Keeping Middle School Girls Engaged in Math and Science
If you think back to your own middle school years, you probably remember a whirlwind of changes. Friend groups shifted overnight, maybe you got braces, and the pressure to fit in suddenly felt heavier than a backpack full of textbooks. It’s a chaotic time of life for any teenager. But for young women, there’s often […]
Stay Gold: Meet the Freshman Bringing Ponyboy to Life in MSM’s “The Outsiders”
“Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold.” It’s one of the most iconic lines in young adult literature, and this season, the Mount St. Mary Academy Drama Club is bringing S.E. Hinton’s timeless story to the stage! Our upcoming production of The Outsiders is 100% student-run—meaning everything from the acting and stage management to the set construction […]
No “Damsels in Distress” Required
Have you ever really looked at the cast list for a typical high school play or musical? If you have, you’ve probably noticed what we think is a frustrating problem. Walk into almost any co-ed high school auditorium on audition day, and you’ll usually find a sea of talented teenage girls outnumbering the boys by […]
Reframing Conflict Resolution at an All-Girls School
If you mention “high school girls” to most adults, a single word often pops into their heads almost immediately: Drama. It’s an elephant in the room for many parents considering an all-girls education. There’s a quiet fear that putting hundreds of teenage girls in one building will result in a pressure cooker of cliques, whispers, […]
When the “Main Event” is Always Her: The Athlete’s Advantage at an All-Girl’s School
There’s a statistic in youth sports that keeps educators and coaches up at night. It’s often called “The Cliff.” According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, girls drop out of sports at two times the rate of boys by the age of 14. Just as they’re hitting their physical stride, they walk away. The reasons are […]
The Excellence Gap
The Question Everyone Asks (But No One Says Out Loud): “Why Isn’t Tuition Enough?” We believe in radical transparency at Mount St. Mary Academy. And we know that there is one question that hovers over every fundraising appeal we send out. It’s usually whispered at cocktail parties or wondered about while writing a check: “I […]
Why “Good Students” Need Permission to Fail
The Grade is Not the Goal: Why Resilience Matters More Than Perfection We all know the student. She’s organized. Her handwriting is impeccable. She hands in every assignment two days early, and if she gets a 94% on a test, she panics. She’s what society calls a “Good Student.” But educational researchers are starting to […]
Why Choose All-Girls? The Real Advantages of an MSM Education
Choosing between a public school and a private school can be a big decision, and it often comes down to one question: Where will my daughter be best prepared for her future? At Mt. St. Mary Academy, we think the answer is an environment with an all-girls, Catholic education that’s intentionally designed to lift up […]
The Right Fit Matters: Is It Time for a Fresh Start at MSM?
It’s completely normal for a family—especially a freshman—to realize that your high school choice just wasn’t the right fit. Maybe the classes aren’t exciting enough, maybe the social scene’s too much, or maybe the community simply doesn’t feel like home. Whatever the reason, if you or your daughter are spending more time feeling unsettled than […]
Beyond the Books: Student Life @ MSM
You’ve probably checked out the academics—the AP courses, the college prep—and that’s a huge part of the picture. But high school isn’t just about what happens from 8 AM to 3 PM. It’s about everything in between and beyond. The friendships, the mentoring, the memories. It’s about finding your people, discovering new passions, and creating […]