Seminar
The Seminar Program at Saint Mary's School is a hallmark of our academic excellence, offering students an opportunity to engage deeply with interdisciplinary topics through critical thinking, research, and collaboration, preparing them for college-level study and beyond.
Students participate in Seminar as a class throughout their four years at Saint Mary’s. The Seminar course series is designed to develop the 10 Key Competencies and includes exciting opportunities for students to partner with resources and organizations in the greater Raleigh area. Central to Saint Mary’s mission of preparing girls for college and life, Seminar is a graduation requirement with completion of the Seminar curriculum required with each semester of enrollment.
Portfolio for Life
All students create and maintain a digital “Portfolio for Life” that chronicles their experiences at Saint Mary’s and their leadership development in the 10 Key Competencies. The portfolio gives students a tool to reflect on their growth, assess their efforts, and celebrate their successes. Students graduate with a Portfolio for Life that gives them a clear record of their learning and growth as well as a resource to confidently talk about themselves and their skills.
9th Grade Seminar: Foundations for Leadership
This course focuses on the individual student and how their strengths and experiences inform their lives as future leaders, with a recognition that leadership can take many forms. The year will begin with an exploration of how healthy, balanced habits with supportive relationships are the foundation of a successful life. A special focus is given to communication, both online and verbal; including professionalism, active listening, self-advocacy, and public speaking. Finally, the role of growth mindset as it relates to leadership will be explored with a unit focusing on entrepreneurship and design thinking, incorporating the resources available in Saint Mary’s Makerspace.
10th Grade Seminar
Students in 10th grade seminar learn about how they can leverage their strengths to have a positive impact on their communities. During the communication track they focus on thorny digital citizenship issues as they learn how to craft engaging lessons which they in turn teach to students in 9th grade seminar. The innovation track focuses on what it means to be a “maker” as students use design thinking to tackle hands-on challenges including 3-d printing and visual design. The 10th grade health and wellness track is crafted to provide students with age-appropriate instruction on mental, emotional, and physical health and includes many outside guests to share their expertise. Finally, the social impact track allows 10th grade students to have an impact on their communities as they learn about grant-writing and budgeting as they complete a “mini-grant” project.
11th Grade Seminar
This course provides the opportunity for students to learn how to leverage their story to create new opportunities and to understand what they have to offer for the world. The communication track focuses on the importance of communicating strengths to colleges and future employers through resumes and mock interviews. The social impact track incorporates experiences, such as engaging in difficult conversations in a civil manner with practical skills including understanding taxes and credit card scores to illustrate how students can impact and be impacted by the world. The health and wellness track discusses topics related to both personal health and community-wide safety. The innovation track helps students learn to solve a complex problem for a real business with a diverse team.
12th Grade Seminar
During the first semester, students have small group instruction with the Saint Mary’s college counseling team as they navigate the college admission process. In the second semester, seniors choose to complete an internship or capstone project specific to their interests and aspirations. Students must present a successful defense of their work before a panel of adults and peers at the end of the semester.
