New School Year Brings Growth in Academics and Our Catholic Faith

After an enjoyable break with summer camps and preparing for the new school year, St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School is ready for the 2022-2023 school year!

“We finished our last school year strong after all the chaos that the last few years have brought us all,” says Todd Schafer, Principal.

Mr. Schafer joined the faculty and staff at St. Mary’s in 2016 as a teacher. As he embarks upon his third year as principal, he is thrilled to see the growth of the community.

“Our community is ready for a school year that is continuing more towards normalcy while continuing to grow in academics and our Catholic faith,” he says.

Our school has the capacity for class sizes of 20 students with three sections per grade. This year, we are looking at full classrooms in kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade, and sixth grade, and an increase in enrollment from 478 students to 490.

“One of our greatest strengths as a school is the cultivation of a positive Catholic culture,” Mr. Schafer says. “Our community is filled with joy and rooted in our faith. I can see it every day as our students and staff come in with smiles on their faces ready for a new day. It’s that joy and Catholic identity that has continued to bring more families to our school.”

As we approach the upcoming school year, parents can rest assured of increased engagement in the classroom, particularly in forming our students spiritually and academically. Over the summer, school leadership and local authorities revisited security and the safety plan at the school. Our teachers continued to grow in their training in the Project-Based Learning program to increase the real-world application of their important lessons.

This upcoming year, our middle school students will particularly grow in their faith through their abilities to participate in parish youth ministry. The House System returns this year to promote Catholic virtues: House Fidem (faith), House Amare (love), House Civitas (community), and House Ministerium (service). Our students and staff participate in friendly competition all year long to build school spirit and love of our Catholic faith, while encountering learning opportunities to grow in virtue. Finally, we look forward to serving our community through faith-based service projects.

“St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School is a wonderful community that challenges our students in the best ways to prepare them for high school and real-life experiences,” Mr. Schafer says. “As we continue to improve our overall educational experience for our students, I am looking forward to the blessings this year will bring.”

St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School is a K-8 private school and the parish school of St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church. Parents with any questions about the upcoming year are asked to please contact Mrs. Ryan, Administrative Assistant, at 706-733-6193 or smcs@smcsaug.org.