Our Mission

The Aquinas Institute of Rochester is a Catholic, private, college preparatory, co-educational school educating in the Basilian tradition. Our mission is to teach all students goodness, discipline, and knowledge, supported through Gospel values, within a comprehensive curricular and co-curricular program that will prepare them to be responsible and caring citizens.

Our Beliefs

Our school community is centered in the teachings of Jesus Christ as expressed in our motto, “I believe whatever the Son of God has said.”
Our students are taught goodness, discipline, and knowledge.
We will treat all others as children of God, deserving of respect and dignity.
Education is a lifelong process that develops the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.
Service to others is our expression of Christ’s love for us.
Tradition is an honored aspect of our Aquinas school family.
We are dedicated to being an integral part of the City of Rochester community.

Our Profile of an Aquinas Graduate

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." (1 Jn. 3:18).

As an Aquinas student, there is an expectation of growth in each individual's personal relationship with Jesus Christ and an understanding of each person's individual commitment to Gospel values and the greater good. Aquinas graduates are expected to be prepared to live out the Aquinas motto, "I believe whatever the Son of God has said," through actions that demonstrate Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge in all parts of daily life.

Upon graduation, the Aquinas senior will demonstrate:

GOODNESS through confidence in sharing the Gospel message and by treating all others with respect and dignity as brothers and sisters who are all created in God's image as evidenced by:

Exhibiting a caring and ethical approach to decision-making and personal interactions.
Demonstrating the principles of servant leadership in the Aquinas and global community.
Celebrating cultural differences and embracing diverse people and perspectives.
Demonstrating compassion and empathy toward others.
Care for the environment and all of God's creation.

DISCIPLINE through a strong sense of personal responsibility to self and others as evidenced by:

Making strong decisions based on integrity.
Taking on leadership roles and modeling courage when confronted with hate or injustice.
Attention to mental and physical health.
Being self-aware and taking accountability for their actions.
Being a responsible and caring citizen in the real and virtual world.

KNOWLEDGE through a strong faith in God and an understanding of the truth as evidenced by:

Embracing life-long learning, in all aspects of life.
Seeking dialogue to understand more completely.
Consistently demonstrating effective communication through strong written, verbal, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.
Demonstrating 21st century skills around technology, information, and media in an ethical manner.
Making responsible and well-informed decisions.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Aquinas celebrates and maintains an environment that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion consistent with our mission and values. We will strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all students to feel welcome; to defeat racism, classism, and other forms of discrimination and intolerance; and ensure that Aquinas continues to be fully inclusive and a safe place for all.

Goodness

We affirm the intrinsic goodness of every person as we are all created in God’s image and endowed by the Creator with dignity and rights across all differences, irrespective of background, ethnicity, race, religion, gender, wealth, or self-identity.

Discipline

Our responsibility is to build a community where all people feel safe, belong, are included, and able to have authentic engagement in our community. We stand in solidarity to live as one Aquinas family.

Knowledge

We strive to learn from the past and better our future. We take pride in our different backgrounds and experiences and embrace all of the ways in which we are diverse. We will act with courage when confronted with injustice, translating these values into action by promoting a spirit of diversity and inclusion through academic inquiry, continued dialogue, and programs and opportunities that reflect our foundational belief in the dignity of all people.