Why Do We Pack the Pews?

 As an interparish school, All Saints Academy strives to gather in community and support the spiritual and moral development of our students in both their school and our parishes.  While our ASA community comes together through the year for Mass during the school day, we know on the weekends our community gathers together across four different parishes. 

In September 2012, ASA hosted its first Pack the Pews event!  The goal of Pack the Pews is to bring together the ASA community at one of our four founding parishes for a specified Mass.  This allows all of our families, regardless of parish or ASA campus,  the opportunity to pray, worship, and celebrate the Mass as one.  As is tradition, all students (toddler through 8th grade) are encouraged to wear their ASA uniform or spirit wear to Pack the Pews Masses and any K-8 student who attends a Pack the Pews Mass receives a Color Day (non-uniform) coupon allowing the student to have a non-uniform day on Monday.  Starting in 2025, Pack the Pews Sundays conclude with donuts as a thank you to our parishes bringing together our ASA families and parishioners at our four founding parishes for a delicious morning treat!   

While Pack the Pews Masses in recent years have begun in January and concluded in April, this school year we are trying something new.  Our first ASA Pack the Pews Mass will be at St. Jude at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 19 and we will conclude our Pack the Pews series in April.  The 2025-2026 ASA Pack the Pews dates are listed below!  We look forward to you and your family joining us as we celebrate our shared belief that we are one!

Sunday, October 19, 2025 at St. Jude 10:30 a.m. Mass

Sunday, January 25, 2026 at St. Isidore 10:30 a.m. Mass 

Sunday, March 8, 2026 at Blessed Sacrament 10:30 Mass

Saturday, April 25, 2026 at St. Alphonsus 4:00 p.m. Mass

Welcome to a returning teacher and a new teacher!

Welcome back to Mrs. Lindsey Johnston!

Hello! I am returning to All Saints Academy as the Toddler 2 Lead teacher. I'm excited to be back! I've found myself "back at home" in the classroom and know I'm blessed to work with the other teachers and staff here. I am, of course, loving the learning and laughter happening in Room 304 as we navigate the new school year. The last few weeks have been wonderfully fun and busy. I'm certain the rest of the year will follow suit.

I grew up in Grand Rapids and went to school at our lower campus when it was Blessed Sacrament School. I then went to Catholic Central and on to Ferris State University for education in criminal justice and early childhood development. My husband and I both love to be outside, spend time with our family, listen to old country music, and watch The Office (yes, still) when time allows. Our three oldest children attend ASA (Aila in 3rd grade, Sam in 2nd, Keira in Preschool 3). Our youngest, Anna, goes to Grandma's during the day. We have two big dogs named Jesse and Breslin, and we have a cat named Scuttle. God gifted me with love for cleaning and cooking, so that worked out well. :) When I find some time to slow down, I spend it reading historical fiction (Kristin Hannah!), watching Top Gun Maverick again, making lemonade or cake pops with the kids, or trying to make myself into an avid runner. 

The All Saints community has been an integral part of our family's life. I'm so glad to be back in the halls here where I can play a small role in helping our kids grow academically, in faith, and in confidence. 

Mrs. Johnston & family

Welcome Mrs. Girodat!

Hi!  My name is Cindy Girodat (“Gear” “Dot”).  I am a second grade teacher at the Lower Campus.  I  started teaching in 1992 and 30 years later retired for a short time. I began substituting at All Saints Academy, mostly at the lower campus in music. I am honored and blessed to be a member of such a  kind and caring staff as well as having the privilege to teach the students here at ASA! 

Education

• Grand Rapids Community College, 

  Associates Degree

• Aquinas College, BA in Social Science with a minor in Reading

• Western Michigan University, Masters in Reading

I am an avid horse person.  It all began when I was 4.  My family lived in Fort Collins, Colorado and bought a donkey (a mammoth jack) named Hubert.  We moved back to Michigan, where my brother and I saved our money and with the help of our parents bought our first Shetland pony, Smokey. I grew up taking riding lessons, going on trail rides, practicing and going to horse shows with my brother, Dan.

I also enjoy taking pictures.  Someday, I would like to have a huge telephoto lens along with a compatible camera. 

Welcome, Mrs. Simpson!

Hi, My name is Kelly Simpson and I am the new Kindergarten teacher. I am very excited to be at ASA and to work with the wonderful staff. I was born in the Detroit area and moved to Grand Haven in middle school. I went to MSU, Go Green, for my undergraduate in Child Development and finished my teaching credentials at GVSU. Also, I have my master’s in reading too!

I am married to my husband Tim, and we just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this past June with a trip to Mackinaw Island. I previously taught for Grand Haven Area Public Schools for 16 years  and have lots of early childhood experience. This past summer I completed the LETRS training, which is a two year commitment to help teachers with strategies for fluent readers and writers in their classroom.  I feel blessed to be at such a collaborative school with a caring and warm environment!

New School Year, New Adventures!

Adventure is defined as an unusual and/or exciting experience or activity that we engage in.  The Kindergarten classes at ASA have spent the past few weeks beginning their educational adventure that will span the next 13 years.

