Update on St. Mary’s School

05-26-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

If you have driven down Richland Avenue or York Street past our school, you’ve seen the progress we are making on our new STEM Center. We are now approaching 80% complete! And the good news is that the cost is projected to fall within our original estimates.

Here’s some of the progress that you will see over the next few weeks. The brick veneer will be completed in the next four weeks. By the end of the month of May the skylight will be installed, and the construction workers will start working on the roof. In about three weeks, they will begin work to install the windows. Once the building is closed in, work on the polished concrete flooring will commence. The bottom line is that we are still on track to complete construction by the end of July and be open for the fall semester.

We are so blessed to have this wonderful addition to the school! Thanks so much for all of your generous spiritual and financial support that has made this possible!

Our Search Committee is continuing its work to hire the best person to be our new principal. Partners in Mission is working with them to identify the highest quality candidates. Last week, the Search Committee conducted Zoom interviews with three highly qualified candidates. Candidates selected for further interviews will be touring our parish and school this week. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will grant us the wisdom and discernment to select the best candidate to be our new principal.

Currently, our enrollment for next year is at 235, up from this year’s 215. Usually, we pick up a few more students between now and the fall, so it’s quite possible that we will be over 240 students when the new year begins. Many thanks to the parents and teachers who organized and executed a low-cost marketing plan! Have you seen our electronic billboard ad? It’s been running on the billboard across from Parker’s Kitchen as you come into town. It’s a powerful ad!

Matt Kuhn and Laura Webster have been working hard to fill our vacant teacher positions. So far, we have hired two replacement teachers and we are still looking to hire three more. Please be assured, we are on track to be fully staffed for the start of the 2024-2025 School Year.

From St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Patron Saint of Catholic Schools: “If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate...Much harm may result from bad company, and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what is better.”

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson