St. Mary's Academy (SMA) is a Catholic, independent day school in the Loretto tradition located in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. Founded by the Sisters of Loretto in 1864, St. Mary’s Academy educates boys and girls in a vibrant community grounded in the Loretto School Values of faith, community, justice and respect. St. Mary’s Academy is composed of a co-ed Lower School (co-ed junior kindergarten through grade 5) and Middle School (co-ed grades 6-8), and continues its long tradition as a college preparatory high school for girls (grades 9-12). Three times the U.S. Department of Education has honored St. Mary’s Academy as a School of Excellence (a program initially titled Blue Ribbon Schools). St.