October 30, 2026 Volume 4 - Issue 10

Monday, 11/2

Second Quarter begins

Winter Uniform begins

School Mass (9:00 a.m.)

Tuesday, 11/3

Election Day

Fire Drill

Kairos Retreat begins

Wednesday, 11/4

Kairos Retreat

Thursday, 11/5

Kairos Retreat

Spring Musical Auditions (5:30 p.m.)

Friday, 11/6

Half Day – 11:00 a.m. Dismissal

Faculty Professional Development in PM

Kairos Retreat concludes

Let Us Pray

For the Saints attending the Kairos Retreat that they may find peace and contentment while experiencing God’s amazing love.

That we may learn to entrust our fears and anxieties to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Congratulations...........

Congratulations to

Senior

Sophia Bradley

Saint of the Week

Other Homecoming congratulations:

Thank you to our dedicated parents from the PTO Homecoming Dance Committee who helped make our first Homecoming Dance (in a while) such a wonderful success! The gym was transformed into a beautiful black and gold paradise. Our Saints had an amazing time!

Thank you to all the parents and alumni who helped make our Homecoming Tailgate a tremendous success. The food, atmosphere and camaraderie were enjoyed by many members of the Saints family.

What's Happening

School Mass

Our next school Mass will take place on All Souls Day, Monday, November 2nd at 9:00 a.m. in the Franco-Post Auditorium. Parents, guardians and families are always welcome to attend. If you plan to come to Mass, please sign in at the Main Office before coming down to the auditorium.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory: Eucharistic Consecration

Last week, we began our Eucharistic Consecration as a school community with daily readings from the “33 Days” book. Your child is meeting some remarkable people in these pages — St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Teresa of Calcutta (affectionately known as Mother Teresa) and others who loved Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and let Him shape everything else in their lives. Ask your children which Saint they would most want to meet.

Spirit Week & Homecoming Recap

What a special Spirit Week we had last week! Many thanks to everyone who helped in any way. So many staff, students, parents and volunteers were ready and available to work on some aspect of the week. Our Saints had a great time dressing in different themes; enjoying treats like Rita’s Water Ice; cheering on the Homecoming Court; participating in the Pep Rally; enjoying some delicious food at the Big Tailgate; cheering on the Football Team to a 42-0 victory; and then dancing at the first Homecoming Dance since before Covid. We cannot have traditions like Spirit Week and Homecoming without great people who help make it happen. Thank you!

Career and Technical Center Information

Students who reside outside of the Reading and Muhlenberg School Districts who are interested in attending Vo-Tech can apply to Berks Career and Technology Center. The 2027-2028 application is available and can be found at https://www.berkscareer.com/page/apply-to-bctc. Please scroll to the bottom of the page and choose the “Non-public school students” option. Applications should be submitted on or before Tuesday, December 15th. **Please note students must provide their own transportation to and from BCTC.

Information regarding Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center (for those students who live in Reading or Muhlenberg School District) will be sent when the online application is available. 

Steubenville Youth Summer Conference

The Diocese of Allentown invites interested high school students to attend the annual summer Steubenville Youth Conference. The participants will be traveling as a diocese for the conference taking place from June 25–27. The Steubenville Youth Conference offers a vastly different encounter with our Lord and leaves students deeply impacted. There are 100 spots available. Sign-ups close on Friday, November 20th. The cost is more than half off for students traveling with the diocese. Please see the flyer or speak with Fr. Kuna for more details.

Steubenville Youth Conference Flyer

Saints For Life Service Project

The Saints for Life Club is collecting new and gently used baby and children’s books to donate to the Reading office Catholic Charities, as well as decorating a bookshelf for them. Books can be brought to Miss Reedy’s Room 203 during the school day before Thursday, November 12th. Spanish and English books are appreciated! 

Spring Musical News

Auditions for the spring musical will be on Thursday, November 5th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 7th from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mark your calendar now for the performance dates: Saturday, March 6th (7:00 p.m.) and Sunday, March 7th (2:00 p.m.).

