September 5, 2025 Volume 3 - Issue 04



In grateful appreciation to our Saint Grandparents who we remember and honor this Sunday on Grandparents Day.

In remembrance of the 24th anniversary of 9-11. Let us pray for those who died and whose lives were forever changed on this day.

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



Congratulations to Senior Mya Monroig who was named the first Saint of the Week for the 24-25 school year.

First wins of the season: Congratulations to the Girls Cross Country team for their win on Tuesday against Kutztown; and to Boys Cross Country for their wins over Kutztown and Oley Valley on Tuesday.

Thank you to the following students who assisted at our Meet the Teacher Night last week: Coral Abreu ’26, Nic Alvine ’26, Jada Do ’26, Sydney Knipe ’26, Gunnar Maciejewski ’26, Julian Rios ’26 and Luke Schrenk ’27.

Thank you to St. Catharine of Siena School Principal and former BC Mom, Mrs. Marcella Kraycik, for the kind invitation to BC to attend their Back-to-School Activities Fair and to speak with their 8th Grade parents about BC. We had a great night!

What's Happening

School Mass

Our next school Mass will take place next Friday, September 12th at 9:00 a.m. in the Franco-Post Auditorium. Parents, guardians and families are always welcome to attend Mass. If you plan to join us, please sign in at the Main Office before coming down to the auditorium.

Academic News

• Students received their schedules on the first day of school. As we move into the third week of school, class change requests will not be granted unless there is an extenuating circumstance. If there is an issue or question about your student’s schedule, please reach out to Mrs. Vilardo immediately.

• Parent access to Canvas: Accounts can now be accessedd or established. Information was sent via one call from Mr. Kopp. Please see information by clicking the link: How do I sign up for a Canvas account as a parent?

• Dual Credit: Several Berks Catholic courses offered to Juniors and Seniors will also be offered as Dual Credit through Alvernia University and Reading Area Community College. Information regarding this opportunity was sent on September 4th. Registration for this opportunity is due for both colleges by October 1st. Please contact Mrs. Vilardo at nvilardo@berkscatholic.org with any questions.

• Important Dates to highlight on the calendar:
• October 8^th                        PSAT Testing for 9^th, 10^th, 11^th grades
• October 24^th                    End of the First Quarter

Social Worker Service

As part of our continued commitment to our students’ well-being and academic success, Berks Catholic once again will benefit from the services of a social worker at school two days a week this school year. Mrs. Christina DeJesus, who works with the Berks County Intermediate Unit, returns to BC to conduct regular check-ins with our Freshmen throughout the school year. If you would prefer that your child not be seen by Mrs. DeJesus, please notify Director of Academics and Counseling, Noelle Vilardo at nvilardo@berkscatholic.org.

Our goal with these check-ins is to provide additional support and guidance to help our students transition smoothly into high school life and ensure that they will have the tools and resources they need to thrive both academically and socially. We believe that a strong start in high school can set the stage for a successful educational journey.

PA March for Life

BC Saints will be traveling to Harrisburg for the PA March for Life 2025 on September 22nd. Permission slips have been distributed to the Theology teachers or can be picked up from Deacon Lanciano. Permission slips will also be available on the Canvas Campus Ministry course. We will leave school no later than 8:15 a.m. and we will return to school by 2:15 p.m. The morning will start with Mass with Bishop Schlert at St. Mary’s Church in Hamburg at 9:00 a.m. Students will need to wear Winter Dress Code uniform, bring a rosary to pray on the bus ride and a lunch, snacks and a drink for after the March for the ride home. The cost is $5. If you have any questions, please contact Deacon Lanciano at rlanciano@berkscatholic.org or 610-374-8361, ext. 258.

Holy Guardian Angels Parish Stewardship Fair

HGA families: be sure to visit the BC table this weekend at the HGA Parish Stewardship Fair after each Mass this weekend. Stop by and say hello to the BC representatives. Thank you to HGA Pastor and BC Board Member, Fr. Allen Hoffa, for the kind invitation to attend this weekend.

Men Alive in Christ Full Day Annual Conference: Pilgrims Anchored in the Hope of Christ

Renew and strengthen your pilgrim journey of hope and trust in Christ Jesus at the diocesan annual full day Men’s Conference on October 11th at the Delta Marriott in Breinigsville (7736 Adrienne Dr, Breinigsville, PA 18031). Embrace your mission to live virtuous masculinity and deepen your relationship with God through a powerful day of men’s fellowship, sacraments and talks from our three acclaimed speakers. Contact: Mark McDevitt at markmcd@outlook.com or (610) 334-0330. Register at menaliveinchrist.org/e. Event includes full lunch, confession and Mass. The schedule is:

• 8am - Registration and breakfast
• 9am - Conference talks begin
• 4pm - Vigil Mass with Bishop Schlert (Fulfills Sunday Obligation)

Back to School Forms

Families are reminded to send in the Family Survey Form (light gray form), Language Survey Form (purple form) and the Nurse Forms (tan form) to the Main Office as soon as possible. These are extremely important because Berks Catholic receives federal dollars based on information provided from these important forms.

