Welcome to St. Margaret of Scotland School
Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions a family can make. At St. Margaret of Scotland School, we believe every child deserves a place where they are known, challenged, supported, and inspired to become the person God created them to be.
Since opening our doors in 1918, St. Margaret of Scotland School has provided generations of students with an outstanding Catholic education in the heart of the Shaw Neighborhood in the City of St. Louis. Today, we continue that tradition by combining academic excellence with faith formation, innovative teaching, and a welcoming community where every child is encouraged to grow in mind, body, and spirit.
Our school is a ministry of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish and is proud to be a diverse, urban, and inclusive Catholic community. We welcome families from across the St. Louis region and from many different backgrounds, cultures, and faith traditions. We believe that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths, enriching the educational experience and preparing students to lead with compassion, respect, and understanding. Students are admitted without discrimination, and families who support our mission are welcomed into our community.
St. Margaret’s has earned a reputation for excellence through rigorous academics, dedicated teachers, and a commitment to educating the whole child. As a National Blue Ribbon School, we challenge students to think critically, serve generously, and become confident leaders who are prepared for success in high school, college, and beyond. At the same time, faith is woven into every aspect of school life, helping students develop strong character, a spirit of service, and a lifelong relationship with Christ.
Beyond the classroom, students discover a community that is active, caring, and engaged. Whether participating in athletics, music, theater, student leadership, service projects, or parish life, every child has opportunities to develop their unique gifts and build lasting friendships.
Families often tell us that what makes St. Margaret of Scotland truly special isn’t just our academics or our programs—it’s our people. Here, parents are partners, teachers are mentors, and classmates become lifelong friends. Together, we create a community where children are encouraged to be curious, compassionate, resilient, and joyful.
Whether you’re exploring Catholic education for the first time, relocating to St. Louis, or searching for a school where your child can truly flourish, we invite you to discover what makes St. Margaret of Scotland such a special place.
We look forward to welcoming your family into ours.
Let the numbers tell some of the story.
- The student to teacher ratio averages 11:1 in preschool through third grade and 15:1 in grades four through eight.
- St. Margaret’s students consistently score higher than the national average on standardized tests in Reading, Language, and Math. The Blue Ribbon National Recognition for Excellence says it all.
- Over 90% of our students go on to college at institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, Loyola, Yale, American University, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Washington University, and Saint Louis University.
- Our Goal: 100% smart and happy.
Campus & Facilities
- Three buildings consisting of 28 classrooms
- A large self-contained playground
- A fully equipped gym
- A cafeteria serving catered delicious and nutritious lunches
- Seven mobile laptop units for student use
- A staffed and well-appointed library
- A music room
- A dedicated Learning Lab (with two staff members) for neurodiverse learners
- A science lab which provides for an exploratory, hands-on approach to learning
- A state of the art STREAM Lab and teacher
Extended Care
In order to help families with their busy schedules, St. Margaret of Scotland School offers an Aftercare program on site. The program provides childcare for children from preschool through eighth grades daily from 3:00-6:00pm.
A Brief History
We opened our doors in 1917 to students from Kindergarten through 6th grade – 392 children – under the leadership of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, moving into the actual school building in 1918. In 1920, we celebrated our first graduating class of 8th graders – 26 boys and 14 girls. In these 100+ of years of educating children, we have found ourselves at our highest enrollment of just under 700 students in the 40’s and 50’s and our lowest enrollment of fewer than 200 hundred students in the 70’s and 80’s.
Today, we are a school of over 450 children, preschool through 8th grade, cared for by over 40 dedicated staff members. As we enter into our second century of learning, we strive to live our Mission and Beliefs as we continue to own our reputation for active faith and challenging academics.
Tradition In The
21st Century
Our school may be over 100 years old, but that just means that we offer a dynamic mixture of the most effective teaching methods of the past in conjunction with the new more progressive teaching techniques of today.
We understand the importance of our history and tradition, while embracing the innovation and technology that will help our students thrive in the future.
Please browse our website and get to know St. Margaret of Scotland School a learning community dedicated to faith and thinking for the 21st century.
St. Margaret of Scotland School — By The Numbers
Years of excellence in Catholic education and stronger than ever
Students enrolled from more than 25 ZIP codes in St. Louis metro area
1:1
Technology for students in Grades K-8, including classroom SMART Boards
1
Brand-new middle school – the first free-standing Catholic school built in the city since 1950
Graduates accepted into their first-choice high school
2010
Year awarded National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
