Dear St. Mary's Families,

Continuing with our conversation on mission, today I'd like to talk about the second and third aspects of our mission statement; how we educate the students of St. Mary's intellectually and physically.

Remember, the mission statement of the school is:

St. Mary's Catholic School educates the whole child: spiritually, intellectually, and physically.

The faculty of the school prides themselves on our work in this area of our mission statement. The curriculum for all subjects is made up of many resources so that students may fully grasp the subject matter of what they are learning about. Our teachers look for opportunities to teach the children in a variety of ways to appeal to all learning types. From the 3rd grade historic building research project, to STEM and robotics clubs, to Science Fair, our students have a rich variety of learning opportunities that allow them to learn about things that interest them in many different ways!

Our school is also committed to teaching the children physically. This goes beyond standard PE classes, which are the foundation of this endeavor. Children are invited to live healthy and active lives through participation in physical education classes that highlight lifetime activities that children can carry into their adult life. The climbing wall, archery program, and offerings of extra curricular sports give our students the opportunity to try new skills that can lead to a lifetime of physical fitness. We teach them that their body is a temple to be taken care of so that it becomes a vessel to truly serve God and one another!

As I said at the beginning of this series, every decision we make is driven by our school's mission! It is through our mission that St. Mary's Catholic Schools becomes the outstanding place to educate children that it is!

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for a fantastic school year! The families of our school are the final piece of our mission! We come together as a family each and every day to enrich the lives of our children. Having a safe, loving, family centered environment is the critical for the whole child, and you all make that happen! Our PTO and family events bring us together to laugh, pray, cry and share our lives with each other. Without you, nothing else falls into place! I pray that you have a summer filled with sunshine, laughter, rest, and time together! Know that I will miss you all and keep you in my prayers over the next few months!

Until next fall...

Mrs. Bridges