For some, a school is simply a place to learn. For Angie Smith and Kris Speelman, Catholic schools have become something much greater: places where faith takes root, relationships grow, and joy is shared from one generation to the next.

Both women have spent decades serving students and families in our Family of Parishes. Both have experienced Catholic education not only as teachers, but also as students, parents, parishioners, and persons of faith. And both have discovered that some of the greatest lessons learned in a Catholic school cannot be found in a book.

They are lessons about trust, love, belonging, and the joy that comes from knowing God is present in every part of life.

For nearly 50 years, Guardian Angels (GA) has been more than a school and church to Angie Smith. It has been home.

Angie’s journey with GA began when she entered first grade. There, she learned more about her faith, received her First Holy Communion and Confirmation, and became part of a community that would continue to shape her throughout her life.

Today, as a second-grade teacher at GA, she has the privilege of helping a new generation discover the same faith that has guided her.

“My faith is important to me because it gives me hope and comfort,” Angie said. “I put my trust in God that things will work out according to His plan!”

The sense of belonging Angie experienced as a child eventually became something she wanted for her own family. After becoming a mother, she sent her three children to GA, choosing for them the same community that had played such an important role in her own childhood.

“My family has been attending Guardian Angels Church for almost 50 years!” she said. “After I had children, I knew they needed to attend the same school I did. GA is a special place!”

After college, Angie returned to GA as a long-term substitute teacher. More than 25 years later, she is still there, having taught students in numerous roles and grade levels and built relationships with countless families along the way.

What has kept her there is, in many ways, the same thing that first made GA special to her: the people.

“I truly enjoy working with my colleagues and fellow teachers. They all genuinely care about the students and want them to be successful,” she said. “The students and families I have worked with over the years have kept me wanting to continue teaching at GA.”

Now, Angie teaches second grade where she helps students prepare to receive Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. For her, it is more than just preparing children for two important moments in their Catholic lives, it is an opportunity to help them begin building a personal relationship with Jesus.

“I am excited to help them grow closer in their relationship with Jesus and guide them along their personal faith journeys,” she said.



The little girl who once walked through the doors of GA is now helping other children walk through those same doors and discover the joy of faith for themselves.

At Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), Kris Speelman has spent 34 years welcoming children into her classroom.

She has taught them letters and numbers, shared Bible stories, wiped away tears, celebrated accomplishments, and helped countless children take their first steps on their educational journey.

But over those 34 years, her students have taught her something, too.

“I think being with kindergarteners and first graders for 34 years has taught me that God’s love is simple, patient, and unconditional,” Kris said. “[They] have an incredible ability to trust, forgive, and find great joy in the smallest of moments…just come with an open heart, God will do the rest.”

For Kris, those lessons have become part of the foundation of her own faith.

“My Catholic faith is the foundation of my life and gives meaning in all that I do,” she said. “It has guided me through life’s joys and many challenges, reminding me to trust in God, love others, and serve with compassion.”

Kris knew from an early age that she wanted to become a teacher. Having attended Catholic schools herself, she also knew that she wanted her faith to be part of her work.

“I knew very early I wanted to be a teacher…my favorite thing to play was school,” she said. “Attending many Catholic schools, I also knew that was where I wanted to teach. I knew that I would need to bring my faith into my daily teaching.”

Right out of college, Kris began teaching first grade at IHM. 16 years later, she was invited to help establish a new kindergarten program. She agreed on one condition: that she could return to first grade after a year. That was 18 years ago.



“Well, this will be my 18th year in kindergarten and I just love it,” she said.

Her love for her students and colleagues is evident. She describes the people she has worked alongside as some of her greatest teachers, and she continues to collect what she calls “learning nuggets” from them along the way.

Her connection to IHM even extends beyond the classroom with she and her husband choosing to send all five of their children to the school.

“Choosing to send all five of my children to IHM was one of the easiest and best decisions our family ever made,” she said. “I experienced firsthand the love, dedication, and faith of the teachers here.”

Soon, another class of kindergarteners will walk through Kris’s classroom door. She hopes they learn much more than their letters and numbers.



“If I can bring a little more joy into their day, then I feel I have shared a small reflection of Christ’s love."

The stories of Angie and Kris are different, but they point to the same truth: Catholic education is not simply about what happens inside a classroom.

It is about the joy of passing on the faith to others. The joy of a child receiving a sacrament for the first time. The joy of witnessing future generations grow in their relationships with Jesus. The joy of knowing that a school community can become part of a family’s story for generations.

For these educators, faith and joy are not separate from their work. They are at the heart of everything they do.