Yes, SMS is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges until 2026. Our re-accreditation takes places in 2026 and our school is currently undergoing its Program Visit this spring after having successfully completed its Foundation Visit in the fall of 2025.
Prekindergarten (3 & 4 year olds) through grade 8.
Yes, all Milford residents have busing available.
7:50am – 2:30pm for our Kindergarten - 8th graders, and 8:30am - 2:30pm for our Prekindergarten students. Our half-day Prekindergarten class runs from 8:30am until 11:00am.
Drop-off begins in the K-8 school at 7:25am, just after busses finish dropping off. For the convenience of our families, we also offer before-care beginning at 7:30am for Prekindergarten for no additional cost.
Total enrollment for 2024 - 2025 school year is 417.
Yes, we have a full-time nurse who is designated to us from the Milford Health Department. We also have a part-time school therapist on staff.
We have 28 full time teachers and 17 part time teachers (including specials & aides). All members of the professional staff are either certified or what the State considers to be the equivalent of certified, and most have advanced degrees. All have been approved by the Archdiocese of Hartford and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. All staff members have gone through background checks and full-time teachers receive ongoing professional development.
There is a school uniform. As students’ progress through the grades they change slightly. Different versions are worn by the prekindergarten, kindergarten–grade 5, grades 6–7, and 8th grade students. There is also a gym uniform that everyone wears on gym day.
Saint Mary students in grades 1-8 are administered the NWEA Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment each fall, winter and spring. MAP is an adaptive assessment which measures growth rather than simply end of year achievement. Results are immediate and accurate, allowing teachers to identify the strength and growth opportunities for each child in their classrooms to inform instruction.
2025-2026 NWEA MAP results indicate that the majority of our students are scoring well above the National Norm Grade Level Mean in Reading, Language Usage and Mathematics.
The average ratio in K-8 is 17 to 1, and 9 to 1 in our prekindergarten.
Besides the regular subjects of religion, language arts, math, science and social studies, the students also have art, music, foreign language (Spanish), STREAM, and physical education. The students receive health education as well as substance abuse and violence resistance education. Family Life is integrated with the Religion curriculum.
We are a one-to-one device school, with each student assigned a device at the outset of the year to use in school. Classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, Chromebooks and iPads.
No, all religious affiliations are welcome.
We have students currently enrolled from 18 towns including Orange, Woodbridge, Bethany, West Haven, Derby, New Haven, Hamden, North Branford, Easton, Oxford, Ansonia, Shelton, Stratford, Seymour, Stamford, Trumbull, North Branford, Guilford, Fairfield, and of course Milford.
Yes, our students celebrate monthly Mass and prayer services.
Virtually all graduates are accepted into the high school of their choice. For the 2025 graduates, they went on to attend Sacred Heart Academy, Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Fairfield Prep, Lauralton Hall, Canterbury School, Mercy High School, St. Joseph High School, and Notre Dame Prep of Sacred Heart University. Most achieve honor status in the first semester of high school. Schools consistently report our students as being well prepared for the rigors of secondary education.
Our aftercare program is offered each school day for all St. Mary students, prekindergarten - grade 8, from dismissal until 5:30pm for a fee each day. Students can use this as often or as little as they like, and use a form to sign up. Students do their homework, have a snack, receive extra help and tutoring for our older grades, and play outdoors (weather permitting). Our after-school program is staffed by SMS faculty and staff is paid through family FACTS accounts. The costs are as follows:
Monthly Aftercare: $400 (family $600)
Weekly: $120 (family $200)
Daily use $30- (family $50)
Yes, tuition assistance is available. Last year, over $30,000 in tuition assistance was awarded.
In accordance with State law, students must be 5 years old by September 1 of the school year.
Under the guidance of the Milford Police & Fire Departments, as well as a private security consultant, and monitored by our safety committee, our school works vigorously to maintain a safe learning environment. New door locks, closed circuit television, two way radios, practice drills, and ongoing training are just some of the steps being taken. All school entrances are locked with a call box and video surveillance, and all staff must wear identification badges and use pass keys. For the 2023-2024 school year, almost $100,000 in additional safety measures was invested into our school.
A student must have successfully completed the previous level at a recognized educational institution and be judged to be academically, socially and behaviorally prepared to enter the school of the particular grade level, after successfully undergoing the admissions process described HERE.
Teachers’ observations will most certainly be shared with parents. Open lines of communication are always welcome and, in some cases, parents may notice academic or other difficulties first. Parents are encouraged to share their observations with teachers.
Studies show that parents place their children in St. Mary School:
