Where Faith Shapes Futures

📣 We want to hear from you! As we look at the early childhood and extended care needs of our school families, your feedback will help us determine which programs and services would be most beneficial to families in our community. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey as if you were registering for programs. Every response is valuable and will help guide our future planning and decision-making. ⏰ The survey will only be open for 48 hours, so please submit your response soon! Please note: • This is not a formal registration. Responses will be used to help determine future program offerings. • Tuition amounts listed in the survey are estimates only. Final rates will be determined following the January 2027 budget review. Please share the survey with others in our community, including families who may be considering St. Mary’s. All feedback is welcome and appreciated! Thank you for partnering with us as we work to support the needs of our children and families. God bless! Complete the survey here: https://forms.gle/c9jvfvCWz9q755zP9

🙏❤️ Back-to-School Prayer ❤️🙏 Heavenly Father, As we begin a new school year, we place our St. Mary’s students, families, teachers, and staff into Your loving hands. Bless our students with curious minds, kind hearts, and the courage to live their faith each day. Give our teachers and staff wisdom, patience, and joy as they guide and encourage every student. Watch over our families and fill our school with Your peace, love, and grace. May our classrooms be places of learning, friendship, laughter, and prayer—and may everything we do lead us closer to You. Lord, walk with us through every challenge, every success, and every new beginning. Help us remember that You are always at the center of our Cardinal family. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — Philippians 4:13 Jesus, bless our school and guide us throughout this new year. ❤️ Amen. 🙏 Here’s to a blessed and wonderful school year! ✏️📚❤️

A huge THANK YOU to Dell Rapids Scout Troop 53, under the direction of Eagle Scout candidates Dylan Aker and Archer Moore, for the awesome landscaping project they completed at St. Mary’s School this past weekend! We are so grateful for all the time, hard work, and care you put into making our school grounds look beautiful. We are blessed to have such wonderful young people serving our community! A special thank you as well to: ❤️ Chris Geraets – Gravel Delivery ❤️ Lee Saude – Gravel ❤️ Danny Klein with Klein Construction – Equipment Thank you to everyone who helped make this project possible! Our Cardinal family truly appreciates your generosity and support! ❤️ "Serve one another humbly in love." — Galatians 5:13 ✝️ #ThankYou #ServiceInAction #EagleScout #ScoutTroop53 #StMarysSchool

At St. Mary's Catholic School, all staff, coaches, and volunteers must complete Safe Environment Training in accordance with diocesan policies. This ongoing commitment helps ensure our school remains a place where students can learn, grow, and thrive in a safe, faith-filled community. This is an annual training that renews every July. All questions can be sent to the school coordinator, Deb Kallhoff. To learn more about Safe Environment Training and volunteer requirements, visit https://www.stmarysdellrapids.org/safe-environment. #SafeEnvironment #CatholicEducation #ProtectingOurChildren #StMarysCardinals

Welcome August! 🎒🍎✏✝ New beginnings abound! This month is packed with fresh starts and so much to look forward to! Nothing better than the start of a new school year.

Today we celebrate the amazing parents and families who make St. Mary's Catholic Schools such a special place. ❤️ Thank you for your trust, your support, your prayers, and your partnership in helping us form students in faith, knowledge, and virtue. We are truly blessed to walk alongside you in your child's education and faith journey. Happy Parent Appreciation Day! May God bless you and your families today and always. ✝️ #ParentAppreciationDay #CatholicEducation #StMarysCardinals

New website means new go-to links! Christian Service: stmarysdellrapids.org/faith-opportunities Physical Packets: stmarysdellrapids.org/athletics School Calendar: stmarysdellrapids.org/calendar Announcements, Info Notes, links: stmarysdellrapids.org/announcements We highly encourage our families to take a look around and become familiar with our new site! Don't forget to save the new domain. We are working on forwarding the old URL so that it works more seamlessly, but it is taking more time than anticipated. Thank you for your patience during this transition.

