Dear Future Knights,

It is with great pleasure that I can say I’ve been a proud Knight for almost 30 years. Starting as a biology teacher and now as the president of our beloved school, it truly is an honor and privilege to serve the St. Mary’s Ryken community. Throughout this booklet you’ll find lots of ways to make the most of your experience as an SMR Knight. From our robust fine arts programs, to our athletic teams, faith life and clubs, all of our students find something to support their interests, find a new passion and grow their leadership skills.

It is such an exciting time to become a St. Mary’s Ryken student! We recently opened the St. Mary’s Ryken Flight Academy with over 24 flight simulators and the MIL Family STEM and Innovation Wing. This space houses a wind tunnel, virtual reality, 3-D printers, drone lab, robotics build area and space for STEM classes. This year we are renovating our Chapel of Charity, where everyone in the SMR community has the opportunity to attend daily Mass and spend time for personal reflection and prayer. Later this year, a new turf field will be installed in the stadium.

I hope you will join us for our fall open house on Sunday, Oct. 22. You’ll have the opportunity to meet students and teachers and tour our beautiful campus. Also, look on the back cover for information about our Knight for a Day program. It’s the best way to get the true St. Mary’s Ryken experience.

I look forward to meeting you. It’s a Great Day to Be a Knight!

Dr. Rick Wood President and CEO, St. Mary’s Ryken

Our Xaverian values: