St. Mary's Canossian College is a Roman Catholic Secondary School founded in 1900 by the Canossian Daughters of Charity , which remains to this day, the school's sponsoring body. St Mary's School, as it was then known, was originally intended for the many Portuguese girls living in Kowloon (Hong Kong), though, gradually, it came to have a student population of over 98% Chinese.

The purpose of the School, located on the Kowloon Peninsula, Tsimshatsui District, was, and remains, that of educating young women to the Christian spirit of love and concern for others, while, at the same time, imparting an intellectual and a human overall formation which is second to none. Students are motivated and encouraged by a dedicated staff of Sisters and lay teachers to develop positive-thinking, self-discipline and self-learning attitudes in their pursuit of academic excellence, communication skills, rapport and leadership skills through community services and extra-curricular activities.

School sponsoring body

The Sisters of the Canossian Daughters of Charity, as missionaries, in the spirit of Magdalen of Canossa, their Foundress, were inspired to establish this school in 1900. Since then under the management of the Sisters and the dedication of the whole staff, the school has grown and flourished.

School mission statement

St. Mary's Canossian College is committed to: the principle that ALL OUR STUDENTS CAN develop to their full capacity. It is our mission to provide a positive learning environment that enhances each student's opportunity to learn and develop at her own rate through a BALANCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME which recognizes the need for growth in attitude, knowledge and skills through MORAL, INTELLECTUAL, SOCIAL, PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL and AESTHETIC DEVELOPMENT. the enhancement of the GOSPEL VALUES and SELF-ESTEEM through the creation of a POSITIVE and TRUSTFULL ENVIRONMENT. Our long-term goal is to groom DYNAMIC, CARING, GOAL-DIRECTED and SELF-MOTIVATED St. Marians for the dynamic age of the third millennium.

The Way to our Mission: SMCC adopts a LIBERAL APPROACH to teaching and learning which encourages SELF-MOTIVATION, UNDERSTANDING, CREATIVITY and CHARACTER BUILDING - an approach which stresses not so much of getting a good grade per se but more the development of diversified interests, leadership skills and a balanced personality

School motto

"Cor Unum et Via Una". This Latin phrase means "One Heart and One Way". 'One Heart' signifies a heart of love and compassion, a heart with noble yearnings for virtue and knowledge and a heart ready to strive, to grow, and to serve. 'One Way' signifies the Gospel way of truth and fullness of life, which is envisaged in the Canossian education mission. St. Marians, all united in spirit and action, pledge to walk together in God's love along the way of Gospel truth.

School description

St. Mary's has a population of around 1400 students, from Form One (Grade 7) to Form Seven (Grade 13). In its effort to develop each person to her fullest, the school offers a great variety of subjects and extra-curricular activities to allow the students to grow and learn those skills which are essential in today's society. Most of St. Mary's students qualify for local universities, though a good number prefer to go abroad, mainly to U.K., U.S.A., Canada and Australia, for further studies. St. Mary's Alumnae have been admitted to outstanding academic institutions, such as Cambridge, London, Oxford, M.I.T., Stanford, distinguishing themselves for their abilities and seriousness of purpose. Most of them were (or are) scholarship holders excelling in both curricular and extra-curricular fields.

School history

St. Mary's Canossian College was founded in 1900 by the Institute of the Canossian Daughters of Charity, a Catholic Religious Institute whose Foundress is Magdalen of Canossa of the ancient noble family of Verona, Italy. Magdalen was canonised on 2 October 1988 for her sanctity and is honoured by the Church as St. Magdalen of Canossa. The beginnings of St. Mary's Canossian College were extremely modest. The school started only with 2 classrooms for boys and girls in response to the need for a school in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. The small school admitted 30 pupils and was named St. Mary's School. The small beginnings developed rapidly as the population in Kowloon grew. In 1960 the enrolment was 2500 including the Primary Section. In the same year the Secondary Section was named "St. Mary's Canossian College", a grant-in-aid school for girls while the Primary Section was re-named "St. Mary's Canossian School".

Source

• School Homepage