✨ Our new website is LIVE! ✨ We've created a fresh new online home for St. Mary's Catholic Schools. This site has been reinvented to give you the best look at what we offer at SMCS. Whether you're a current family, alumni, parishioner, or exploring Catholic education for the first time, we invite you to take a look! 💻 Visit us today and see how faith, academic excellence, and a caring community come together to help every student grow. 🔗 Explore the new site today! P.S. We are still working out some behind-the-scenes steps. When searching, please use the stmarysdellrapids.org domain name! #StMarysCardinals #CatholicEducation #FaithAndExcellence #FutureCardinals #WhereFaithShapesFutures

Experience the St. Mary's difference today! Current SMCS families, what do you love about St. Mary's Catholic Schools? Let us know in the comments! ✏🍎🎒✨

St. Mary's Catholic Schools Where Faith Shapes Futures 🍎✨✝️ Experience the difference and schedule a tour with us today at https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/schedule-tour!

Take note of the street closures taking place this Wednesday. Please park in the North gravel lot, and walk to the front doors of the school if you are planning on coming to the office on Wednesday, June 10th.

On this day, 19 years ago, Fr. Stevens was ordained, and today he serves as our pastor and superintendent. ⁣ ⁣ Thank you Fr. Stevens for always moving us forward! Forward always forward!

The South Dakota Partners in Education application is open and this year the qualifying income scale has increased by 50% for both initial and reapplying families! Check it out, an increase in qualifying incomes means an increase in families these scholarships can help support! Apply or learn more at https://sdpartnersinedu.org/families/

Today we celebrate three incredible members of our school family as they begin their next chapter. ❤️ Each of you has made a lasting impact on our school in your own unique way. Through your dedication, kindness, and service, you have touched countless lives and helped shape our community for the better. We are so grateful for your years of service and the legacy you leave behind. You will always be part of our Cardinal family! ❤️

Our seniors have been awarded an incredible $340,000 in scholarships! 🎓 This achievement reflects so much more than academic success. Scholarships recognize the full story of each student. Their intellect, talents, passions, service, leadership, and the unique gifts they bring to the world. At St. Mary’s, we are proud to form the whole person, encouraging our students to grow not only in knowledge, but in character, faith, and purpose. This milestone is a testament to who they are and who they are becoming, and we are honored to have played a part in their formation. Congratulations, Class of 2026! Your hard work and dedication are opening doors to an exciting future! #stmarys #wherefaithshapesfutures #classof2026 #Scholarships

Have you ever thought about applying for a South Dakota Partners in Education scholarship? Apply now for the 2026-2027 school year! Thanks to the recent legislation, the qualifying income scale has increased drastically making scholarships available to more families in our community! Apply at https://sdpartnersinedu.org/families/

This week, we pause to celebrate and thank our incredible school staff for the love, dedication, and care they pour into our students each day. From the classroom to the office, behind the scenes and beyond, your hard work helps shape hearts, minds, and futures. Thank you for the countless ways you serve our school community with patience, kindness, and faith. We are truly blessed by each of you!

South Dakota Partners in Education just posted their new qualifying income scale for the '26-'27 School Year. Thanks to recent legislation, more families now qualify for SD Partners in Education Scholarships! If you have looked into these scholarships in the past, and you didn't quite meet the qualifying income, we highly encourage you look into applying again. Applications are due May 31st so apply now at https://sdpartnersinedu.org/families/ Never heard of SD Partners in Education? Learn more about the scholarship program at https://sdpartnersinedu.org/

The fiscal year for Scrip ends March 31st, if you would like to make one last push for credit on this year's tuition please purchase your cards before the end of the month!

