Today is Friday the 13th but it is not an unlucky day at St. Mary Catholic School. After all, it is the last day of school and how can it be anything less than a celebration? Okay, bad example—Sloan cried her heart out the last day of the 2023-24 school year. But I think this year she realizes that the end of school isn’t something to feel sad about but rather to feel proud of.

Unlike last year, Sloan (and Beau) was all smiles today.

What is there to be proud of, you ask? I think Sloan, Beau, and their classmates can be proud at making it through the 180-day grind, putting on their uniforms for 10 months straight, and tolerating Principal Hart’s dad jokes at the weekly “Monday Meeting” assembly. 😂

Sloan and Beau stand near the Mary statue on the St. Mary Catholic School (Spokane Valley) campus. I don’t think they will mind putting away the uniforms for the next couple months.

There is much to be proud of for the greater St. Mary Catholic School community as well. It was another year of academic excellence, striving for sainthood, and growing in faith. These pursuits all moved forward in a school environment where students attend mass, teachers go to adoration, and the principal embraces his role as a servant.

Another proud moment came when Beau graduated from preschool earlier this week.

Without question, the biggest draw for me at St. Mary—which is encapsulated in the points of pride I just mentioned above—is the mission to help students get to Heaven. And how can this mission be fully executed without the people inside the school who invest their energy and prayer into lifting our children up? The answer is easy: It can’t.

We love this school and love the people who work inside it.

I decided that I wanted to dedicate this 2024-25 St. Mary school year recap to a handful of people I feel especially appreciative of this year. These five individuals either helped my children grow directly, contributed to the positive culture at St. Mary, or made my own day brighter…

With Sidney and I both working, we feel bad that we have to send Beau and Sloan to St. Mary’s EduCare program both before and after school. Although extremely appreciative of the service, we wish we had more hours with the kids. With that said, I was always comforted by Mrs. Robin Gregory’s warmth and positivity when I dropped Sloan and Beau off in the gym each morning. I enjoyed our daily 30-second conversations and Mrs. Gregory’s ability to put a smile on Sloan’s face during those days when she woke up on the wrong side of the bed or sparred with her daddy on the way to school. 🙄

Beau poses with Mrs. Robin Gregory. It was always nice to chat with her in the morning.

Mr. Hart had the audacity to ask Mrs. Anne Mileski—owner of a thriving musical education curriculum business and music faculty member at two local universities—to serve as our school’s music teacher. Guess what? She actually said YES! As you can imagine, she transformed the program. The beauty, reverence, and just general technique Anne imparted on the kids was a blessing. My mom was blown away by the sophistication and coordination of the Christmas and Spring concerts. Additionally, Sidney has grown tired at the numerous times I have told her throughout the year that Sloan’s singing voice has improved tremendously (not that it was that terrible before 🙉 🎵). It truly is amazing what beautiful music can do to improve the morale and self-respect of a community. Needless to say, St. Mary is better because of Anne.

Mrs. Anne Mileski directs Sloan’s class during the 2024 St. Mary Christmas program. Sid and I are honored to call Anne a friend.

Our MVP goes to Mrs. Jordan Hoard. She went into the 2024-25 school year just as a classroom aide but was elevated to Beau’s Pre-K4 lead teacher after a small staff shuffle took place the second week of school. Mrs. Hoard graciously stepped up and did a better job than Sid and I could have asked for. With constant communication, enthusiasm, and the utmost respect for each student, we were so impressed by how she led the Pre-K4 classroom. From conducting great parent/teacher conferences to her creativity (alphabet days, anyone?) to teaching God’s lessons at a level the kids could understand, Mrs. Hoard exceeded our expectations. You are an inspiration, Jordan! 🙌

Mrs. Jordan Hoard came to the rescue and led the St. Mary Pre-K4 class. She did an absolute superb job. This photo is of Beau and Jordan after the preschool graduation.

The other day, I told Mrs. Alisha Roberts that it doesn’t matter what position she holds at St. Mary, our community just needs her in the school somewhere. But I guess her move from an aide to the office manager made perfect sense because the gatekeeper of a school needs to have the kindness and passion that Mrs. Roberts exuberates. What a pleasure it was to engage with her throughout the year! Whether I had a question, needed to excuse Sloan/Beau, or make alternative pick up plans it was always so pleasant and efficient dealing with Mrs. Roberts. She is a true favorite of our family and we are grateful for all she does for St. Mary.

Beau and Sloan take a photo with Mrs. Alisha Roberts, a true favorite of our family.

Finally, I want to pass on my appreciation to our principal, Mr. Stephen Hart. His leadership is valued and his commitment to the St. Mary mission is admirable. Stephen runs a school that is unapologetically Catholic and the resulting “product” (as Stephen would call it) is an education that I am confident, proud, and blessed to provide for my children. Stephen doesn’t have an easy job and he works extremely hard. Like I said earlier, he truly is a servant of the community and in my mind that makes him the best leader we could ask for.

Stephen Hart, principal of St. Mary Catholic School, welcomes Sloan on the first day of the 2024-25 school year. He has provided the school with incredible leadership that is driven by his truly authentic Catholic faith.

What a year it has been! These St. Mary students experienced some big worldly changes. A Presidential election was held, Pope Francis passed away, and Pope Leo XIV was chosen to lead the Church. These events will forever provide context for the 2024-25 school year but I hope everything that transpired within the actual walls of St. Mary provides the best memories and the most meaningful mechanisms for growth.

Sloan and Beau pose on the St. Mary campus after school.

Before I sign off, I want to shout out my fellow parents. Many of you are my good friends and many of you devote so much of your time and talent to the school. As I struggle to adequately give back to St. Mary, your positive example is not lost on me. Thanks for all you do!

A great part of St. Mary is not just the bonds that are created between the students but also the bonds between the parents. This photo is of Sloan and her classmates after their Christmas concert.

Alright, summer is here! As Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski told the children at today’s end-of-school mass, we can’t take a vacation from God during the summer because he doesn’t take one from us. What a great way to navigate the next 2.5 months. We are a PROUD St. Mary family and although we are going to savor summer, we can’t wait for next school year. Don’t Blink. 🙏