Letter from School Leadership

July 25, 2023

Welcome to a new school year at St. Mary Catholic School! I am blessed to have the opportunity to lead the St. Mary Catholic School community as a beacon of light of Catholic virtues and academic rigor.  As we begin the new year, I have great hope for the plans God has for our little powerhouse school!  Thank you for your continued commitment to providing your children with a Catholic education.  Sending  your children to SMCS is not only a choice, it is a statement and demonstration of your expectations, values and beliefs of an exceptional education for your  children.  We are a school whose foundation rests on the Truth’s of Catholic teachings.  We look to develop our learners in an environment that is steeped in the Love of Christ modeling charity and patience along with justice and mercy.   The commitment of our teachers goes beyond a job, but rather, a calling to serve our students with exceptional classroom instruction.   We understand the sacrifices that you make to provide your children with this educational opportunity and we value our worth as an institution.  Therefore, as a community, we must continue to call on the Holy Spirit and utilize our time, talent and treasure to collaborate as a team of parents, teachers, parishioners along with pastor and principal to provide the best educational experience for our students.  

Pope St. John Paul II stated that “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.”  The work we do as Catholic educators is to empower our students to use both faith and reason to discern and uphold Truth .   During this time of cultural shifts and relativity, children are seeking guidance and assurance.  Jesus has assured us that He is The Truth, The Life and The Way.  As a Catholic school, we are equipped to give children the tools to know the Love of God and to navigate through a world of wonder and challenges!.

I look to all of our families to engage in continuing the long history of St. Mary Catholic School as an exceptional place for learning. Every child has the right to feel safe to learn, grow and thrive simply because each one is a loved child of God. We have the great responsibility to provide a secure environment where all our students can achieve. And as a community of learners, we must all help each other to become the best versions of ourselves. With Christ as our strength, let’s lean into this work together, to provide for our children the best school year yet!

Sincerely in Him,

Michelle Smetanick, Principal