News from the Tuition Office

Please remember that the Payment Plan Option you choose on STS (Annual, Semi-Annual, Quarterly, or Monthly) is the schedule you are expected to follow and will be enforced! If a different plan option would suit your family better, please contact the Tuition Office to make the change.

Please check your STS account to ensure that your 2025-2026 fees are paid. They include: $300 Course Selection Fee for returning students was due March 29, 2025; $375 Technology Fee for all students was due July 31, 2025; $100 Activity Fee for all students was due July 31, 2025; and $200 Graduation Fee for Seniors was due July 31, 2025. Please access and refer to your STS account for detailed tuition, fee, and financial aid information at https://simpletuitionsolutions.org/parents/. If you have difficulty logging in, please contact STS Customer Support at support@simpletuitionsolutions.org. Please contact the Tuition Office if you have any questions at tuition@berkscatholic.org.

Swing for the Saints Golf Tournament

The Swing for the Saints Golf Tournament will take place on Monday, September 20^th. Join us for a great day on the links. Click Here to register:  https://www.berkscatholic.org/donate/events/swingforethesaints. For more information, please contact Bob Birmingham at rbirmingham@berkscatholic.org.

Attendance Notification

Absences: All student illnesses and absences from Berks Catholic High School require a phone call from the parent/guardian. This phone call should be received on the Attendance Line no later than 9:00 a.m. the day of the absence at the following number: 610-374-8361 ext. 400. 

Early Dismissal from School

Students who must leave school before the end of the day are required to bring a written excuse with the time and reason, signed by the parent or guardian, to the Main Office. The request must be made in writing, not via the telephone. All written excuses for early dismissal must be handed into the main office before homeroom. The students will be issued a pass to leave class at the designated time.

Thank you for helping us with these important daily attendance tasks.

Drop-Off Item Policy

Responsibility is a very important skill for high school students to accept and practice. To help our students learn responsibility we strongly encourage parents to keep drop-offs to a minimum. A parent must log the dropped-off item and the student must sign when they pick up the item. Please ensure that your child’s name is listed on the item. It is the student’s responsibility to check and sign for their dropped off items.  The main office will not deliver or send for a student to pick up an item. This will help keep interruptions in the classroom to a minimum. Please keep in mind when a classroom is interrupted it not only takes your child off task but all classmates as well. Berks Catholic is not responsible for missing items.

If a student forgets his/her lunch, our cafeteria will always allow the student to eat a standard lunch. The student may reimburse the cafeteria the following day. No student will be refused a meal. 

We very much appreciate your support on this policy.

College Visits Next Week

No visits will take place next week. Visits will start on Monday, September 15th.

Grace and Hope in Parenthood Presentation

Saint parents and guardians are invited to a presentation called "Grace and Hope in Parenthood," an evening of fellowship, inspiration and prayer designed to strengthen parents in guiding their children in the faith and helping them grow closer to Jesus. The Diocese is honored to welcome John Beaulieu, from the Apostolate Romans 5:5, who will share practical insights to encourage parents in the joys and challenges of raising children in faith with renewed hope.

Date & Time: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Location: Notre Dame, High School Auditorium, 3417 Church Rd., Easton, PA 18045

Registration: allentowndiocese.flock

Yearbook Sales

It might only be the first weeks of school, but we are already working on the 2025-26 yearbook. Don’t miss out on the year’s highlights and memories. Purchase a yearbook for your Saint!

Scrip Gift Cards

Don’t miss out on a great way to reduce your tuition. Do you know some families save several hundreds of dollars on tuition each year by participating in the Scrip Gift Card Program? See the flyer for more details.

BC By the Numbers

101: Seniors who attended Senior Sunrise last Friday.

"Say What Sunday"

“Say What Sunday” is a weekly feature in our social media postings. Check it out each Sunday and see what people are saying about Berks Catholic. We’d love to hear what you have to say as well. Please go to: https://forms.gle/hpF8HWXaJCiL86ga8 to leave your message about BC!

The Bible by the Numbers

When you are trying not to worry, check out Isaiah 41:10.