Spartan Spotlight is a day early this week. I will be out of the office Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for an accreditation visit. It makes me sad to be somewhere else, but on occasion I get called to do so.
October is an action-packed, eventful month. Please take some time to read through this incredible newsletter to be informed and prepared for what October will bring us.
We continue to focus on the importance of being a learner. Today we talked about why being a learner is important. Being a learner at school it seems self-evident. We learn to get good grades, grow as individuals, and become the best version of ourselves. While all of this is true, the reason we ask St. Mary’s students to be learners is to serve others. Our knowledge and wisdom give us the ability to understand others and the world around us. This insight gives us the capability to be thoughtful, responsive, empathetic, compassionate, and creative in how we can contribute to our family, community, and world.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
Reminder: Friday October 2 – Teacher Inservice – No School for Students
If you are looking for something to do: Friday is BK’s Homecoming Game at 7:00 pm at Bishop Kelly – Go Knights!
Enrollment – Marketing
You may have seen stories in whatever news source you subscribe to about the shrinking enrollment of the Boise School District. The same is true in West Ada, Nampa, Caldwell and all surrounding school districts.
This is a concerning trend for not only the public schools, but the private and Catholic schools as well. I am very proud that, in spite of the trend, St. Mary’s is showing growth for the third year in a row. That is a great testament to the teachers, staff, and community. It is a great place to be and a great place to learn and grow. We are continuously trying to get better and will never be satisfied.
You can help. The school will continuously market itself in the community through various mechanisms, but at the end of the day, there is no greater marketing than word of mouth. Whether you are posting a review on Niche or talking to the neighbors who just moved into the area, what you say matters a great deal.
We are extremely happy with the 156 students enrolled this year. We like our families, too 😁. We want to continuously improve the experience and education of our students while we grow to our capacity of 212. We appreciate all the help and support from you, our families and parishioners, and look forward to your support going forward.
The sponsorship of the students is off to a great start. Our students have already raised over $8,000, that is 40% of our goal. Great work!
The Spartan Run helps cover the costs of many of our class field trips and activities during the year. Your support is greatly appreciated. Use the link above to find a student to sponsor. We would love for every student to have some sponsorship.
If you are interested, there are still a number of volunteer opportunities to help with the Spartan Run. It is a great time and a wonderful way to end the quarter. If you have the time, we would love to see you on the afternoon of October 16th.
Wildflowers and Wagon Wheels Gala – February 6, 2027
Wildflowers do not come up in neat rows. They bloom in every shape and color, they are hardy, and they thrive through whatever the season brings. That is our students: different personalities, different talents, different paths, all growing strong roots.
The wagon wheel is the community side. Every spoke, parents, teachers, parish, volunteers, connects to the same hub of faith, family, and education, and a wheel is built to keep moving forward. It is also a nod to how long this school community has been showing up for its students.
The St. Mary’s Annual Gala will be Saturday February 6, 2027 at the Riverside Hotel
Tuition Raffle
Part of the Gala festivities is an annual tuition raffle. For $100 you can enter at a chance to win $5,000 towards tuition. The tuition can be for any qualifying organization including: St. Mary’s (of course!!) – Bishop Kelly – Boise State – University of Idaho (Go Vandals!) and many others. Only 250 tickets will be sold. Get your while tickets are still available.
Volunteerism
We need you! Whether it is the Spartan Run, Field Trip Chaperones, or the Wildflowers and Wagon Wheels Gala, we need your help. Please check out the volunteer opportunities on Track-it Forward
If you are struggling to find the time to volunteer, you are welcome to buy out some or all of your time. The volunteer opportunity packet explains a donation of $25 is the equivalent of one hour of volunteering. If you are interested, you can donate to the PTO in lieu of the hours requested.
Get ready to vote! We have been voted Boise Favorite Private School and Boise Favorite PreSchool two years in a row – Let’s make it three! Voting starts Monday. Use the link above to vote daily!
Parent/Teacher Conferences – October 22 – 23
Please be on the lookout for information concerning Parent/Teacher Conferences. Your child’s teacher will be sending out information in the near future.
Conferences will be scheduled on October 22nd and October 23rd – No school for students
In order to make the most of our time together, please take a few moments to prepare. This article can help you do so:
Happy Birthday to St. Mary’s Parishioner, Jacqueline Cushing, on her 100th birthday.
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.
St. Mary’s is passionate about service. We are encouraging our students to explore opportunities to serve our families, our school, our parish, and the greater community. We want the learning experience to reflect this commitment.
The linked document explains how our students are being requested to serve based on their grade level. We know this will require some assistance from you at home. Thank you for your support and encouragement. If you have any questions, please talk to the teachers or me.
Hispanic Heritage Fiesta
Thank you to Mrs. Huerta, Mrs. Penalva, the Hispanic Knights of Columbus, and all the students for an incredible Hispanic Heritage Fiesta last Friday. The effort, dedication, and commitment was evident in the quality of fun and engaging activities.
