Habemus Papam!
After white smoke was seen this morning, the student body gathered to await the announcement of the new Pope. The building was buzzing with anticipation until we were introduced to our first American Pope, Pope Leo XIV!
KMBC 9 News was present to capture the students' reactions to the new Pope and you'll be able to see SMA in their coverage of the event.
Join us in praying for our new Holy Father! What a joyous day!
Last night, we celebrated the senior class at Baccalaureate Mass, taking time to reminisce on their time at SMA, looking forward to their bright futures, and praising God for the gift that they are to their families and community. Salutatorian Ben Salanski gave a speech to his class, scholarships were awarded, and Principal Kroening gave some encouraging words. Now the class of '25 looks forward to graduation tonight as they head out from SMA ready to take on the world!
Two Guardian golfers earned all-conference honors yesterday at the Crossroads Conference Championship!
Brady Ziegenhorn earned first team all-conference honors with a score of 73 (tied for 3rd), and Bode Davis earned second team all-conference with a score of 79 (placed 8th).
Way to go Guardians! Good luck at districts tomorrow!
This morning, the class of '25 celebrated the end of finals with senior breakfast in the gym. With their school work finished, they took the time to look back on their time at St. Michael and look forward to the future. Connor McNamee gave a speech before the seniors ran through a graduation rehearsal. Hard to believe it's only 2 days away!
Interested in high school robotics? Middle-schoolers are invited to a Robotics open house at Icon Machine Tool, 2315 NE Independence Ave. Lee's Summit, MO 64064 on May 14 from 4 pm - 8 pm. The night will include refreshments and hands-on stations where you can learn to solder, drive the robot, use CAD programs, and more.
Yesterday, the Guardians of Life took a trip to Jefferson City to participate in the Midwest March for Life. These students are committed to protecting the lives of the unborn and they marched alongside people from all over the country to advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable. We're so proud of you Guardians!
Yesterday, seven of our seniors signed letters of intent to play college sports. We've loved seeing them compete as Guardians and can't wait to watch their collegiate careers!
The seniors who signed were:
Nick DeVoss - Central Iowa (soccer/golf)
Piper Hughes - Pitt State (soccer)
Izzie Miller - Northwest Missouri State (Soccer)
Mark Wiemann - Iowa Western (Baseball)
Sophia Infranca - Graceland University (Softball)
Leo Miller - William Jewell (Swim)
Kayley Cohen - Rockhurst University (Dance)
Congratulations Guardians!
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.
