St. Mark's School -

Every Friday at SMS, our students attend an All-School Mass and today is the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Father Lampitt encouraged all of us to pick one person to pray for that Mary, our Blessed Mother, can intercede to her son Jesus. The Gospel also spoke to us about the most important commandment, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all you heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." MATTHEW 22: 34 - 40

At SMS, we try to live by those commandments:

* Our Mother, Mary, intercedes for us!
* Our staff helping students enter the building joyfully!
* Siblings supporting each other for a good day at school!
* Mentoring across all grade levels!
* Sharing a snack, especially a cheese stick, with each other!
* And teaching Mr. Dotson how to open a bag of apples when he can't do it!

GOD IS GREAT! What a Wonderful Week to be a MARKSMEN!!!!!!

What a great Opening Day at SMS! Our students and families "Knocked It Out Of The Park!" A new school year always generates excitement, along with some nervousness, too. However, our staff and students made everyone feel welcome -ready to take on new beginnings and new challenges. The building is just never the same without our students so here is a litle snapshot of the day:

* Parents taking pictures for the first day of school.
* It's new year = new fist bumps!
* Classrooms filled with students!
* Even our playground felt appreciated again!
* Father Lampitt and Father Bernard made welcoming visits, too!!

Be a part of something special - BE A MARKSMEN!!!!!!!

At SMS, we are ready for "Opening Day" for the 2025 - 2026 school year!!! Our staff is excited to begin another amazing year full of learning, growth, and new adventures. God wants us all to be the best version of ourselves! Let’s support each other, stay curious, and make it one of our best school years yet!

"ONCE A MARKSMEN, ALWAYS A MARKSMEN!!!!!"

Thank you to everyone that came out for the Taste of St. Mark's last Saturday! It truly was a great day to celebrate all there is about our parish, our school, and our community!

* We had several families bring thier children to visit their classroom, meet their teachers, and rekindle those relationships with friends!

* Special thanks to the Men's Club and PSA for sponsoring the Taste of St. Mark's!

* And in a true sense of community, several of our families attended the West Peoria Mass sponsored by the Heading Avenue Fransican Sisters on Sunday.

* The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Tylka and concelebrated by Father Lampitt. Our own Peter Taylor helped serve.

How Blessed We Are At St. Mark's!!!!!!!

Summer is a wonderful time to share with family and friends! While that time is definitely needed, our school is not the same without our students. You may have wondered - what's going on at SMS? Well - here is a small snapshot:

* The Grotto area is being beautified!
* New mulch was installed in the playground and all old railroad ties were removed.
* The second stage of our window replacement project is in full swing.

And - we know not everyone is ready for school to start - but there is still plenty of time to enjoy the summer!!

If you want to know what it's like to be a MARKSMEN, give us a call at 309-676-7131!

Happy 4th of July from all of us at SMS! We are blessed in many ways and one of them is being a MARKSMEN!!! May God continue to Bless America and St. Mark's Parish and School!!!!!

Summer is in full swing and this past Saturday Mr. & Mrs. Kerns, Mrs. Barth, and Mr. Dotson all ran the Steamboat Classic 4 miler - it was a great time! Come see what's it like to run as a MARKSMEN! Applications are being accepted for the 2025 - 2026 school year in Pre K - 8th Grades. Call the office at 676 -7131 to arrange a tour and discover all the wonderful opportunities that SMS has to offer! “Running is not about being better than someone else… it’s about being better than you used to be.” GO BE A MARKSMEN!!!!

Today was the last day for our 8th Graders. The Class of 2025 has been extraordinary leaders during their time at SMS! We wish them well and look forward to all that they will accomplish in life! * Practice for the Graduation Mass on Thursday, May 15th at 6 PM. * A special final lunch prepared by our kitchen staff. * Creating more lasting memories as a class during lunch. And......... "ONCE A MARKSMEN, ALWAYS A MARKSMEN!!!!!!"

Tomorrow is the big day! We have the SMS Talent Show at 1:30, followed by the special video the students made for the teachers as a form of appreciation. Then, we say a heartfelt goodbye to our 8th grade students on their final walk out of SMS!

What a Blessed Week at SMS! * We began by celebraing our Patron, St. Mark * 2nd Graders received their Blessing Cups in preparation for First Communion * Matt Skinner won the IESA Scholar Attitude Award for our region * Scholastic Bowl made it to the Championship Game in the regional * Our 3rd graders performed their "Living Museum" * And...... students "Ruled the School"! There's nothing like being a MARKSMEN!!!!

Hello SMS - This is Principal Sam McGill and today the "Kids Ruled the School!" "Kids Ruled the School Day" is where the students take over the teachers' jobs for the day. We have increased recess time, eliminated homework, and still raised test scores in just one short day! IT"S GREAT TO BE A MARKSMEN!!!!

☀️💧Get ready for a splash-tastic time! 💙 Water Day is coming to St. Mark School on May 15th for our preschool through 2nd grade students! 🎉 We’re looking for energetic volunteers to help make this day unforgettable. ☀️💧 If you can lend a hand, we’d love to have you on board! Look for a Sign Up Genius from your classroom teacher!

🎤✨ Get ready to shine, St. Mark Stars! ✨🎤 We’re excited to announce the St. Mark School Talent Show is coming soon! 🎭🎶🎨 Whether you sing, dance, play an instrument, tell jokes, or have a unique talent to share — this is YOUR moment! 📅 Date: May 14th at 1:30 pm 📍 Location: St. Mark Grade School Gym 🎟️ Open to: All students from Kindergarten through 8th Grade Let’s celebrate the amazing talents in our school community! Sign up now and show us what you’ve got! Permission forms are available in the school office or in the Marksmen Memo. If you have questions, check in with Miss Naples, Miss Steinkoenig or Mrs. Whitten.💫👏

To the absolute BEST secretaries — Mrs. Alexander and Mrs. Tigue — Thank you for everything you do to keep us organized, supported, and always smiling. Your dedication, kindness, and hard work never go unnoticed. We appreciate you more than words can say! 💐❤️

Caterpillar 10:1 Match for a limited time! Calling all Caterpillar employees who are friends of St. Mark's School! Beginning on Monday April, 21 Caterpillar will match donations by employees of up to $500 by 10 times! A $500 contribution to St. Mark's School by any Caterpillar employee will be matched with $5,000 by Caterpillar ($100 matched with $1,000, and so on)! This special match program will only last until May 2 or when the allotted match funds of $10 million are gone! If you are a Caterpillar employee (or have any family and friends who work at CAT and would like to support St. Mark’s school) and are interested, we encourage you to give on April 21 or as soon as you are able to ensure that you can take advantage of this incredible opportunity! Thank you for your support of St. Mark’s School! GO MARKSMEN!!!!

As we enter into Holy Week, our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students led walking Stations of the Cross this morning.

While we’re sad to say goodbye to Ms. Freeman, we’re so excited for her as she begins a new adventure at Notre Dame—what a lucky school! With her departure, we’re now looking for a passionate and dedicated middle school math teacher to join our amazing team. Help us spread the word and find the perfect fit for our St. Mark family!

Calling all Marksmen and Friends of SMS! Congress is currently considering a tax credit scholarship program that would provide 100% scholarships to attend private and parochial schools in Peoria including St. Mark's. Families that make under $292,800 would be eligible to receive scholarships under the current proposed legislation. This proposed legislation is called "The Educational Choice for Children Act". Our two local Congressman Rep Sorensen and Rep LaHood will have a critical say on whether this legislation passes and becomes law. Please take a minute to send them a message in support of the ECCA using this link. https://theurbancenter.quorum.us/campaign/115051/

Today we celebrate Mrs. Schafer, our incredible school librarian who goes above and beyond every single day for our students and staff. Whether she’s helping students discover a new favorite book or assisting teachers with resources, Mrs. Schafer does it all with a smile and an inspiring dedication. Thank you, Mrs. Schafer, for your hard work, your kind heart, and your unwavering support of our school community. We’re so lucky to have you! 💛📖💙

So what is it that makes St. Mark's, St. Mark's??? * Our Faith is practiced daily. Students participate in the Stations of the Cross. * Opportunites for strong academics and the fine arts. * Prayer buddies that learn from each other. * Sports and other extra-curricular activities. * A Pastor that is invested in our students and our school. * And a sweetness and love like no other! Come see what being a MARKSMEN is all about!!!!