¡Gracias por todo su increíble trabajo!
St. Mary’s Parish
Weekend Masses
Saturday, 5:00pm – English
7:00pm – Spanish
Sunday- 8:30am & 10:45am- English
12:45pm – Spanish
Weekday Masses
Tues. – Fri., 8:30am
Altar Server – Thank you
This weekend, many of our newly trained altar servers made their debut. Thank you to the families and students who have taken the initiative to serve during mass.
School Mass Weekly Stewardship Focus
Each month we are asking for our students to contribute to a special collection. This year we have decided to alternate between the St. Mary’s Food Pantry and the Corpus Commons. Both organizations provide critical services to the less fortunate members of our community. The dates of these collections are listed below. Thank you for your consideration and support.
Food Bank – on a Food Bank week, students are invited to bring in an item that will be given to the St. Mary’s Food Bank to help combat food insecurity in Boise. Popular (and needed) items include: peanut butter, canned foods, mac and cheese, crackers, dried pasta, pasta sauces, cereal, diapers, toilet paper. These items are brought forward during the offertory.
Corpus Commons – on a Corpus Commons week, students are invited to bring in an item that will be given to Corpus Commons, a local day-shelter that helps the homeless population in Boise. Items that they appreciate: toothbrushes, toothpaste (small sizes) deodorant, foot powder, socks, travel size shampoo and soap, water bottles, cough drops, chapstick, warm gloves. These items are brought forward during the offertory.
**Also listed on the School Google Calendar on the Website
St. Mary’s Food Bank: Oct 21, Dec 16, Feb 17, Apr 21
A fun and interactive event for children ages 2-12 at Donna Larsen at 5:00 pm. Come and learn the basics of running, jumping, and throwing from Boise State Track & Field coaching staff and student athletes! Parents are strongly encouraged to register as well and participate alongside their kids in attendance. This will be a great evening of mentorship and fun, and attendees will all get a 2026 Bronco Track & Field schedule poster with autograph opportunities available.
God Bless and Take Care
Kevan Grant
St. Mary’s Catholic School – Principal
Go Spartans!
Important quick hits:
October 2 – Teacher Inservice – No School for Students
October 2 – Bishop Kelly Homecoming Game – 7:00 pm Nick Ysursa Field – Go Knights!
This is St. Mary’s Self-Study year for our 2027-28 Accreditation visit – Be on the lookout for a parent survey in support of the Accreditation visit in October
October 5 – Boise Favorite – Private School – St. Mary’s has been nominated again as Boise’s Favorite Private School – The annual voting begins October 5th. We would love to win for the THREE-PEAT
October 6 – Flu shots – 7:30 -9:00 am – Please complete the consent form and insurance information
October 5 – 9 – MOSS for 5th and 6th graders
October 16 – Spartan Run
October 20 – Picture Retakes
October 22-23 – Parent Teacher Conferences
Other Information
Drug Prevention Workshop – October 27 – Bishop Kelly High School is hosting a workshop on the current drug culture, trends and identifiers. Everyone is welcome to participate. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Bishop Kelly – Events and Athletics – Whether you are a soccer fan or football enthusiast, there is almost always something happening at Bishop Kelly. The link above is to their team pages – Check out their calendar for upcoming events.
Partnership Page – St. Mary’s supports the businesses that support us. The school has a webpage dedicated to our business partnerships. 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 St. Mary’s businesses.
Hallow – Last year, St. Mary’s purchased a school wide subscription to Hallow at the beginning of Lent. Hallow is a religious application with celebrity endorsements from the likes of Mark Wahlberg, Christopher Pratt, and others (who doesn’t want to pray the rosary with Markie Mark!). There are segments with prayer, music, meditation, sleep aids, and much more. As part of the subscription, each student has their own student sign on. They can sign up on as many as 6 devices. This means if you are interested in using it yourself or would like to listen to it in the car with your family, listen to it after dinner or before bed, you can access the application.
Recycled Textiles – St. Mary’s is collecting used clothing, purses, bedding, towels, hats, bags and other used garments for recycling. We have entered into a partnership with Just Porch It to collect and recycle textiles. There is a laundry bag in the basement if you would like to drop off anything.
St. Mary’s Mexican Dance Group
When: EveryWednesday- only on days when kids have full day of school
Start: we start Wed. Sept. 2nd
Time: 3:15 pm to 4:30 pm
Where: School Gym
Details: —Every St. Mary’s School student is welcomed. —Class is free/no fees.
Required: 1) dancing shoes. 2) each child needs his/her parent or legal guardian to be present before, during, and after each class.
Boise Favorites – 2026
Boise Favorites – 2026
Happy Birthday to St. Mary’s Parishioner, Jacqueline Cushing, on her 100th birthday. 
Happy Birthday to St. Mary’s Parishioner, Jacqueline Cushing, on her 100th birthday. 
