Mission Statement

St. Mary’s College is a Catholic Secondary School for girls under the Trusteeship of CEIST and welcomes students of all persuasions. We are committed to educating the whole person to her full potential in a caring, supportive and joyful environment in partnership with parents and community.

To mark the setting up of CEIST, Student, Oana Gaftoi, Form 6, was selected to undertake a large painting that would symbolise the spirit of CEIST. This painting is now on display on the main corridor and is greatly admired (see below).

Aims

• To foster an awareness of the dignity and uniqueness of each person by promoting the
• self esteem of each student.
• To educate the full potential of each student aesthetically, academically, spiritually and physically.
• To develop good relations between staff and students and between students, in the daily life of the school.
• To provide stimulating challenges for all students through a wide range of activities.
• To use every opportunity to improve and maintain the physical and social environment in the school.
• To develop good links between the school, the home and the community, making full use of the specialist services in the community for advice and support.
• To facilitate and develop informed, loving, discerning students who have a sense of social responsibility and a sensitive active response to human need in keeping with the Catholic Ethos of the school.

School History

The sisters of Mercy came to Arklow from Rathdrum in 1881 and began an apostolate in education. In 1903 the Sisters opened a boarding school to facilitate students who lived great distances from the school.

In the mid 50’s the boarding school was extended and a new building, Maris Stella, was erected to provide day education for the local population.

Assessing the trends of development in economic and population growth, the Sisters perceived the way forward for Arklow was to facilitate the provision of increased day education and accordingly phased out the boarding school in the 1970’s.

Cluain Mhuire building was opened in 1985.