Weekly Newsletter – Week Ending April 25, 2025
Dear Parents,
Welcome back after the Easter Break. It is wonderful to be in the season. The church is absolutely beautifully decorated. I encourage you to stop in and see it if you have a chance.
It is shocking to look up and realize we only have a few weeks left of this incredibly successful school year at St. Mary’s. I cannot thank each and everyone of you for making this year an incredible experience. We have grown as a community, our students have thrived, and we are no longer the city’s best kept secret.
Thank you for continuing to share your students with St. Mary’s and for all of your support and encouragement.
Math Literacy night – Thank you to Mrs. Russell and all of the student and parent volunteers for a great evening of Math. We plan on continuing this tradition to build strong ties between the school and families. There are no limits to what students can achieve when we partner together.
Grandparents’ Mass – Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the Grandparents’ Mass. Thank you to the PTO and the School Board for hosting the reception and refreshments. It was a wonderful showing of support, family and community. Thank you for taking the time to join us. Please note, we will host our grandparents at mass each year on the Wednesday before Easter. Mark your calendar for APRIL 1, 2026 for next year’s Mass. 
Dance Friday – The last TVCS Dance will be this Friday, April 25 from 7:00-9:00 outside at Bishop Kelly. All 7th and 8th graders are invited to attend. Please see the linked flyer.
Money for Wheelchairs – Last week at the Grandparents’ Mass, we collected to help the Knights of Columbus provide wheelchairs to less fortunate people. During the Mass collection, we were able to gather enough funds to cover the expense of three wheelchairs. Thank you for your support.
Talent Show – May 2, 2025 – The St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus is hosting a Talent Show at 5:30 on Friday, May 2nd. Please see the linked flyer for more information.
Enrollment/Re-enrollment 2025-26 School Year
Our student numbers for the upcoming school year are looking very good. Thank you for all of your help in recruiting great families and children to join our community. It is amazing how many remarkable children are touring and shadowing the school. They have each been met with a welcoming and positive community. Our current Spartans are incredible at making people feel welcome and important.
We have done well marketing the school and creating a lot of interest. Thank you for the help, and please, continue to share your experiences with St. Mary’s.
MAP Testing – April 22- May 1
During the two weeks after Easter, St. Mary’s will be completing our Spring MAP testing in Mathematics, Language Usage, Reading, and Science. These are progressive tests measuring the student’s current understanding of varying concepts related to the testing purpose.
It is very easy to become fixated on the achievement number of your student in each testing category. While the achievement percentile can provide meaningful information, our focus is on growth. We look at growth by student, by grade, and for the school.
To learn more about MAP Growth, please click HERE
High School Placement Tests – Current 8th Graders- Updated testing date
At the beginning of May, Bishop Kelly will be conducting placement tests for their incoming freshmen (our outgoing 8th graders) in Mathematics and Spanish. The Math placement test will be done at school on Thursday, May 1st from 12:30-3:00.
For those students who plan on taking the Spanish placement test, they will need to sign up with Bishop Kelly to participate in the test on Saturday, April 26th at 10:00 am or Wednesday, April 30th at 4:00. Please contact Joan Colleran at jcolleran@bk.org at Bishop Kelly to register for one of the dates.
A new date has been added for the Spanish placement test – Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Spring Music Program – May 6, 2025 at 6:00 pm
Please mark your calendars. Mr. Peters has been working feverishly with the students to prepare for this extravaganza. Grades PreK-3rd will be the headliners for the Spring showcase with performances by our beginning and advanced band and choir.
Bishop Kelly High School offers summer camps for a variety of sports and activities including, but not limited to: Volleyball, Basketball (Boys and Girls), Wrestling, Softball, Baseball, Football, and Lego Robotics. Please check the link above to see specific opportunities. Go Knights!
Bishop Kelly Music Dept. End-of-Year Concert – Mon, May 12 @ 7:00pm (REG Gymnasium)
Admission is only $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 school building just past the fountain through the front entrance.
There are so many good things happening at St. Mary’s. If you know of a family looking for an incredible Catholic school community, please encourage them to contact us.
School Choice Frequently Asked Questions – From the Diocese
Please mark your calendars for important dates:
- April 22 – May 1 – Spring MAP Testing
- May 2 – Teacher Inservice – No School
- May 6 – Spring Music Program – 6:00 pm
- May 12 – BK Music Program – 7:00 pm in the Reg
Other Important Announcements and Events:
- Boys Summer Camp Information – Find attached information flyer for Camp Montfort Idaho 2025. – Please note the camp will be split into two groups this year. The older boys, ages 15-18 will attend August 3rd – 6th and the younger boys, ages 9-14 will follow August 6th – 9th. – Linked is a video about the program from 2022
- Nurse’s Information – Measles
- Staffing Changes 2025-26 School Year – Exciting changes coming next year at St. Mary’s.
- Partnership Page St. Mary’s community likes to support each other. Our community is full of many terrific individuals who contribute to our greater community and St. Mary’s through their businesses and careers. It is our objective to provide support and awareness to the families that support us. If you are shopping for products or services, I encourage you to check our partnership page first. I would recommend you to mark the page as a favorite and check back often. If you are interested in having your business highlighted, please submit your information to Ms. Mandy @ amcampanella@stmarys-boise.org
- Boise with Kids– Becca Bailey, Boise with Kids, visited St. Mary’s. Her profile of St. Mary’s captured the essence of our school. Her Boise with Kids online group was created to help families find fun and appropriate activities throughout the Treasure Valley. I encourage you to sign up for their newsletters. Click on the link to view her reel of St. Mary’s. Boise with Kids – St. Mary’s Reel – So far, the reel has been viewed 7700+ times.
- Looking for a Summertime Nanny – Sarah Crouch, St. Mary’s class of 2020, Bishop Kelly class of 2024, is looking to work as a nanny this summer. She is finishing her freshman year at Tulane University in New Orleans. If you are looking for a nanny this summer or if you know of someone who is, please contact Mandy at the office and she will pass along Sarah’s contact information.
- Calling all Alumni – We want to keep our alumni invited and informed of all happenings around St. Mary’s. If you are an alumni or know any alumni, please fill out the form – St. Mary’s Alumni Information
God bless.
Kevan Grant
St. Mary’s Catholic School- Principal
Other Items of Interest
- 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
