Function and Goals of the School

Mission Statement

The St.Marks Day School promotes educational integrity, moral strength, personal responsibility and cultural awareness. The school is driven by the pursuit of academic excellence within a religious community creating a foundation for lifetime learning.

The school is owned and operated by the Church of St. Mark and its subsidiaries. It functions under the control and direction of the Rector and Vestry of the parish. The Rector is the Headmaster and Chief Administrator of the school, and together with the Principal, Vice Principals, Chief Custodian and the Bursar comprise the Administrative staff. They work in concert with the school leadership team and are responsible for the policy, programs and operations of the school.

The Board of Trustees is appointed by the headmaster to provide general oversight of the school, its policies and vision. It is a standing committee of the vestry, and as such reports all matters of the school to the vestry. It is comprised of church representatives, community leaders, educators and benefactors. It ultimately gives counsel and guidance to the administrative staff in the development of school policies.

The ultimate function and goal of the school is to provide quality education at a manageable cost within a disciplined, structured, religious atmosphere. Our academic core, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic are supplemented by the New York State Education standards and curriculum. However, additional emphasis is placed on our three R's, Religion, Respect and Responsibility as necessary building blocks in this process.

It is our goal that each student learns from the first day of school right through to graduation. It is our further belief that education is a force used to equip and empower each student to function creatively and efficiently in society. If each student develops a sense of self-respect and internal self-reliance it will allow them to maximize their ability to cope, and configure their destiny as leaders in our community.

The school, while it is an academic community in its own right, is a Church-sponsored enterprise, incorporating religious beliefs as an ongoing component of our educational process. Our educational philosophy is that all truth comes from GOD as revealed for the Christian in JESUS CHRIST. This leads to the conclusion that God is present in all classroom activity, and that all materials including scientific investigations, are studied in the light of truth.

The difference between a public school and the St. Mark's Day School is felt in the tone and atmosphere, which permeate our environment, and make for increased productivity. With this in place, teachers and students find education a joyful excursion.