St. Mary's Colgan Catholic Schools

Panthers had a successful day at the Frontenac Forensics Tournament! 🎭🎤 Sebastian Aita earned 5th place in Impromptu Speaking, and he and Gabby Yartz took 3rd place in Improvised Duet Acting.

Two 3 day weekends in a row! Enjoy your extra time off, Panthers!

Regional Runner-Up and STATE BOUND! Congratulations to our Panther Scholars Bowl squad! 🧠👏

Three very sweet 8th graders came by the 2nd grade classroom to let them know they are praying for them as they will be making their 1st Reconciliation tonight! They took time to make each one of them a Rosary bracelet and prayer card!!! We are so blessed! Thank you Kynadi, Olivia, and Kalanee!

Happy School Counselors Week!
This week, we’re celebrating the incredible impact our school counselors have on our students every single day.

💙 Mrs. Alisha Krusich supports our 7–12th graders, helping them navigate academics, personal growth, and future planning with care and dedication.

💙 Ms. Natasha Thompson works with our elementary students, building strong foundations, confidence, and emotional skills from the very start.

We are so grateful for your compassion, guidance, and commitment to helping every student succeed. Thank you for all that you do!

Congratulations, Coach Watt! ⚾️

We are incredibly proud to congratulate Coach Mike Watt on receiving the St. John Bosco Outstanding Coach/Activity Sponsor Award — a truly well-deserved honor.

For more than four decades at St. Mary’s Elementary and St. Mary’s Colgan High School, Coach Watt has gone far beyond coaching baseball. Through daily prayer, gratitude, and an unwavering commitment to faith and character, he has shaped generations of young men on and off the field. His impact reaches well beyond the 18 state championships, leaving a legacy of leadership, humility, and service.

Thank you, Coach Watt, for your lifelong dedication, mentorship, and example of what it means to lead with faith. Congratulations on this incredible recognition!

Congratulations are in order!

After 41 years of teaching and coaching at St. Mary’s Colgan Catholic Schools, Coach Mike Watt will retire from teaching at the end of this school year in May. Coach Watt will continue serving as the head baseball coach of the Colgan Panthers! We are truly inspired by the incredible legacy Coach Watt has created at our school.

Mrs. Kate Strader has announced that she and her husband, Mason, are expecting their first child in August. Mrs. Strader has decided to stay home with her baby and will not return to the classroom—at least for now. She has been an amazing addition to our faculty this school year and will be greatly missed. We wish Mrs. Strader and her husband all the very best!

This news leaves two openings at SME for next year: Physical Education Teacher and Classroom Teacher. If you or someone you know is interested in applying, you can find the application here: OLLsmcschools.org/jobs

1/30 Fans of the game💙🏀

🏀 Concession Stand Collab Night!
CYM + SMC Family & Consumer Sciences = a healthier game-day snack 🙌

$3 Snack Packs
Cheese cubes
Simon Market smoked snack sticks

Available tonight vs. Girard — while supplies last!

Big thanks to Simon Market & SMC Family & Consumer Sciences for the collab!
🧀 Teamwork makes the dream work — doing it for the kids! (All the cheesy puns fully intended 😉)

💬 YOUR TURN!!
What meal deal or healthy snack pack should we offer next? Comment below 👇

Even our oldest Panthers joined in the Kansas day celebrations today. Culinary students made sunflower sugar cookies with freshly milled wheat flour! 🌻

Prom 2026 Schedule: April 18

In honor of Kansas Day, First and Fifth Grade Reading Buddies worked in small groups to find towns starting with each letter of the alphabet, from Atchison to Zeandale. Not only was it a great reading activity, it was a great lesson in map reading!

Last call for Parish Trivia Night on 1/31 at 6:30pm in the Activity Center Gym.
Sign-up required. Registration is due today (1/28)! Go to OLLsmc.org/trivia to get registered or learn more.

📣 Catholic Schools Week Updates for St. Mary's Elementary WEDNESDAY 1/28: 🛼🍕 *Free Dress Day for a donation to Walk in Sister's Shoes - NO shorts or leggings, students should wear tennis shoes *Afternoon snack - Slice of Cheese Pizza - donation to Walk in SIster's Shoes *Smart Families School Skate at Lowe's Skateway from 6-8pm - Smart Families will cover the cost for our students to skate and enjoy a screen free evening.   🧑‍🧒‍🧒Adult supervision required!  Please RSVP via the link in your inbox. THURSDAY 1/29: 🌻🎂 *Happy Birthday Kansas!  Students may wear a top to show their Kansas pride (PSU, KU, KState, WSU, etc) *Rosary @ 2:45pm in the Church FRIDAY 1/30: 💙🤍🐾 *Blue/White day - Students may wear Blue/White/Panther tops with uniform bottoms. *8am All School Mass - students must sit with classmates *BINGO in the Commons @ 2pm Other Reminders: **📚The Book Fair will be open for sales every day from 7:30 to 7:50am and 3:15 to 4:00pm.  We may extend days past Thursday. We will keep you posted! **🍼As a Community Service Project, we are accepting items for the Vie Clinic.  See attached flyer for a list of items!  Feel free to bring items to the office anytime during the week. **🥐☕️Pastries with Families was postponed to next Sunday, February 1 after 9am Mass.  The Book Fair will also be open from 10-12am. **🐝Spelling Bee will be on Tuesday, February 3 at 2pm in the SME Commons!  Two representatives from each 3rd through 6th grade classroom will participate.

📣 Catholic Schools Week & Activities Updates for SMC 7-12th grades Wednesday, January 28 👟Walk in Sisters’ Shoes: JH & HS students may pay $1 to wear school-appropriate sweats to school . ❌ No pajamas or yoga pants 🥫 “Fill the Halls” Food Drive Begins Wednesday. Non-perishable food items. Collected all week from JH & HS students 🚌 Junior High Update JH trip to Topeka has been cancelled. Students will participate in Catholic Schools Week activities and have Mass at the regular scheduled time. ☕ Moms & Muffins (for senior moms & senior students) will take place as scheduled on Wednesday, Jan. 28 from 7:15–7:45am. 🎨 HS Class Colors for Wednesday • Seniors: Black • Juniors: Pink • Sophomores: Red • Freshmen: Green 📝 Eligibility Report: Weekly eligibility report is moved to Thursday, Jan. 29 from Wednesday to allow time for work submission. 🏀 Athletics HS BB vs. Frontenac rescheduled to Thursday, Feb. 12 JH game at Baxter will not be rescheduled

1/27: NO SCHOOL (campus closed) School is canceled again Tuesday, January 27, out of an abundance of caution. Basketball games will be rescheduled, and CSW activities will be adjusted for the rest of the week. See everyone Wednesday!

1/26: NO SCHOOL (campus closed) Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to cancel school and the evening JH game on Monday, January 26. Stay safe. Stay warm. Happy Catholic Schools Week! 💙

Weather Update for Sunday 1/25: CSW Pastries w/Families has been postponed until Sunday, February 1st after 9am Mass. Book Fair will not be open on Sunday either.