The first thing you may notice as you walk in the doors of either St. Mary of the Lake or St. Thomas of Canterbury Schools is the diversity of the student body. Representing the wide range of ethnic groups that you will find in Uptown, our students are the children of established parish families as well as first-generation immigrants from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Vietnam. This collective richness of culture and experience help create a unique learning environment for all students at our schools.

Christine Boyd has led St. Thomas of Canterbury School (now located on the campus of St. Ita Church) for many years, with great success with boosting attendance and expanding the mission of the school. Inspired by the social mission of the Catholic Church, Principal Christine Boyd worked tirelessly for years to make St. Thomas of Canterbury accessible to area immigrant families as well as parish members. She has done the same for St. Mary of the Lake School.

Partnerships with parish communities, Big Shoulders, and private donors have substantially reduced the cost of tuition and made scholarships available to qualifying families. Through the generosity of these donors, and the dedication of volunteers, faculty, and staff, we are happy to offer our students a solid academic foundation with plenty of support for English Language Learners and students with special learning needs. Our students go on to attend well-reputed Catholic and public high schools throughout the city of Chicago.

At St. Mary of the Lake and St. Thomas of Canterbury schools, even students whose families fall below the federal poverty line have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. To this day, Christine Boyd continues as principal of both schools, assisted by St. Thomas alumna, Sharee Onyezia. Thanks to their tireless efforts, and that of both schools' teachers, staff and volunteers, our schools remain full and our families happy.