The first thing you may notice as you walk in the doors of either St. Mary of the Lake or St. Thomas of Canterbury Schools is the diversity of the student body.  Representing the wide range of ethnic groups that you will find in Uptown, our students are the children of established parish families as well as first-generation immigrants from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Vietnam.  This collective richness of culture and experience help create a unique learning environment for all students at our schools.

St. Mary and St. Thomas have historically served the families of the parish communities.  In recent years, the mission of these schools has been dramatically expanded.  Inspired by the social mission of the Catholic Church, Principal Christine Boyd has worked tirelessly make the schools accessible to area immigrant families as well as parish members.  She has partnered with parish communities, Big Shoulders, and private donors to substantially reduce the cost of tuition and offer scholarships to qualifying families.  As a result of her efforts, even students whose families fall below the federal poverty line have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education.  Through the generosity of donors, and the dedication of volunteers, faculty, and staff, we are happy to offer our students a solid academic foundation with plenty of support for English Language Learners and students with special learning needs.  Our students go on to attend well-reputed Catholic and public high schools on the North Side.