service. At Saint Mary, we establish a Christ-centered environment where Christian values rooted in the Franciscan tradition are taught, modeled, learned, and lived by all members of our community.
These values begin with a gifted, caring, and welcoming staff that
shares a host of talents with its students and, in turn, encourages students to
share their time, abilities and leadership with one another in a communion of
Faith.
As you navigate our website, you'll learn more about exciting programs where the creativity, uniqueness and self-esteem of each child is fostered and nurtured. Our students are taught the skills of critical thinking.
To this, it is one of our goals to offer an excellent education
where diversity of learning styles is honored and where individual differences
are respected. We at Saint Mary wholeheartedly believe that educating the complete child is
paramount to his/her success! Because learning takes place beyond the classroom, service to our school
and community is an integral component of each student’s learning experience.
We prepare students to be responsible citizens and stewards in a diverse and
global community.
Thank you for your interest in Saint Mary Catholic School. We hope what you see here will encourage you to visit our campus, observe the sense of community and consider the excellent educational program we offer.
Please feel free to email or call me at 260.897.3481 to schedule a visit. We would love to share our special school with you—where students have grown in wisdom and grace since 1863.
Most Sincerely,
Principal Schmitt
As required by the state and so that parents can make informed decisions about their child's education, below you will find the "Report Card" for Saint Mary School.