I know I am a few years late using this phrase, but Sloan and Beau understood the assignment! Today they concluded the 2025-26 school year and are now on summer break.

The 2025-26 St. Mary Catholic School year came to a close this morning. Students, staff, and Fr. Jeff huddled together for this photo after mass (photo courtesy of Paolo Davila de Muela).

This recently completed school year, our sixth at St. Mary Catholic School, was a success. Not because our kids were perfect (they weren’t), not because Sloan was immune from drama (she wasn’t), and not because Beau was a perfect angel (don’t make me laugh), but because there was obvious growth—from both an academic, social, and spiritual standpoint.

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo inside St. Mary Catholic Church (Spokane Valley) during 2026 Catholic Schools Week. They weren’t perfect this school year but they did experience growth.

Sloan wrote book reports, learned multiplication and division, played basketball, joined the chess club, read her Catholic School Week essay at mass, and continued to forge close relationships with her very tight-knit class.

Sloan had a good third grade year.

Beau learned the basics of reading, tackled homework for the first time, endeared himself to his classmates, took a turn as star student of the week, and masterfully read the responsorial psalm at a recent school mass.

It was awesome to see Beau make strides in reading this year.

But the thing that makes St. Mary such a special school is that it is never about the individual performance of any one student—it is about the community as a whole.

And trust me, what I just wrote isn’t a hollow statement. I observed firsthand the pride and care that exists within the walls of St. Mary as I served on the 2025-26 School Advisory Council (SAC) with select school staff members and a handful of other parents. We discussed issues facing the school, opportunities for improvement, and proactive ideas to implement. The genuine desire to continually advance the school is inspiring and I was so impressed by the staff members who would stay long after the school day concluded to attend these meetings. Mrs. Kathy Olsen, Mrs. Devon Rapp, Mrs. Sharon Lonergan, and Mr. Kevin Schultz—you are all AMAZING!

I am heartened by how the St. Mary staff members support Sloan and Beau.

Don’t think I forgot about the individual who chairs SAC. Principal Stephen Hart did a fabulous job leaning into the expertise of each person on the committee—staff member and parent alike—to uncover the best ideas and guidance.

I snapped this photo of Mr. Stephen Hart when he opened the doors of St. Mary Catholic School (Spokane Valley) to begin the 2025-26 school year. Today he closed those doors on a successful year.

But let me make an overall assessment of Mr. Hart and his impact at St. Mary: It isn’t an accident that the school is devotedly Catholic, enrollment keeps climbing, test scores are superb, and that BIG plans are on the horizon. Stephen’s leadership has transformed the school community over the past three years and we couldn’t be in better hands.

And to think that Mr. Hart could still be in the public school system if a certain person didn’t make a somewhat unconventional hire at the end of the 2022-23 school year…

Today, Fr. Jeff Lewis said his last school mass at St. Mary (Spokane Valley). The kids got a photo with him afterwards.

As we say goodbye to Fr. Jeff Lewis as he leaves for his new assignment in Walla Walla, there is no doubt that his work with the school will be part of his outstanding and expansive legacy at St. Mary. Aside from his slam dunk principal hire, he made consistent/legendary visits to the classrooms, presided over beautiful school masses, and did whatever humanely possible to assist with fundraising. He worked great with Mr. Hart and always did what was in the best interest of the school. We will miss him dearly.

Fr. Jeff Lewis receives the gifts from Sloan during a St. Mary School mass. He always did an incredible job with the students.

Finally, my admiration for what we have going at St. Mary doesn’t just extend to the students, staff, principal, or even Fr. Jeff. I am also continually impressed with my fellow parents. Make no mistake about it, at any private school the moms, dads, and guardians can have an oversized influence—for better or worse. Of course, no matter where you go, any school will probably have a mix of both…St. Mary is no different. But I believe the positivity overwhelmingly outweighs the negativity and some of that evidence can be found in the parents of the third grade and kindergarten classes.

Beau poses with his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Kristen Mead, this morning. Mrs. Mead is not only a St. Mary teacher but a St. Mary parent as well. In fact, she is one of the third grade parents in Sloan’s class.

Some of the moms and dads in Sloan’s class (and their kids) have been around since we started her in Pre-K3 six years ago. The students in the third grade class are extremely close and that bond extends to us parents as well. I am constantly amazed at how supportive they are not just of the school but of my kids (Beau, too). I watch as many of these parents invest heavily in both their time and money to bolster St. Mary Catholic School…it blows me away.

The third grade class is close and it extends from the students to the parents as well. It was extremely special that Sloan and her classmates made their First Communion/Confirmation together this year.

Then we have the parents in Beau’s class. Sid and I have had the chance to get to know many of them better over this school year (hello birthday party circuit! 😂) and I am really impressed by their energy and passion. There are parents in that class who are going to spearhead some major projects that will keep the school’s current momentum for years to come. But aside from the big picture, my heart is warmed by how quickly the parents in Beau’s class volunteer and lift each other up. Oh, and the way they showed up at this year’s school auction was the stuff of legends.

Beau’s kindergarten class has a lot of energy…both the students and the parents.

The summer is now upon us and I hope the entire school community is looking forward to some well-deserved rest and relaxation. As Fr. Jeff said in his final St. Mary School homily this morning, it would serve us all well to enter into friendship with Jesus over the break. When the 2026-27 school year starts on Aug. 31, things will look a little different with Fr. Curtis Seidel overseeing the school and some new teachers roaming the halls. But as I have alluded to throughout this post, the foundation for saint-making has been set and the sky…I mean Heaven…is the limit 🙏🏻. Thanks be to God. Don’t Blink.