Welcome to the 2025–2026 School Year!
I hope your summer has been full of rest, joy, and meaningful moments with your loved ones. We are thrilled to welcome both new and returning families back to campus and can’t wait to fill our hallways once again with the energy, laughter, and spirit of our amazing students.
At Ascension, our mission is clear and central to all we do: to develop Christian Thought Leaders. This year, that mission continues to guide our work in the classroom, in the community, and in every student relationship we build.
We are especially excited to welcome Fr. Matthew Millay as he begins his leadership of our incredible parish. We look forward to his presence, guidance, and partnership in strengthening the faith life of our school and parish community.
We are also proud to introduce some wonderful new faces to our faculty and staff family:
- Steve Farris, Middle School Social Studies
- Paige Stettler, Art
- Emilie Balthrop, 1st Grade
- Jenny Brown, Kindergarten Assistant
- Matt Henson, Music & Grades 3–5 Writing
- Darlene Davis, Leeann Gooch, and Ann Simms-Sullivan, Middle School Math
- Mary Crush, who will be teaching Spanish and Religion in Grades K, 1, and 6–8, and will also be working with Mrs. Kellie Hood to provide targeted math support for students who need an extra boost. (More details will come from Mrs. Hood and Ms. Crush soon!)
I truly believe we have an outstanding team of faculty and staff this year, and I’m so excited for all they will bring to our school community.
We also have exciting news: Our new Infant Room is now open! A huge thank-you to Mrs. Valerie Shell and her incredible team for bringing this beautiful new space to life. We can’t wait for you to see it during our Back-to-School Night on August 11! The infant classroom welcomes two returning teachers in a new capacity. Our co-teachers for this classroom are Megan Soverns and Olivia Greenwell.
This year’s Back-to-School Night on Monday, August 11 has a refreshed format thanks to the creativity and hard work of our amazing PTO:
- Open House (4:00–5:30 PM): A relaxed window for families to:
- Meet teachers, assistants, and specials staff
- Drop off supplies and explore classrooms
- Take photos and create joyful memories—especially for our younger students
- Information Booths (4:00–8:30 PM, Cafeteria): These stations will help families with FACTS, lunch accounts, uniforms, and other essentials.
- Tailgate Party (4:00–8:30 PM, Gym Parking Lot): Enjoy food (sold by our 8th graders to support their Grand Canyon trip), music, games, and raffles for students, staff, and parents. Feel free to stop by throughout the night when not in a meeting!
- Grade-Level Meetings with Teachers & the Principal: These will follow the same structure as last year, giving parents a focused opportunity to hear classroom expectations and ask questions.
| GRADE-LEVEL MEETINGS | ||
| Grade Level | Principal Welcome (Gym) |
Classroom Meeting |
| Infants-JK | 4:45-5:00 PM | 5:05-5:25 PM |
| K-2 Grade | 5:30-5:50 PM | 5:55-6:40 PM |
| 3rd-5th Grade | 6:45-7:05 PM | 7:10-7:40 PM |
| 6th-8th Grade | 7:45-8:00 PM | 8:05-8:30 PM |
As we begin this new year grounded in faith, we invite you to join us for our first school Mass on Friday, August 15th, as we come together to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. It’s a joyful and sacred way to begin the year as a united school community.
We’re looking forward to a year filled with growth, discovery, and faith-filled community. Thank you for partnering with us in our shared mission. It’s going to be a fantastic year, and we can’t wait to begin it together!
Terrence Mullaney, Principal