Don't forget to register for the 2026-2027 School Year! Our registration deadline is April 1st, late registrations will result in a $100 late fee. Registration is not complete until a FACTS Payment Account has been established, Create yours at https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/4121P

We are committed to ensuring faith-based education is accessible to all families! Learn of the many ways we have worked to give you the lowest tuition rates possible. Looking to be a Cardinal next school year? Registration Forms and Information: https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/registration-tuition Schedule a Tour: https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/schedule-tour Tuition Grants Information: https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/registration-tuition/tuition-grants

Registration for the 2026-2027 school year is NOW OPEN!!!!! Registration Forms and Information -> https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/registration-tuition Schedule a Tour -> https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/schedule-tour Tuition Grants Information -> https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/registration-tuition/tuition-grants Join the Cardinal Family Today! 🎒🍎✏🎓

To end the week, we want to shoutout our School Counselor! Thank you for everything you do for St. Mary's Catholic Schools.

Help us out! If you have a child ages 0-5, complete this survey! https://forms.gle/e5uXq5Jmsew4mvdMA We are seeking your feedback to better understand what families in our community are looking for in early childhood education and childcare services.

We are seeking someone who appreciates the beauty of the Catholic Church and the profound connection between art and faith to be our next K-12 Art Teacher! Learn more at https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/employment-opportunities

We are so happy to cap off Catholic Schools Week with a day to celebrate St. Mary's. Friday: SOTD: St. Thomas Aquinas - Patron Saint of Schools 🍎🎓🎒✏️🏫 Wear Spirit wear and jeans to show off your St. Mary's Pride! Cardinal Movie in the Gym at 9am Cardinal Families activity at 1pm

We could not be St. Mary's Catholic Schools without STUDENTS LIKE YOU! Thursday: SOTD: St. Catherine of Alexandria - Patron Saint of Students 🏫👨‍🎓👩‍🎓🏫 Be an exemplary Student and wear your School Uniform! Bishop Donald DeGrood will join us for our weekly school Mass, all friends and family are warmly welcome and invited to join us! After Mass we will be taking our annual all school picture. Later in the day we will be having our Family lunch, family members were asked to RSVP beforehand. Meal times are as follows: JC-1st - 11 am 2nd-4th - 11:10 am 5th-6th - 11:15 am 7th-12th - 12:22 pm #csw26

We are almost halfway through Catholic Schools Week! Keep showing your Catholic School Pride! Wednesday: SOTD: St. Jerome - Patron Saint of Libraries and books 📚📚📚 Books Alive in the Upstairs Learning Center at 2pm Wear sweats to cozy up with a good book! #csw26

Why should your family consider St. Mary's Catholic Schools? ✨ Faith Integrated Environment ✨ Virtue Formation ✨ Strong School Family Relationships ✨ Safe & Nurturing Environment ✨ Fostering Leadership ✨ Academic Excellence ✨ Affordable ✨ Preschool-12th all in one building Just to name a few 😉 Schedule your tour today by calling 605-428-5991 or visiting https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/schedule-tour

Theme for Day Two: God Bless America and God Bless Catholic Schools! Tuesday: SOTD: Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception - Patron Saint of America 🗽 Wear red, white, and blue with jeans. Make Valentines for the homebound #csw26

Help us out! If you have a child ages 0-5, complete this survey! https://forms.gle/e5uXq5Jmsew4mvdMA We are seeking your feedback to better understand what families in our community are looking for in early childhood education and childcare services.

Happy Catholic Schools Week get prepped for day one! Monday: SOTD: St. Catherine of Bologna - Patron Saint of Artists 🖌🎨 Class Color Day Living Rosary in the Gym #csw26

Save this post, It's Catholic Schools Week! Show out and show up and let everyone know we are proud to be a part of St. Mary's Catholic Schools.

No School tomorrow (Friday, January 23rd) due to extreme cold. All practices canceled and gym unavailable for use. GB @ Baltic is Postponed, make up date TBD. Stay warm!

After 30 years of dedication and service as the school nurse at SMCS, Connie has decided to retire at the end of this school year. She will be greatly missed!

Our Art Teacher, Lisa, has decided it is time to retire at the end of this school year. Congratulations on your retirement, you will be missed!

