Dear St. Mary’s Families,
Welcome back from Thanksgiving break. I hope you were able to rest, relax and enjoy family and friends.
We have two and a half weeks until Christmas break. The weeks ahead are full of many special events, projects, and other unique activities. Please keep a watchful eye on the calendar as we approach the end of the first semester and prepare for the joy of Christmas. Most immediate attention includes:
- December 6 – Breakfast with St. Nick
- December 8- Feast of the Immaculate Conception – Holy Day of obligation (Mass on Monday instead of Wednesday)
- December 12 – Our Lady of Guadalupe – Please join us for a special Prayer Square
- December 16 – Christmas Program – 6:00 pm in the Church
- December 17 – Pastorela – 2:15 pm. – Everyone is invited to watch this annual production starring our middle school students
The 2026-27 School Academic Calendar has been set. I am excited to announce the first day of school in the Fall of 2026 will be August 19th. We still have a number of events to finalize, but the linked calendar gives you the days we are in and out of school.
OUR MISSION:
St. Mary’s School is to provide a Catholic environment that instills academic excellence while preparing the whole child for life-long personal and spiritual growth, empowering them to become global citizens.
Breakfast with St. Nick – December 6, 2025 – 8:00 am
Please make room on your calendar for Breakfast with St. Nick on December 6th. Starting at 8:00 am, Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be available for pictures while breakfast is being served in the school cafeteria. HO-HO-HO!🧑🎄
Idaho Tax Credit – Due December 31, 2025
St. Mary’s needs ongoing financial support from the community which helps us keep tuition reasonable and meet our operating expenses. The Idaho Tax Credit provides a tax credit for individuals, families, and corporations that are able to donate to the school. Below is additional information about the tax credit. You can also find information on our website at : Idaho Tax Credit
Thank you!!
A very special thank you to our nursing community and students from Boise State who took their time to present to our middle school students about Social Media, text messaging and the need to moderation with smart phones and other technology.
As we continue the school year, we always have an eye to the future. In the coming months we will be marketing the school in regular periodicals, digital billboards, attending the Private Education Fair – January 10, 2026 at JUMP, promotional spot with KTVB in January, and other engaging community events. While all of this is great, nothing beats word of mouth….
If you know anyone who might be curious about St. Mary’s – Here is a one page summary highlighting some of the great things about St. Mary’s.
Festival of Trees
Congratulations to the St. Mary’s Band, Choir and Mexican Dancers for showcasing their talents at the annual Festival of Trees. St. Mary’s is the only
school in the valley performing with all three. Thank you to Ms. Hailey Yraguen for leading the efforts to create a magnificent tree from St. Mary’s. Go Festival of Trees!
If you would like to see the tree in person, it was generously donated back to the school and is on display in the Church
Building Our Future: Together in Faith – Capital Campaign
The capital campaign, Building Our Future: Together in Faith, is in full swing. The community has already pledged just over $1 million dollars towards the cause.
If you are interested in learning more, please use the link above to the parish website which contains information about our plans, progress and how you can contribute.
Corpus Commons – Free Public Showcase
The school will be sending home a flyer about Corpus Commons free public showcase for you to view the entries in the Great Gingerbread Build (See Below) on Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13.
Corpus Commons provides our community with incredible services as Boise’s exclusive day-only shelter. They are raising funds to help with meals, showers, laundry, employment services, and more.
The Idaho Tax Commission is working to educate the public about House Bill 93, the bill designed to help families with the expense of non-public education. The link above will bring you to the latest information from the Diocese. You are also encouraged to visit the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit page. It provides information about the bill along with courses to help families understand the finer details.
Imagine If – St. Mary’s Gala – January 31, 2026
Tickets will be available soon. Make sure your calendar is marked for the greatest social event of the year. The St.
Mary’s Annual Gala is being held Saturday, January 31, 2026. This is the largest and most significant fundraiser for St. Mary’s School.
Right now is a great time to share your time, talent, and treasure to make sure the event is wildly successful. If you are able to help, volunteer opportunities are available through the Parent Quick Links and Track it Forward – Contact Kristen Colter.
Tuition Raffle
Only 250 tickets will be sold at a chance to win $5000! – Winnings can be used for tuition at any qualifying school including St. Mary’s, Bishop Kelly or colleges and universities. Click here for more details and a chance to enter – Imagine If Gala Tuition Raffle
Toy Collection
THIS CHRISTMAS, ST. VINCENT DE PAUL INVITES YOU TO HELP A FAMILY IN NEED!
St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho believes every child should be able to celebrate Christmas. If you would like to donate an item, we have 2 collection boxes at the school. One is by the main office and one is in the gym. Thank you for your support.
Christmas Music Program – December 16 🧑🎄
- When: Tuesday, December 16th at 6:00pm. Students should arrive between 5:40 and 5:45 and go to their classrooms (Bands and Choir should meet in the church). THE SCHOOL/CHURCH WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL 5:40, so please plan accordingly. The program is expected to last about one hour.
- Where: St. Mary’s Church (Free!)
- Who: The program will feature students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade, as well as our Bands and Choir.
