by Dr. Michael Rivard
Superintendent
Sartell-St. Stephen Schools
As the school year comes to a close, our Sartell-St. Stephen community pauses to celebrate a remarkable group of students – our graduating seniors. The Class of 2025 stands as a reflection of who we are as a district and as a community: resilient, caring, determined and full of promise.
This year’s graduates have shown what it means to lead with character. In classrooms, on stages, in athletic arenas and throughout our neighborhoods, they’ve left their mark. They’ve balanced academic challenges, extracurricular commitments, part-time jobs, and volunteer work – all while growing through some of the most formative years of their lives.
These students are not just graduating from high school. They are stepping into the world as young adults shaped by the values and support of a strong, tight-knit community. Sartell and St. Stephen are places that care deeply about our youth. We rally around their accomplishments. We lift them when they stumble. And we send them forward with confidence and pride.
The Class of 2025 will soon spread out across the country – some heading to college, others entering the military, joining the workforce or pursuing other passions. No matter where they go, they carry with them the lessons learned in our homes, our schools and our community spaces.
Their success reminds us of what we can achieve when we work together. Behind every graduate stands a network of caring adults – parents and guardians who offered daily support, encouragement and sacrifice, and families who cheered them on through every milestone with love.
Teachers sparked curiosity, bus drivers greeted them each morning, custodians kept their spaces clean and safe, and coaches taught life lessons far beyond the scoreboard. Advisors guided students through extracurricular activities, helping them discover passions, build confidence and form lasting friendships. Every role mattered. Every act of care contributed.
These seniors have also led by example. They’ve shown younger students what it means to persevere. They’ve demonstrated courage in the face of uncertainty and kindness when it was needed most. Their leadership helped shape the culture of our schools in positive, lasting ways. At their core, these students understand what matters. They’ve learned to serve others, to speak with purpose and to act with integrity. We are confident they will take these lessons and build futures filled with meaning and impact.
As superintendent and as a fellow community member, I want to say thank you to the many people who helped make this moment possible: our teachers, staff, families, neighbors, mentors and friends. And most importantly, thank you to the parents and guardians who walked alongside their children every step of the way. Your love, guidance and belief in them helped shape who they have become.
To the Class of 2025: We see your potential and we believe in your future. Keep asking questions. Keep trying. Keep being kind. Remember that setbacks are not the end; they’re part of the path forward.
And always remember where you come from. Sartell and St. Stephen will always be home. This community will always be student-focused.