Saint Mary's Chapter of the National Honor Society is running a blood drive through the American Red Cross on November 21st of this year. The event will take place in the Saint Mary parish hall beginning at 9:00 AM and ending at 3:00 PM. Interested participants can register using this link. Walk-in donations are also welcome. https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive to find our blood drive searching by zip code, and creating an account with the American Red Cross.

Most schools have one goal for your child in mind.....Graduation. We are not most schools. Our priority at St. Mary's is to teach your children to strive for Heaven while instilling excellence and virtue into their academics.

Congratulations to our 2025 K–4 Fire Safety Week poster winners! 🔥 A big thank-you to Dell Rapids Fire & Rescue for visiting our school and helping our students learn important fire safety skills. We appreciate all you do to keep our community safe! 🚒👩‍🚒

Mark your calendar, here are some upcoming dates you don't want to miss!

There will be no AM or PM busing this Friday for St. Mary's students. Please plan accordingly.

On Monday & Tuesday, our teachers will be furthering their education on the ICLE Model we started integrating into our classrooms last year. No school Monday and Tuesday!

At St. Mary’s Catholic School, faith isn’t just a subject—it’s at the core of everything we stand for. ✨We strive to foster your children's love and relationship with God while receiving an excellent education. Want to see how we walk the walk? Schedule a tour today at https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/schedule-tour

Join us at the upcoming Generations-to-Generations Campaign Update on Sunday, September 28 in the St. Mary’s Parish Hall. Meeting Agenda: ◾️ Building Project Summary ◾️ Loan and Payment Status Report ◾️ St. Mary’s School Highlights ◾️ “Moving Forward with Purpose” Campaign Update Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. If you are unable to make it, catch the recording on our website at drstmary.k12.sd.us/. Look for it on our homepage Monday, Sept. 29th. See you there!

Join us at the upcoming Generations-to-Generations Campaign Update on Sunday, September 28 in the St. Mary’s Parish Hall. Meeting Agenda: ◾️ Building Project Summary ◾️ Loan and Payment Status Report ◾️ St. Mary’s School Highlights ◾️ “Moving Forward with Purpose” Campaign Update Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. If you are unable to make it, catch the recording on our website at drstmary.k12.sd.us/. Look for it on our homepage Monday, Sept. 29th. See you there!

Join us at the upcoming Generations-to-Generations Campaign Update on Sunday, September 28 in the St. Mary’s Parish Hall. Meeting Agenda: ◾️ Building Project Summary ◾️ Loan and Payment Status Report ◾️ St. Mary’s School Highlights ◾️ “Moving Forward with Purpose” Campaign Update Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. If you are unable to make it, catch the recording on our website at drstmary.k12.sd.us/. Look for it on our homepage Monday, Sept. 29th. See you there!

Enjoy the long weekend! We will be back on Tuesday after Labor Day!

School Mass this Wednesday at 8:40 am!

The best way to rack up tuition credit is to utilize our Scrip gift card program! Stop down at the parish office and use this to your advantage on purchases you are already making. Anyone can rack up credit for your family, just ask them to write your name on the form when purchasing the cards. You can also purchase Scrip after Mass on the weekends and by downloading the Raise Right app!

Before we start our new school year, take a moment for this back-to-school prayer.

Our First School Mass of the year will be on Friday, August 15th, a Holy Day of Obligation, celebrating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. All are welcome to join us at 8:40 am!

One week! We can hardly wait! Join us for our Back to School Night on Tuesday, August 12th at 5:30 pm. This night will get your whole family ready for the school year ahead. #cardinalfamily #SMCS #firstdayofschool

St. Mary's is excited to welcome back all our students this month. Here is a quick look at some important dates to keep on the radar! Go Cardinals! #backtoschool #cardinalfamliy #SMCS

Please note the location change for the Back to School Family meeting. SFO will serve in the Parish Hall after the meal everyone is invited up to the Gym.

