Mrs. Kate Slevin, beloved Biology teacher and Science Department Chair, touched the lives of countless students and faculty members at Archbishop Mitty. Throughout her time at the school, she contributed to many communities and always made each individual person feel important and valued. She passed away as a result of cancer on August 26, 2022.

As a teacher, Mrs. Slevin challenged her students to do their best, inspiring them to look beyond the class material. She ensured that they understood the subject matter and checked in with anyone she sensed was having a bad day. As the Science Department Chair, Mrs. Slevin encouraged and provided guidance to the science teachers, improving how they taught and interacted with students. Outside the classroom, she was heavily involved with Mitty organizations and activities. In Campus Ministry, Mrs. Slevin had attended every immersion trip offered by the school, while frequently volunteering to direct retreats and lead groups in LIFE Team. She was also an integral part of Uplift, an organization that supports Monarchs whose families are facing cancer. Reaching out to students hesitant to share their struggles, she sent them notes of encouragement and made them holiday care packages. Her dedication and care for others permeated every day of her life.

Faculty and Student Remembrances

“ If you were to take a look down the halls, you would see Mrs. Slevin asking a student who might have looked like they needed a little extra love ‘How are you feeling?’ Even anytime I called Mrs. Slevin, the first thing she would say was ‘How can I help’, and I think that really showed that she genuinely cared about the person in front of her. Every year, she would come to prom even if she wasn’t supervising–just to make sure everybody could get in the door and was in dress code. She came with her sewing kit, and she would doctor up dresses and fix things when, inevitably, somebody’s dress snapped or something broke. She was always there to ensure students had a great time at prom. Those days were a lot of fun, with her at her best, and some of my fondest memories at school.” —Ms. Katherine Caputo

“I believe that with everybody there’s a theme in their life, and everything relates back to that theme–for Mrs. Slevin it was about being motherly. This theme extended to every aspect of her life from being caring and compassionate to being there for others in times of need. Being motherly involves having a sense of pride which she had for her personal family, Irish family, and Mitty Family.” —Mr. Thomas Motroni

“She was very dedicated to the Catholic mission of this school, and we would often go to chapel together. She was very serious about both her faith and about caring for her students. I would often hear from her students how she would exclaim ‘Let me brew some tea for you!’ when they were not feeling well.” —Dr. Greg Scott

“One Christmas Eve, Mrs. Slevin texted me and asked what my plans were, and I told her we weren’t really doing anything, so she kindly invited us over to her house. We just had such a wonderful and pleasant night, and she was a very welcoming host. I will just never be able to forget that.” —Mrs. Rose Lopez

“Sometimes, I personally don’t know how to deal with grief or loss: If someone loses a family member or is experiencing trauma, I don’t know if I should enter into that or leave them alone and give them space. Mrs. Slevin always dove in in a way that was so careful and loving. In her participation with Uplift, she really made sure that students whose families were facing cancer were cared for and mothered.” —Mr. Tim Wesmiller

“Whenever we got together with Mrs. Slevin to plan meetings and club activities in Biology Club, she would always be so kind and help us with ideas and setup no matter how hectic the school day might have been for her. She constantly made sure that we had all the support we needed and was always such a joyous and caring teacher. Mrs. Slevin was one of the first Mitty teachers I had ever met; she was my HSPT proctor. She was able to relieve us from our anxiety on such a stressful day with jokes and timer ringtones!” —Maria George ’23

“Mrs. Slevin readily agreed to come on ECJ California even though it was last minute. She was protective of us—making sure no one was left behind, but what struck me the most was her ability to spark conversations with strangers and brighten their day. For instance, when we arrived at a jail, she comforted a woman who was visiting her husband. I will always really admire her talent of conversing with almost anyone and ensuring everyone was included.” —Enya Liu ’23

“Mrs. Slevin possessed a unique skill: she set very high standards in terms of mastering biology concepts (no easy A in her class!), but at the same time created a very loving, warm, and welcoming atmosphere in her classroom.” —Matilda Genevriere ’23

While her tragic passing devastated many members of the Mitty community, they will always treasure fond memories of her work as a science teacher, mentor, confidant, colleague, and friend.