Winter Dress Code

The winter dress code will go into effect on Monday, November 2nd. All students are required to wear a sweater or quarter-zip over their school uniform shirt. Female students must wear black opaque tights instead of black socks and may choose to wear a white button-down dress blouse in place of a polo shirt. Please refer to the handbook for year-long dress code policies, particularly regarding skirt length and jewelry. Male students must wear a white button-down dress shirt with all buttons, including cuffs and top button, fastened at all times. Shirts must remain tucked in, and the approved school tie, available in the school store, is required. Please review the handbook for additional year-round expectations related to belts and grooming. As we enter the colder months, let’s continue to show pride in our school by meeting and exceeding our dress code expectations.

Sign-Off Forms

Students who have not yet submitted their Consent/Agreement Form will be given a copy to take home for completion and signature. This form is required for every student by the Diocese and must be kept on file by all high schools, as mandated by the Office of Education.

Please complete and return the signed form to the Main Office as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in ensuring that all required documentation is submitted.

College Counseling – Return on Investment (ROI)

One of the many advantages when you attend Berks Catholic is working with the College and Career Counseling staff. Our counselors have established 35 agreements, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), with colleges and universities that guarantee admission and scholarship money when a Saint meets certain admissions requirements. Seniors should carefully consider if one of our MOU schools could be the place for them next fall. For instance, a student with a 2.9-4.0 GPA applying to Ursinus College would qualify for a $30,000 scholarship ($120,000 over four years). A Saint with a 3.0-4.0 GPA applying to Lycoming College would qualify for a $38,000 scholarship ($152,000 over four years). There are more college agreements that are currently being negotiated by our counselors. That’s quite an ROI for our Saints and their families! These agreements recognize the academic rigor and college preparedness provided at BC to each Saint. Our college counselors are available to answer any questions you might have about these MOUs. Find more information here: College Partnership Schools - Berks Catholic High School



College Visits Next Week

• November 2nd: Duquesne University
• November 3rd: None
• November 4th: Rider University
• November 5th: None
• November 6th: None

Winter Sports Physicals

Winter sports physicals are due Saturday, October 31st. Athletes playing a sport for the first time this year need to complete the appropriate sections on Arbiter Registration and upload a signed physical dated after May 1, 2026. If an athlete played a fall sport, they only need to fill out the recertification form on Arbiter. Please contact Miss Marmarou if you have any issues or questions at smarmarou@berkscatholic.org. Please click the link to complete the process:

News from the Tuition Office

END OF 1^st QUARTER PAYMENT LAST NOTICE: Please pay outstanding fee and tuition balances by NOVEMBER 1st to avoid a report card hold.

Please use the links below if assistance is needed. Please access and refer to your STS account for detailed tuition, fee and financial aid information. If you have difficulty logging in, please email STS Customer Support. The Tuition Office is happy to assist with any questions at 610-374-8361 ext. 223.

RaiseRight Scrip Gift Cards – Tuition Benefit

Do you shop at Advance Auto Parts, Vera Bradley, Etsy or Olive Garden? Don’t miss out on an easy way to reduce your tuition. Do you know some families save several hundreds of dollars on tuition each year by participating in the RaiseRight Gift Card Program? By purchasing gift cards to these and other businesses you use every day, you can reduce your tuition. See the flyer for more details.

The Gift Within: A Women’s Advent Retreat 

Women of the Diocese are invited to join the Bishop’s Commission for Women and the Catholic Women’s Society of Giving for “A Women’s Advent Retreat” on Saturday, December 12th, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Allentown. Spend a morning preparing your heart for Christmas as retreatants contemplate Mary, the Ark of the Covenant and reflect on the virtues of our Blessed Mother and how you can offer your unique gifts to God and draw others into His presence.

The retreat will feature guest speaker Dr. Carmina Chapp, Ph.D., Catholic theologian, educator, and Dean of the School of Theological Studies at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. The morning will conclude with Mass celebrated by Bishop Schlert. The cost is $15 per person, including a continental breakfast. Register and view the flyer at: The Gift Within: A Women's Advent Retreat