Pastor's message

Hello St. Mary's School Faculty, Parents and Students! In this tough time we are going through Mrs. Castaneda and I are committed to leading this school forward with courage and joy. Let's all dig down deeper than ever to find the strength within ourselves to fight through these challenges. We are going to outlast the corona-virus and this period of adversity associated with it! This school and its mission are very important to me. I will strive to see that this wonderful school thrives and prospers in its mission of forming young men and women as human beings, citizens, and disciples of Christ. Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!  

In Christ Jesus our Lord,

Fr. Larry

Pastor

Principal's Message

It is my honor to welcome you to St. Mary of the Mills. Our school is such a special place.  At St. Mary of the Mills, we work to communicate the truth of God’s love to our students.  We believe that it is our duty to craft instruction that allows students to achieve goals which they may have thought were beyond their grasp. We recognize that Christ did not use a “one size fits all” approach to His ministry.  He met people where they were: at a well, in a tree, and even in the grave.  At St. Mary of the Mills, Christ is our model teacher; His example is taken literally.  We truly live the words of our mission statement and strive to reflect God’s love in all we do.  This year, we are excited to continue to focus on voice and choice for our students as we enter our first year as a STEM certified school.  As principal, I am committed to providing consistent and compassionate leadership, while ensuring academic excellence.  St. Mary’s is my home.  The teachers, students, and parishioners are my family. 

I look forward to welcoming you in person.  In the meantime, we remain focused on inspiring lifelong learning in a loving, secure Catholic community.  

In His service,

Ms. Castaneda

 Father Larry Young

As of July 2020 I have become the new pastor of St. Mary of the Mills. Some of you may remember that I was here as a parochial vicar from 2003-2006. I was then a newly ordained priest in my very first assignment. At that time people called me Fr. Young, but somewhere in the past 14 years since I left St. Mary's I switched over to being called Fr. Larry. After leaving here in 2006 I spent 2 years as a parochial vicar at St. Bartholomew's in Bethesda, a year as pastor of St. Mary's in Bryantown, 5 years as pastor of Our Lady's Church in Leonardtown, and in the last 6 years I was pastor of Ascension in Bowie. And now I have come full circle back to where I started this adventure of the priesthood at St. Mary of the Mills!

Who is Fr. Larry? Let me start by saying that the organizing principle of my life is the deep conviction that a carpenter from the town of Nazareth 2000 years ago is the Divine Son of God sent by the Father to be the Savior of the World for all time! I believe that God's Son called me to be a priest, and I try to do what he has asked me to do. I consecrate bread and wine, pour water on babies, anoint people with oil, forgive people of their sins, preach and teach the faith, ultimately because it is what Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, told his apostles and their successors to do until he comes back again. 

I was born in 1969 and raised in Newark, Delaware, as the youngest of 7 children. There was a nun who was a friend of our family and she placed me on the altar at my baptism and prayed that if I had a vocation to the priesthood that I would have the grace to respond. I had a desire to be a priest from a young age, and this desire ebbed and flowed, but it wasn't until I was 27 years old that the ripe moment arrived for me to begin the 6 year journey in the seminary, which is where you are formed as a priest. Before my studies to be a priest I worked as a carpenter for 4-5 years, did an undergraduate degree in Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, and in 1990 I spent 6 months backpacking the entire 2166 mile Appalachian Trail traversing 14 States from Georgia to Maine. I spent a semester in Austria in College and one year of seminary in Rome, Italy. I've been to the Holy Land of Israel a couple times, including spending an entire month there in the Summer of 2018. I'm really into the Bible. Studying the Scriptures is one of my favorite things to do! What do I do for fun and relaxation? I like sports, cars, hunting and fishing. Hey, check out my YouTube Channel sometime by either searching for Fr. Larry Young or click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOx1Yg92wI6kMGi5R0IVTjA

God bless you all and I'll see you around!

Fr. Larry

Ms. Jennifer Castaneda - Principal

Greetings St. Mary of the Mills Community!

I am excited to be back and to be a part of an amazing school community! It is an honor to be your new interim principal. For the past 12 years, I have accompanied middle schoolers and more recently, high schoolers on their journeys toward intellectual and personal development. I began this path after I completed my Bachelor's Degree in English and Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park and joined the St. Mary of the Mills school in 2008 working with students, teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and families to support the academic goals of students, and it’s here I feel I found my vocation. During my six years at St. Mary's as the Middle School Language Arts teacher, I developed a passion for working with students who were struggling with reading. I was blessed to have been a part of a strong and dedicated middle school team--and, of course, my former students themselves-- who shaped me to become the educator I am today. 

In 2014, I accepted a new teaching opportunity at a high school. I transitioned to Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, Takoma Park to become the freshmen English teacher and later became the English Department Chair. When I wasn't in the classroom, in the Academic Support program, or supporting my colleagues, you could find me working with the Latin Dance Club teaching and choreographing Latin dances such as Merengue, Bachata and Salsa to students after school. In May 2017, I obtained my Master's of Education in Reading Specialist from Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD. Later in 2017, I received the Veteran Teacher of the Year Award recognized through the Archdiocese of Washington High School Principals Association. 

During the summer of 2018, a group of 10 students, and two colleagues and I had the privilege to visit Puerto Rico on a mission trip after the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Here we spent an entire week helping rebuild homes and visiting families who were crippled by the emotional damage. Also in 2018, I was fortunate to be given an opportunity to move into an administration position. I became the Assistant Principal of Student Life. I quickly learned the various responsibilities I had to take on from overseeing attendance and discipline, coordinating emergency preparedness plans, supporting teachers in establishing procedures that promote good order in the classroom with the Dean of Academics, arranging special functions and celebrations including spirit week, homecoming, prom, and graduation and overseeing extracurricular activities including clubs, field trips, and fundraisers. In May of 2020, I obtained my Post-Master's Certification in Administration & Supervision from Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD. 

Despite the various hats I have worn throughout my teaching, leadership, and school accomplishments, I believe that teaching is not only conveying knowledge, but also providing resources and encouragement to empower students to be the best versions of themselves both in and out of the classroom. During the pandemic, I worked closely with the Counseling team to promote wellness for students and staff. It has been my mission to support students from the sidelines and to remind them even through challenging times, not to give up. We are in this together. 

Know of my prayers for our St. Mary's community as we continue to navigate these challenging times and help make the best decisions for starting school in the fall. I would also like to express my sincere excitement of becoming part of and contributing to St. Mary's vibrant academic and faith community. 

Sincerely,

Ms. Castaneda   

Check out the Faculty & Staff pages for information about the rest of St. Mary's team.