The following story appeared in the June 9 Idaho Catholic Register.
St. Mary’s Catholic School Principal Kevan Grant with his wife, Melissa, and their three daughters. (Courtesy photo/Kevan Grant)
BOISE – Kevan Grant, a former social studies teacher at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Boise, is the new principal at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Boise. He succeeds Brian Olmes who resigned earlier this year.
Grant was raised in Idaho, moving here with his family when he was 5. He attended St.
Joseph’s Catholic School for eight years, followed by Bishop Kelly High School. “The friends I met during my time at St. Joseph’s and Bishop Kelly continue to be many of my closest friends today,” he said.
After graduating from high school in 1990, Grant enrolled at the University of Idaho to study accounting. While there he met his wife of 28 years, Melissa, a native of Walla Walla, Wash. After their wedding, they returned to Boise, where Grant completed his undergraduate degree in business administration from Boise State.
He was employed by Key Bank as an efficiency manager for five years in Boise and then 12 years in Cleveland.
They returned to Idaho in 2008, where he became a social studies teacher at St. Joseph’s. “When I decided to enter teaching, I knew I would work in the Catholic schools. I was blessed to be hired by St. Joseph’s where I worked with great teachers, families and students for 12 years.”
‘Education is so much more than the content. It is about helping students and families find a life of purpose ... Intertwining our faith with education brings more meaning, more purpose and more relevance to our students.’
-Kevan Grant
In 2019, he returned to the University of Idaho to pursue a master’s degree in Educational Leadership, completing the program in 2020. “It took me only 30 years to become a University of Idaho alumnus,” he jokes.
He was later hired as the principal at Innovate Academy, a private school in Eagle, where he presided over the expansion of the school from a K-8 school to also include a high school. “It was a fulfilling opportunity, but I missed my Catholic community.”
When an opportunity opened at St. Mary’s, he and Melissa were conflicted about staying at Innovate Academy or leaving after just 18 months to pursue the St. Mary’s position. “After prayer, discussion with trusted friends, and the support of Melissa, it became clear St. Mary’s is where I need to be,” Grant said. “I have been blown away by the community. From the moment I walked into the school and the parish, I knew I was in a very special place. The St. Mary’s community is welcoming and supportive. I felt at home almost instantly.”
When he decided to become a teacher, Grant said he knew he wanted it to ultimately be in Catholic education.
“Education is so much more than the content. It is about helping students and families find a life of purpose. I hope that during my time in the classroom, I not only taught my students about the world and its history, but also important life lessons that helped them lead lives trying to emulate the life of Christ. Intertwining our faith with education brings more meaning, more purpose and more relevance to our students.”
The Grants are the parents of three daughters. Their oldest, Megan, 26, is a preschool teacher. The two youngest, Abigail and Emma, are identical twins. Emma is studying to be a life and nutrition coach and works as a physical therapy technician. Abigail is the program director at the Hays House, a 24-hour shelter for runaway or homeless youth that is a part of the Idaho Youth Ranch charity.
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