Orange County IB School Hires Outstanding Maker Educator to Open a New Design Center

St. Mary’s School is an independent day school that serves over 700 students, Pre-K through Grade 8, in Aliso Viejo, CA. As the only independent school in Orange County that offers the international baccalaureate (IB) program from primary school through middle school, St. Mary’s is committed to a globally-minded and innovative curriculum that, in many ways, stands alone within the educational landscape in Orange County. St. Mary’s students are prepared not only for the next steps in their educational journey, but also to become courageous, caring, global citizens and enlightened leaders of tomorrow.

In the summer of 2024, construction began on a 28,000 square foot facility, which would open in 2025 and include a design center comprising five specialty labs and a gallery space. The director of the design center would lead the transition into this new space, oversee the design center and its resources, and collaborate with faculty and academic leadership to fully integrate design thinking with St. Mary’s outstanding IB and design-centered curriculum. The director of the design center would report to the director of technology and innovation.  St. Mary's was seeking someone with expertise in design thinking and a relational approach to leadership.

St. Mary’s School was thrilled to welcome Trent Jones to the position in the summer of 2024.