I was raised in the Spokane Valley, graduating from Central Valley High School and Central Washington University. I began teaching in 1967, quit to raise a family of 4 children and returned to teaching at St. Mary's in 1987. I have taught Pre-K through 2nd grade. St. Mary's remains a significant gift to our family which now includes 6 grandchildren, two of whom currently attend St. Mary's.

Hi! I am Mary Urbaniak and I teach Kindergarten at St. Mary's Catholic School. I grew up in and attended school at St. Charles Parish. I earned my BaE and MaE at Eastern Washington University. I have been teaching at St. Mary's since 2003 and also have children that attend the school. My family have been members of the St. Mary's Parish since 1996. I feel truly blessed to be able to work and worship in my faith community.

Becky Clift is the first grade teacher at St. Mary's Catholic School. She is beginning her 22nd year of teaching. First graders are her "first" love but she has had opportunities to work with students at all grade levels. Her degree through Eastern Washington University is in Preschool through 12th grade education with a reading major and a minor in mathematics. "I love the strong sense of community found in St. Mary's Parish and School and greatly appreciate the support of the pastor, principal, staff and parents."

Marty Ray was born and raised in the Spokane Valley. She has been a member of St. Mary's Parish since 1976 and her 5 children are alumni of St. Mary's School. Being a product of catholic education herself, she believes in the value and importance of educating children in the catholic school tradition. She has worked at St. Mary's Catholic School as a teacher's aid since 1995. She loves the experience of working with the children as they explore their world.

Lori Hattamer started teaching in the Spokane Catholic Dioceses in 1987 and has experience teaching kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade. She has been at St. Mary's since 2000 and enjoys teaching second grade. Lori grew up in this area and attended St. John Vianney Grade School, Gonzaga Prep High School, and Gonzaga University. She feels blessed to be part of the St. Mary's community and thankful to have the opportunity to help children learn.

I was born and raised in Spokane and attended Assumption School, and Gonzaga Prep. I then graduated from Carroll College in Helena, MT with a degree in Elementary Education. I student taught here at St Mary's and taught preschool at Assumption for two years. This will be my sixth year at St. Mary's. Over those six years I have taught Pre K 3, Pre K 4, fourth grade and fifth grade, and am excited to be teaching third grade this year. I feel honored to work with and share my faith with such a wonderful staff and group of third graders.

I graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Vocal Music, and also hold a certificate for Early Childhood Education from Minnesota State University.  I am excited to teach both Early Childhood and Elementary students, and look forward to sharing in their individual journeys as they learn and grow.  My two children are both students at St. Mary's, and it is my honor and privilege to teach and be a part of a Christ-centered community of faith.

I am excited to be returning to the St. Mary's community after two years in Nevada! I have a bachelor's degree in elementary and special education and over 30 credits of continuing education in a variety of subjects. My husband, Mike, and I are again active members of St. Mary's Parish and look forward to seeing many of you there. All nine of our children attended St. Mary's Catholic School and Gonzaga Prep. Our youngest child, Jeffery, is a sophomore at Gonzaga Prep and our daughter, Lisa, is a junior at Regis University. We have been blessed to be a part of the St. Mary's community for almost 30 years and hope that you are similarly blessed during your time here. Please feel free to stop in the 5th grade any time.

Hello! I am the 6th Grade homeroom teacher here at St. Mary's, and I also teach 7th and 8th Grade Literature. I have an undergraduate degree from Gonzaga University, an M.F.A. from the University of Idaho, and received my Teaching Certificate through Whitworth University.  I have endorsements in Elementary Education and Visual Art. My family and I have been active parish members since 2004 and all four of my children attend school at St. Mary's. As a teacher, I believe in creating a positive and nurturing classroom environment that fosters a sense of caring, responsibility, and community. St. Mary’s is a great place to be and every child can greatly benefit from our warm and loving community. 

I am excited to be the new seventh grade homeroom teacher. I teach 7th grade religion, 7th and 8th grade math, 6/7 English and Reading, and three electives: Art, Christian Living and Washington State History. I worked at Sylvan Learning Center for 16 years and then for the past five years substitute taught in many schools in the diocese and at Gonzaga Prep. I am also a photographer and have taken sports photos for Gonzaga Prep for the past 8 years.

Greetings from the science room at Saint Mary's Catholic School! I teach 6th grade Life Science, 7th grade Earth Science and 8th grade Physical Science. My husband is a Saint Mary's graduate and both my older children currently attend Saint Mary's. I graduated from Washington State University in 1994 with degrees in Biology and Psychology. In 1996, I earned a degree in Education 4-12. My endorsements include Chemistry, English, Biology and Psychology. It continues to be a privilege to share my passion for scientific discovery and my Catholic faith within such an inspiring community!

I began teaching at St. Mary's in 1992. I began teaching on Long Island, New York. Then I moved back home to Arkansas and taught high school for ten years. While my husband was in the Air Force, I worked in schools in the Netherlands and Germany. The Air Force brought us to Spokane, and I taught at Cataldo for part of a year. In 1992 I came to St. Mary's. I am excited about being  Vice Principal while still being able to teach. St. Mary's community makes this a wonderful place to be.

I am beginning my 39th year in Catholic education. I grew up in the midwest, earned my B.A. and teaching credentials from Miami University in Ohio. I taught middle school classes in three schools in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for ten years before moving to Spokane in 1980 where I taught at St. Thomas More and Assumption Schools. In 1993 I first came to St. Mary's as a music educator shared with Assumption School. In 2005 I came to St. Mary's full time as music teacher and technology coordinator. You may occasionally spot me directing community performances of RiversEdge Chorus, a local chapter of Sweet Adelines International. Being part of this school community is a wonderful blessing in my life.

Lorie Lafferty graduated from Oroville High School in 1979. She then attended Whitworth College and graduated in 1984 with a BA in Physical Education. She began her teaching career at St. John Vianney Catholic School in 1984. She first started teaching at St. Mary's Catholic School in 1987. In addition to teaching, she has been Athletic Director at St. Mary's since 1990. Her hobbies include spending time with her two Akita dogs, Jazzy and Kenji. She also enjoys collecting sport cards and memorabilia.