The school is built, but our efforts are not finished! As of May 1st, our loan amount was around 5.2 million. This loan accrues interest every day at 7.2%. Help us today to continue to provide quality Catholic Education to Dell Rapids and beyond!

Catholic Schools Week starts today! Share this photo to let your friends know you support SMCS!

A blessing of St. Mary's Catholic Schools is the opportunity to attend Mass each week. Everyone is invited!

Come start your day with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass together with our student body tomorrow at 8:40 am!

Join us for the first School Mass of the semester tomorrow! The juniors will be serving.

Enjoy supper with the Cardinal Family before the back to school meetings! Sponsored by the St. Mary SFO

The updated Uniform policy can be found on the school website. https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/uniform

See you August 13th!

If you have any questions about a supply item - please reach out to the office. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a1CMryeFA0-wTBqWSH-ZgHylgYNkyrwu/view

💲 We know worrying about whether your family can afford a Catholic education or not is a big stress for families looking to attend St. Mary's Catholic Schools. Let us help make this opportunity a reality for your children! We make tuition affordable through: 🥳 Tuition Assistance 🥳 SD Partners in Education Scholarships 🥳 Presentation Sisters Scholarships 🥳 Scrip Gift Card Program To see all our tuition assistance options, visit: https://drstmary.k12.sd.us/admissions/tuition/tuition-grants

Junior, Hayden Bowers submitted art work to the 2024 Doodle for Google Contest. The Photo on the Graphic is Hayden's Doodle. The theme this year is : My Wish for the next 25 years... The expansion into space. Hayden did not make the top National Finalists but voting is now open for the National Finalists. https://doodles.google.com/d4g/

Get ready for an amazing performance at our Kindergarten-12th grade Spring concert! Join us as our talented students showcase their hard work and creativity through music. It's a night you won't want to miss! See you there!

Happy School Lunch Hero Day to all the amazing cafeteria staff! Thank you, Mrs. Diane Bunkers, Mrs. Colleen Farmer, Mrs. Kathy Geraets, and Mrs. Becky Geraets, for making our school a better place with your hard work and delicious meals. You are appreciated! What was your favorite school lunch??

🎉 SENIOR SPOTLIGHT 🎉 Hey Class of 2024, can you believe this is YOUR year. Today our final spotlight is on Owen Vargas! Owen is the son of Ivan and Jean and brother to Lucy, Phoebe, Hazel, and Milo. During his free time, he likes to golf, hunt and cook. His favorite high school memory was winning the State Football game. Owen's favorite saint is St. Benedict, the patron saint of students! Congratulations Owen! St. Benedict pray for us. #cardinalfamily #gocards #classof24 #onceacardinalalwaysacardinal❤️🖤

🎉 SENIOR SPOTLIGHT 🎉 Hey Class of 2024, can you believe this is YOUR year. We will be highlighting each and every one of you! Today our spotlight is on Jaycee Tebay! Jaycee is the daughter of Casey and Lacey and sister to Camden, Stetsen, and Bexley. During her free time, she likes to work, hang out with friends, play sports, travel, camp, and spend time with her grandparents. Her future plans are to attend Dakota Wesleyan University to play softball and major in Nursing. Jaycee's favorite saint is St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the patron of Catholic Schools! Congratulations Jaycee! St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us. #cardinalfamily #gocards #classof24 #onceacardinalalwaysacardinal❤️🖤

Hip Hip Hooray It's Administrative Assistant Appreciation Day! Our secretaries are top notch and we are very thankful for the work they do each day! Send them some ❤love❤ in the comments to show how grateful we are to have them with us.

If you see any of our wonderful bus drivers past or present today make sure to give them a little extra love. It's School Bus Driver Appreciation Day!

Enjoy the day off! There is NO school this Friday, April 26th.

Today is Volunteer Recognition Day! Our school system would be nothing without the many parents and community members who help by volunteering. 🖤❤️🤍 If you want to show SMCS volunteers some love, shout them out in the comments below! ⬇️