Mrs. Bowman and Mrs. Simpson create a loving, structured environment where students connect fun and learning so they are excited to come to school each day!  The first weeks of Kindergarten have been filled with learning new routines and procedures, meeting old and new friends, practicing being a Bucket Filler and discovering that we are all special gifts in God’s creation!  Here’s what some of the students had to say about their new adventure…

“I’m excited to go to the Atrium because we get to pray there”   Emmy

“I like working on our computers and playing learning games”   Emily

“It’s an adventure to play outside on the playground with 1st graders”   Sam

“I’m excited to sing in music class and do projects in art class”   Eleanor

“I like playing with my friends”   Louise

“I’m excited to play tag in gym class”   Abby

“I like playing football in the field with new friends”  Angelo

Welcome Ms. Clark!

     Hi ASA community! My name is Aubrey Clark, and I am the new 4th grade teacher this year at upper campus. I am ecstatic to be returning to my alma mater and working alongside some familiar faces. The most familiar face I’ll get to work alongside is my mom, Mrs. Clark, who has fostered a great love of education, music, and faith in me. Mrs. Livingston was my 7th grade teacher back in 2008 and Ms. Sacha and I attended ASA at the same time. Her brother, Fr. David is also a dear friend of mine from attending ASA and West Catholic together. We even went to the homecoming dance together. You might recognize the background of our photos!

Growing up, my grandpa, Deacon George LeMire, was based at Blessed Sacrament and my mom did liturgical music there. I was born and raised as a part of this amazing community and have always found so much comfort and inspiration from connecting with other community members. I am the youngest of six, and we all love to participate in masses through music. I currently attend masses at St. Anthony of Padua and Blessed Sacrament. My faith is very important to me, and my priority as a young adult has been continuously working on making my faith personal and active, rather than just a habit. This is something that I will work to instill in students as I teach theology in the upcoming year.

I will be going into my second year of teaching this year, and am extremely passionate about providing my students with a safe, cozy place to learn, ask questions, and express themselves. I am especially driven in my work with students who are neurodivergent or learn differently, as I myself have ADHD and love using my creativity, movement, and senses to learn material. I love teaching about nature and animals, as I am a big believer in the lyrics, “All God’s creatures have a place in the choir.” We share this Earth and I enjoy helping students learn to respect it. I firmly believe that I was put in this position by God to help form the next generation of faithful, compassionate, service-oriented leaders.

In my spare time, I love playing instruments and singing, spending time with my animals (1 cat, 6 parrots, and 2 bunnies), helping with wildlife rehabilitation, reading, playing video games, and doing pilates and sports. I am also very travel-oriented. I lived in Ireland for 4 years and completed my BA there while getting the opportunity to see Europe! I even met up with Fr. David in Ireland at one point. Other countries I was blessed to visit include Italy, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, France, and Germany. My most recent excursion was to South Korea. Exploring new places and learning about different cultures is something I will never get tired of.

Thank you so much for all of your support and prayers in the year ahead. I am feeling so blessed and valued by the community and staff at ASA, and can’t wait to meet the students and get started on an adventurous year together.

St. Alphonsus Scholarship Recipients

On Sunday, May 19, 2025, the St. Alphonsus Education Endowment recognized several All Saints Academy students during their annual Honors Mass. Principal, Mrs. Megan Schneider, joined members of the Endowment Board to present the scholarship awards.

The Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters established the Sr. Roberta Hefferan and Sr. Olga Mizzi Scholarships in the names of two members of their community who were deeply engaged in St. Alphonsus Parish.

Sister Roberta Hefferan, OP, recognized and responded to the needs of others through vibrant social outreach programs, including the Food & Clothing Pantry. The winner of the Sr. Roberta Scholarship is Thatcher M.  His nominating teachers, Melanie Groh and Vonnie Clark, had the following to say:

Thatcher is always willing to help his teachers and peers with any project: big or small.… He is in the choir at ASA for Mass with Mrs. Clark. He and his family volunteer at St. Al’s Lenten Fish Fry evenings. He attends VBS each summer with his siblings. Overall, Thatcher has a beautiful servant heart, willing to step in at any time.

Thatcher does a great job participating in Liturgical Music. He has a great attitude in the Classroom and at Mass….I love that he is such an active participant in the Parish. He also told me that he ushered at the Cathedral, and the Bishop gave him Communion - I love hearing how important that was to him.

Sister Olga Mizzi, OP, was devoted to religious service and education and brought joy and knowledge to thousands of students as a teacher in St. Alphonsus School. The winner of the Sr. Olga Mizzi Scholarship is Andrew M., who was nominated by teachers Alixe LaFramboise and Liz Beckwith. 

Andrew is a highly deserving candidate for this scholarship due to his dedication to excellence in academics, music, athletics, and service. His passion for reading inspires his classmates, fostering a love for literature within his classroom community. As a talented musician, he shares his gifts by playing the saxophone and flute at Mass almost every weekend at St. Alphonsus. Beyond his talents, Andrew exemplifies kindness, respect, and leadership, making him a valued friend and role model. He truly embodies our core values of faith, learning, loving, and serving in all aspects of his daily life.

The Sean Earl Scholarship is awarded to 7th-grade students attending All Saints Academy who demonstrate strength of character, kindness, and service toward others. Mr. and Mrs. Earl joined the Endowment Board in presenting the memorial award to this year’s recipients Jacob P. and Andrew M.

Miles B. was the recipient of the St. Alphonsus Founders’ Fund Scholarship. The Founders’ Fund Scholarship is awarded to a qualifying new student at All Saints Academy who is also a St. Alphonsus parishioner. 

 Congratulations to all of the award recipients!  Thank you, St. Alphonsus Education Endowment, for your support of All Saints Academy and our students!