At a Glance

Since 1911, St. Margaret School has provided generations of students with an education combining academic excellence with Catholic values. Our students are challenged and stimulated in an environment that nurtures individual development and is characterized by Catholic beliefs and values, strong academics, parental involvement, and community service. St. Margaret School builds a strong foundation for preschool through middle school.

Our School At a Glance
  • Current Enrollment: 680 Students
  • Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:15
  • Average class (gr. 1-8) size overall: 21
Class Configurations At a Glance
  • One Pre-K3 class (Mornings: Tuesday/Thursday)
  • One Pre-K3 class (Mornings: Monday/Wednesday/Friday)
  • Two Pre-K4 classes ( 5 full-day or half-day options)
  • One Pre-K4 class (full-day or half-day options: Monday/Wednesday/Friday morning)
  • Three Kindergarten classes (each class with a Teaching Assistant)
  • Three homeroom classes in each grade 1- 3 (Teaching Assistants in grades 1-2)
  • Three homeroom classes in grade 4
  • Three homeroom classes in grade 5
  • Three homeroom classes in grades 6, 7, and 8
  • Special Classes for K-8 students include: P.E., Library/Media, Technology, Spanish, Art, and Music
  • Special Classes for PreK students include: P.E., Music, Library/Media
Faculty & Staff At a Glance
  • Admissions Director 1
  • Advancement Director 1
  • Administrators: 3
  • Administrative staff: 4
  • Business Manager: 1
  • Bookkeeper: 1
  • Extended Day Care Director: 1
  • Extended Day Care Assistants: 12
  • Registered Nurses: 2 (one on each campus)
  • School Counselor: 2 (one on each campus)
  • Technology Coordinator: 1
  • Asst. Technology Coordinator: 1
  • Full-time Teachers: 31
  • Part-time Teachers: 4
  • Resource Teachers: 2
  • Teaching Assistants: 13
  • Average years of teaching experience: 14
  • Percentage of teachers holding Bachelor’s degrees: 93%
  • Percentage of teachers holding Master’s degrees: 53%

2013 National Blue Ribbon School

St. Margaret School was honored to be acknowledged as a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School. This means that Saint Margaret School is a school that, according to its standardized test scores, ranked in the top 15% of schools in the nation and proves to be an exemplary school in other areas of viability. This includes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools. Only 50 private schools in the nation are selected each year. An extensive application was completed focusing on success indicators in curriculum, methodologies, instruction, professional development, and governance. All reports were substantiated by data and narratives. Schools that are eligible for this award all have exemplary test scores and strong academic programs; however, their unique “story” will set them apart from others. Here, at St. Margaret School, our strong Catholic Identity and focus on spreading the Gospel message highlights our commitment to service and faith-filled education.

St. Margaret School in Bel Air, MD

Green School Recognition

The Maryland Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education awarded St. Margaret School the Green School Award in the year 2013 and renewed it in 2017. This award is bestowed upon schools that comply with their criteria for classroom integration of environmental issue instruction; environmental-related professional development for the faculty; a celebration of the numerous school’s achievements; demonstration of selected conservation best management practices; and sustained school-community partnerships to enhance environmental learning. 

Positive School Environment

To foster a positive school environment where all students are educated in a safe and caring atmosphere, all Archdiocesan schools follow established procedures for prevention and intervention for bullying, harassment, or intimidation. Positive Behavioral Intervention & Support (PBIS) has been implemented in every Archdiocesan elementary and high school to enhance students’ academic and social behavior outcomes.

Gold Award Honor for PBIS Program

In 2019, the State of Maryland awarded St. Margaret School the Gold Award for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support.

Silver Award Honor for PBIS Program

In 2018, the State of Maryland awarded St. Margaret School the Silver Award for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support. 

Bronze Award Honor for PBIS Program

In 2017, the State of Maryland awarded St. Margaret School the Bronze Award for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support.

Cognia

St. Margaret School is fully accredited by Cognia. AdvancED is dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide. The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) are accreditation divisions of AdvancED.

All Archdiocesan high schools and elementary schools are accredited as a system through Cognia. Every five years, the Department of Catholic Schools completes a system-wide accreditation review, which culminates with a visit by an AdvancED External Review Team. Each school is evaluated based on the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools. These standards and benchmarks can be found at http://www.catholicschoolstandards.org.

Cognia is a performance-based model that…

  • Adopts a balanced, systemic approach
  • Employs diagnostic tools
  • Uses standards, stakeholder feedback, and student performance
  • Focuses on evaluating performance