Seniors got to show off their new school pride today! Each senior wore a shirt from the college they'll be attending in the fall. Hard to believe their last day of classes is tomorrow!
Congratulations to Claire Landa, who was recognized at the Missouri STEM Signing Day on Friday! Missouri STEM Signing Day celebrates Missouri high school seniors as they make their commitments to study a STEM field. Claire will be attending Missouri University of Science and Technology in the fall and studying engineering. We look forward to your bright future!
We're excited to announce that we have hired Emily Valverde as our Director of Faith and Mission! As Director of Faith and Mission, Mrs. Valverde will oversee all aspects of our Catholic identity to ensure every decision we make is advancing the Catholic mission of our school. She will oversee student and faculty faith formation and promote discipleship and evangelization inside and outside the classroom. She will also lead our Community System to ensure every student is home at SMA, and develop more opportunities for parent and family involvement in the school.
Mrs. Valverde graduated from Franciscan University in Steubenville with a Master's in Educational Administration - Curriculum and Professional Development. She has experience leading and forming students through her work at the University of Kansas’ St. Lawrence Catholic Student Center and as a missionary and speaker at The Culture Project, delivering numerous talks to students nationwide on a variety of topics including human dignity, virtue, and the Theology of the Body.
Mrs. Valverde is excited to start in this role on June 1, and we hope you'll join us in welcoming her to the St. Michael family!
After the passing of Pope Francis yesterday, our chaplain, Fr. Sappington, had the opportunity to reminisce on the time he met the Pope with KCTV5. Father gifted Pope Francis a Patrick Mahomes jersey following the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory and recalls that Pope Francis spoke about the importance of team sports in forming community-minded priests. Please join us in continuing to pray for the repose of the Pope's soul and for the Church in this time of transition.
https://www.kctv5.com/video/2025/04/22/hes-brought-me-closer-catholic-church-church-leaders-mourn-pope-francis/
We're excited to announce that we have hired MaryAnn Rosinski as our next Theatre Director! MaryAnn is deeply passionate about the arts and believes that good storytelling always reveals the heart of God. She began her professional theatre career in New York City in 2016, which led her on many adventures, including performing on cruise lines and working for touring productions. You can see her this June in Starlight's production of School of Rock the Musical! She also spent many years ministering to high school students through Life Teen—her happy place! MaryAnn devotes her time to her wonderful husband, her wedding photography business, and this season of “putting down roots,” which has been the most fulfilling of her life thus far.
MaryAnn is excited to get started with Summer Theatre Camp! Running from June 23 - 26, this camp is a great opportunity for kids in grades 2 - 12 to practice their craft. More info and registration links can be found at smacatholic.org/camps
Congratulations to our tennis players who medaled in the Lee's Summit North JV Tournament!
Barron Covinsky & RJ Stoll - 1st Place
Ian McClintock & Danny Davis - 1st Place
Christian Dorsch & Zadien Rey - 2nd Place
Way to go Guardians!
#GuardUp!
Mark your calendar and join us for the 8th annual Guardian Golf Classic on Friday, May 30 at WinterStone Golf Course in Independence!
Format is a 4-person scramble. Player registration includes green fees, cart rental, food and beverages on the course, as well an awards luncheon following the round.
Register now at smacatholic.org/golfclassic
Proceeds from the golf tournament benefit the athletics and activities programs at St. Michael.
Students in Mr. Sandstrom's Intro to Education class had the opportunity to visit Benedictine College last week. They attended education classes and were able to talk to professors and college students about the field of education. These students have some bright futures ahead!
An incredible performance by @guardianstrack at the Miege invitational Friday! In one of the most competitive meets of the year, both boys and girls teams placed second overall, with seven first-place event finishes and eight individual prs (personal records). Colten Boulware, freshman, took home the Kerry Normile trophy after winning the 1600m by .07 seconds in a nailbiting finish. So proud of all our athletes who worked so hard to compete at this level!
We started off Holy Week today with all school Stations of the Cross. Father led us through the Passion of our Lord with the help of student volunteers. Reflecting on each station helps us to remember Jesus' suffering and love for us as we prepare to celebrate his resurrection!
The ping pong club is serving up some spins, smashes, and showdowns on Mondays and Fridays after school. Bring your friends and join the competition in the Kolbe hallway!
Last night, students gathered in the gym for a spikeball tournament to raise funds for prom. After rounds of fierce competition, Oliver Hotop and David Rogge came out on top. Well played everyone!
Throughout Lent, the Stations of the Cross are prayed on Fridays to remember Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross. Join us this afternoon at 3:20 as we prepare to enter Holy Week and contemplate the Passion of our Lord.
All middle schoolers are invited to come cheer on the SMA Lacrosse team as they take on Notre Dame de Sion on Wednesday, April 16. Come join in on the Guardian spirit! The game starts at 5:30 pm on the SMA field. We hope to see you and your friends there!
Over 100 middle schoolers joined us last weekend for our second middle school encounter night and lock-in. This night gave Diocesan middle schoolers a chance to experience some of what the SMA community system has to offer. St. Michael student ambassadors led tours around the building, ice-breaker games in the gym, and small group discussions. Fr. Sappington gave a talk on St. Josephine Bakhita and the middle schoolers heard student witnesses from Mary Salanski and Ava Pate. After adoration and praise and worship, the night concluded with free time and games.
SMA Junior, Nolan Skelsey, won bronze in the Special Olympics State Basketball Championship in St. Louis this past weekend! His team, the Lee's Summit Vipers of Doom, played in the most competitive division and worked hard for an impressive team finish. Congratulations Nolan, we're so proud of you!
Biology students got up close and personal with earthworms this week. Working in teams of 2 or 3, they dissected and identified the parts of the worm's anatomy. Discoveries included which end of the worm is the front, where the worm's internal organs are, and how the worm's digestive system works. God's creation is amazing! Although sometimes a little gross.
As part of our preparation for Easter this Lent, we had our Lenten Penance service today. After a student witness from Elizabeth Robertson, students had the opportunity to sit in adoration of Christ in the Eucharist and go to confession. It was a beautiful hour of contemplating God's goodness and His desire for us to return to Him when we fail.
Huge congratulations to Ava Pratt who has been selected to the Class 5 All-State basketball team! Ava has had an amazing season and her hard work led to a new school record of 45 points in a single game. So proud of Ava on this incredible achievement!
Say hello to the 2025-2026 SMA Community Captains! These students exemplify what it means to be a servant leader and we can't wait to see them in action next year!
Bakhita Community - Marjorie Hotop & Carly LeNeave
JPII Community - Bennett Barnthouse & Grace Lowry
Pio Community - Addy Basler & Gianna Swingle
Kolbe Community - Molly McNamara & Ella Medlin