- What (to wear): Students should wear nice clothes – think “going to church with Grandma on Christmas.” Please help students not to wear anything that might become a distraction to others or prove challenging for them to move around in. When in doubt, they are more than welcome to wear their Mass Dress uniform.
- Why: We do this each year to bring in the Christmas Season, gather as a community, and celebrate that Music is a valued and integral part of our students’ education.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me and I will try to get back to you quickly – mpeters@bk.org. Thank you for your time and I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Recycled Textiles
St. Mary’s is going to be collecting used clothing, purses, bedding, towels, hats, bags and other used garments for recycling. We are entering into a partnership with Just Porch It to collect and recycle textiles. We will have a bag in the cafeteria beginning in January if you have any items to discard.
BK Music Dept. Christmas Concert – Wednesday, December 10 @ 7:00pm (REG Gymnasium)
Our very own Mr. Peters, is directing the Bishop Kelly Band in their Christmas Concert. Admission is 2 non-perishable food items for the Idaho Foodbank, OR $5 for adults, $3 for HS students, $2 for younger students and senior citizens, and kids age 5 or younger are free. The award-winning BK ensembles will be performing a wide variety of music, doors will open to the public at 6:30pm. The REG is the old gym located in the main building just past the fountain through the front entrance
Congratulations to the Bishop Kelly Knights Football Team
The Knights were the only undefeated team in the state with an impressive 12-0 record. Congratulations to the coaches, players, supporters, and the entire school on an incredible accomplishment. GO KNIGHTS!
Calendar of Events
- December 6 – 8:00 am- Breakfast with St. Nick – Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be available for pictures – breakfast provided
- December 8 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception – MASS DRESS – no Mass Wednesday
- December 10 – Bishop Kelly Christmas Concert – 7:00 pm at BK
- December 12 – Mexican Dance Group – Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Mary’s at 6:00 pm
- December 16 – Christmas Music Program – 6:00 pm at the church
- December 17 – Pastorela – School Cafeteria at 2:15
- December 19 – Teacher InService (No School)
- December 20- January 4 – Christmas Break
- January 5, 2026 – Teacher In-Service – No School for Students
- January 10, 2026 – Private Education Fair – at JUMP
- January 19, 2026 – MLK, Jr. Day – No School
- January 25, 2026 – Catholic Schools Week – Kick Off Mass
- January 26-30, 2026 – Catholic Schools Week
- January 27, 2026 – Alumni Breakfast
- January 28, 2026 – All Schools Mass @ St. Mark’s
- January 30, 2026 – Family Picnic & Ringing of the Bells
- January 30, 2026 – 7th and 8th Grade Dance @ St. Ignatius
- January 31, 2026 – St. Mary’s Annual Gala – Please save the date
God Bless and Take Care
Kevan Grant
St. Mary’s Catholic School – Principal
Go Spartans!
Other Things
- Nurse’s Notes: With the holidays approaching, December can be a stressful month. Primary care is especially important because it helps you stay healthy. Your doctor can check in on how your body is handling stress. They can also give you advice on sleep, nutrition, and ways to cope. Seeing a primary care provider helps catch small problems before they turn into big ones. Overall, primary care supports both your physical and mental well-being when life feels overwhelming. What better way to start the New Year than feeling refreshed, supported, and ready to take on anything. If you are looking for a provider here is a link that can assist you to finding the right doctor for you and your needs. – https://saintalphonsushealthalliance.org/providers
- Corpus Commons Launches Great Gingerbread Build Competition to Support Growing Need for Daytime Shelter Services – Corpus Commons is Boise’s only day shelter, providing essential services and hospitality to people experiencing homelessness during daytime hours when overnight shelters are closed. Through meals, showers, laundry, mail services, genuine relationships, and more, Corpus Commons helps restore dignity and hope to 1,000+ individuals annually.
- Dress Code – As the weather becomes colder and the first semester comes to an end, it is important we reiterate our dress code expectations with you and the students. Please find the specifics in the link above. Please take a few minutes to review the dress code with your students. We would appreciate your support with:
- St. Mary’s Sweatshirts are the only sweatshirts permitted. All other sweatshirts are to stay at home.
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- Hair must be trimmed neatly and not fall into the students eyes.
- After-School STEM Club – Spartaneers – Tuesdays – Jason Jaszkowiak is giving his time and experience to lead students in an after-school STEM program after school at St. Mary’s. Please refer to the link above for more information.
- Partnership Page – St. Mary’s school initiated a partnership page on our website to share information about businesses that are associated with and support St. Mary’s. If you are looking for something, I encourage you to check out the directory. If you are interested in listing your business, please contact Mandy at the front office. We would love to continue to grow our partnerships and encourage support for our local businesses.
- Return to School Policy – Each year the nurses evaluate and provide a return to school policy to keep us as healthy as possible during the school year. Please be sure to review the linked letter.
- Bishop Kelly Athletics – Bishop Kelly has a plethora of athletics happening throughout the year. The BK website has a link to team pages with game schedules.
- Get your Uniforms and Spirit Wear from Educational Outfitters
