St. Mary's School- Waterford, NY

One smile sent, and another received! 💌☀️

Our 4th graders poured their hearts and creativity into a special “Send a Smile” project. Using watercolor pencils and paint, they created beautiful summer scene postcards for 20 residents at Shaker Pointe at Carondelet. Each postcard included a thoughtful handwritten note, with the hope of brightening someone’s day and spreading a little kindness.

The smiles continued when our friends at the Waterford Post Office surprised the class with an incredible behind-the-scenes tour! Students learned how mail is sorted, how it makes its way to homes, and even how packages are scanned and processed. It was a fascinating experience, and we are so grateful for their time, kindness, and generosity.

What began as a simple act of sending smiles turned into a day filled with learning, connection, and joy. ❤️📬✨

🌿🏆 We are bursting with pride as we celebrate our incredible middle school writers! 🏆🌿

Congratulations to Isla, Jenna, and Ryder for their outstanding achievement in the Wilton Preserve Essay Contest! Their hard work, creativity, and passion earned them 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the middle school category — an amazing sweep for our school!

Today we celebrated our Kindergarten graduates! 🎓❤️ It feels like just yesterday they walked through our doors as little learners, and now they are ready to spread their wings and begin a new chapter. They truly do grow up way too fast.

One of the greatest gifts of teaching in a small school community is the chance to see generations of families walk through your classroom. There is something so incredibly special about now teaching the children of former students and watching those same traditions, values, and memories continue.

Congratulations to our Kindergarten graduates. We are so proud of all you have accomplished and cannot wait to watch you continue to learn, grow, and shine. Once a part of our school family, always a part of our school family. 💙✨🎓

🍧☀️ Nothing says summer fun like a cool Kona Ice treat on a hot day! A huge thank you to our amazing PTO for bringing smiles, sweet treats, and a refreshing surprise to our students and staff.

The perfect way to cool down and make a wonderful school day even sweeter! ❤️💙💛

🎓💙 Some traditions hold the sweetest memories. Today, our 7th graders continued a special tradition by creating heartfelt cards for our 8th graders as they prepare to say goodbye and begin their next chapter.

Our 8th graders also took their final walk through the halls before graduation tonight—a moment filled with smiles, memories, and a few happy tears. It’s hard to believe how quickly the years have flown by.

We are so proud of the young people they have become and cannot wait to celebrate them as they graduate this evening. Once a part of our school family, always a part of our family. 💙✨🎓

Yesterday, our 5th graders proudly completed their D.A.R.E. program! Throughout the program, they learned valuable lessons about making safe choices, building confidence, handling peer pressure, and becoming responsible leaders in their community.

As part of their graduation, students were challenged to reflect on their experience by writing an essay about what they learned. A huge congratulations to our two essay winners, Kelsie and Miracle! We are so proud of your thoughtful words and the effort you put into your work.

A heartfelt thank you to the Waterford Police Department for providing such a meaningful and impactful program, as well as a delicious lunch to help celebrate this special milestone. We are proud of all of our 5th graders and the choices they will continue to make as they grow! 🎓👏💙

🎓✨ Today we celebrate our littlest graduates as our Pre-K 3 friends take their very first steps across the graduation stage! What a beautiful year it has been filled with tiny hands, big hugs, endless smiles, new friendships, and so much growth.

It’s amazing to look back and see how much they have learned — from gaining confidence and independence to discovering their voices and personalities. They came to us as little ones and are leaving with hearts full of memories and a love of learning.

We are so proud of each and every one of our Pre-K 3 graduates. Keep dreaming big, keep being curious, and never lose the joy and wonder that makes you so special.

Congratulations to our sweet little graduates! 🎓💙 We can’t wait to see all the incredible things you will do. ❤️✨

W is for Water Balloons! 💦🎈

What better way to cool off on a hot day than with water balloons? Our kindergarten friends had an absolute blast celebrating Letter W Day as part of our ABC Countdown to Graduation! From squeals of laughter to friendly splashes, the smiles were endless as they enjoyed some fun in the sun with their classmates.

These special countdown days are creating memories that will last a lifetime, and it’s hard to believe graduation is just around the corner. Keep making memories, kindergarten—we’re soaking up every last moment together! ☀️💙🎓

Yesterday was a beautiful day for Field Day with our upper grades! ☀️🎉

From exciting games and friendly competition to teamwork, laughter, and school spirit, our students had an amazing time making memories with their classmates. It was wonderful to see everyone encouraging one another, giving their best effort, and enjoying a day filled with fun and sunshine.

A huge thank you to our teachers, staff, volunteers, and everyone who helped make the day such a success. We are so proud of our students for their positive attitudes, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm throughout the day. What a fantastic way to celebrate the end of another great school year! 💙💛

💙✨ Our 8th Grade Communion Breakfast was such a special and meaningful celebration. Surrounded by family, friends, teachers, and our school community, we had the opportunity to reflect on the incredible young people these students have become and the journey that has brought them to this moment.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped plan, prepare, decorate, serve, and make this beautiful morning possible. Your generosity and dedication created memories that our students and families will cherish for years to come.

As we look ahead to graduation on Friday, it is hard to believe how quickly the years have passed. We have watched these students learn, grow, laugh, lead, and support one another through every step of their journey. While we are excited to see all that lies ahead for them, there is certainly a touch of sadness in knowing their time with us is coming to an end.

To our 8th graders: may you always carry with you the faith, friendships, values, and memories you have built here. We are so proud of each and every one of you and cannot wait to celebrate you as graduates this Friday. Congratulations, Class of 2026! 🎓❤️🙏🏻