Discover the Difference: A Classical Education at St. Monica Catholic School
Is private Catholic education right for your family? For many Mercer Island parents, the answer has increasingly been yes.
Since the pandemic, St. Monica Catholic School has flourished—with full classrooms, growing waitlists, and a vibrant community of families who believe in both academic excellence and the formation of character. At St. Monica, strong test scores and rigorous academics are valued alongside the cultivation of virtue, wisdom, and faith. The result is an education that shapes not only how students think, but who they become.
St. Monica is intentionally small, offering one class per grade from preschool through high school. That structure creates a community where every student is known, supported, and encouraged to thrive. Families often describe the school as an extension of home—close-knit, caring, and grounded in shared values.
Each month, the school celebrates students who exemplify virtues such as kindness, perseverance, humility, and integrity. These recognitions remind students that success is not only measured by grades or accolades, but by the goodness they bring to others. “We celebrate values as much as victories,” notes Principal Marybeth Bohm—a philosophy that sets the tone for the entire community.
Leadership is also a hallmark of the St. Monica experience. Older students serve as mentors to younger ones, helping them navigate school life with confidence and compassion. Teachers, in turn, act as mentors to middle and high school students, guiding them through challenges and opportunities with care and wisdom.
As a Classical Catholic school, St. Monica offers a curriculum that draws on the timeless traditions of Western learning. From our youngest learners on up to high school, students engage with great works of literature, philosophy, history, and theology, learning not only what to think, but how to think. For example, in a lesson on heroism, students might read Theseus and the Minotaur, reflect on the heroes in their own lives, and then connect those lessons to faith—ultimately exploring Christ as the model of selfless courage. Through the stages of the trivium—grammar, logic, and rhetoric—students become critical thinkers who can form a clear thesis, marshal evidence, and communicate with precision.
Writing is carried across subjects at St. Monica. Beginning in the elementary years and deepening in middle and high school, students learn to craft thesis-driven essays, defend ideas in Socratic seminars. Frequent drafting and feedback teach them to revise thoughtfully, cite sources responsibly, and write with voice and conviction—skills that serve them in any discipline.
The world of education is changing rapidly, with more screens in classrooms and conversations about artificial intelligence shaping the future of learning. St. Monica offers something both timeless and transformative. Technology is used purposefully—as a tool for learning, not the focus of it. Teachers emphasize curiosity, conversation, and human connection as the foundation for understanding. The school believes that students who are well read, rooted in virtue, and capable of building real relationships will be best prepared to lead with clarity and conscience in an ever-changing world.
Recent accomplishments showcase the school’s commitment to both faith and scholarship.
- Peter Briggs (grade 10) placed in the top 5% of students in the Western United States on the Classical Learning Test (CLT), an achievement that underscores St. Monica’s commitment to intellectual rigor and curiosity.
- Lucas Yau (grade 6) earned 1st place in the Individual Subject Test for English Grammar at the Catholic Schools Junior High Academic Decathlon, reflecting both his diligence and the school’s academic strength.
- St. Monica’s preschool teachers have been recognized by the Mercer Island Preschool Association (MIPA) for two consecutive years for their excellence in early childhood education.
St. Monica Catholic School offers a Classical education from preschool through grade 12—where faith, reason, and virtue come together to form confident, compassionate leaders.
In a time when many schools focus on flashy campuses and childhood empowerment trends, St. Monica remains committed to what truly endures: the importance and innocence of childhood, forming a student’s mind and soul, nurturing wisdom as well as knowledge, and helping every student discover the purpose God has planned for them.
For families who want to experience the difference firsthand, St. Monica Catholic School invites you to visit and see what makes this community so special. Schedule a tour at www.stmonicasea.org. Applications for the 2026–27 school year are due by January 30.