My name is Mary Pitts. I have been privileged to work with students and staff and St. Mary's School for the last three years as a classroom aide. I have worked at both St. Mary's and St. Rose's.

I am an advocate for the arts in education; encouraging creative ways of thinking, not only in art in its traditional form, but in math, science, and in different ways of investigating whatever interesting idea presents itself along the way.

One of the things I hold up as very important is my belief that nothing is impossible with God. As I look back upon my life, and some of the events I am most amazed at, God is definitely there.  In fact, if it were not for God, many of these accomplishments would not have happened. And so I emphasize the very important role of a school like St. Mary’s, where God is given credit for the role He plays in our lives and children are reminded of God,  and look to see where He is in their lives.

Along with being a whatever-needs-to-be-done type person, some of the things I’ve been involved with at St. Mary’s have been teaching art in various disciplines and media, enrichment programs and Odessy of the Mind.  At the parish level, I am a member of the Liturgy Committee, Co-ordinator of the Arts and Environment Ministry and a longtime member of the Music Ministry.

I was born in Chicago, IL and grew up in the suburbs of that metropolis. I received my BFA in painting from the U of I (University of Illinois) at Champaign -Urbana and a minor in music. While my husband finished graduate school, I took a position as Art Director of a Vocational Ag department at the university. The department produced educational materials ‘in house’ and in this capacity I learned much about offset printing processes and darkroom work as well as many facets of agriculture.  I left this position when my husband, Marv, took a position at WSU in the department of Biological Systems Engineering.  When we came to the Northwest, I took employment with some of the local printshops. Then, with a life change coming on in the expectancy of our daughter, Stephanie, I began my own business: Kindlwood Art & Design. I worked as a free-lance artist & designer through my son, Daniel’s birth and up to just after my third child, Philip, was born.    Along with our 3 children, we have made our home in rural Genesee, where we enjoy the open spaces, the wind, the sky, the birds, our horses and many barn cats.