Bishop Watterson 
Wednesday News

Important Dates

May 6

Parking Registration Closes Today

May 15-20

Senior Exams

May 19-22

Grades 9-11 Non-Core Exams

May 26-29

Grades 9-11 Semester Exams

Message from Deacon

May, the month of Mary, is the perfect time to explore a phrase familiar to Catholics: to Jesus through Mary. The Blessed Mother is Queen of Heaven as a result of her “yes” to the angel Gabriel to serve as Jesus’ mother on earth. This places her in a unique position to help us all grow closer to her son who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Prayers asking Mary to intercede and saying the rosary are ways to build your relationship. Additionally, Hallow currently has a new 33-day series called “To Jesus Through Mary” that can be started anytime. Whether you listen to all or some of the sessions, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, Gwen Stefani and Fr. Pierre Toussaint provide insights in how to grow closer to Jesus through a relationship with his Blessed Mother, Mary.

Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us!

Art Show Awards

Congratulations to the winners from our 2026 Art Show!

We are grateful to Mr. Kim Knoppe, who sponsored scholarships for the first-place winners at our 2026 Art Show. This is the fifth year that Mr. Knoppe has sponsored these scholarships and the first to include feeder school participants. Scholarships are for 2026-27 tuition at Bishop Watterson or tuition at seniors' future colleges.

Best in Show, $1,000

Alex McMahon

Donor’s Choice, $1,000

Hannah Masters

Best in Category, $500 each

First Place in Ceramics: Ava Bunce

First Place in Painting/Drawing: Rylee Gelo

First Place in Graphic Design: Joey Wozniak

First Place in Photography: Sully Sites

First Place in Mixed Media: Ian Williams

Finals for Grades 9-11

Non-Core Finals Schedule

All non-core/elective classes will give 45-minute finals May 19-22. This includes Music, PE, Arts, Health, Social Studies electives, English electives, Business and Computer classes.

Tuesday, May 19: Music, Arts, PE

Wednesday, May 20: No finals due to early release schedule

Thursday, May 21: Health, Business, Computer Science

Friday, May 22: English and Social Studies electives

Core Finals Schedule

Core classes will still give 90-minute finals May 26-29. This includes English, Foreign Language, Math, Science, Social Studies and Theology.

Students with a study hall period will be permitted to arrive late/leave early. We will operate on the understanding that they will arrive late if the study hall is the start of their day or leave early if the study hall is the second period of their day. If you wish for your child to remain at school for the study hall period, please contact the main office.

Students should direct questions about semester finals to their teachers.

The cafeteria will be serving snacks for the break/study time between finals.

Tuesday, May 26

8th period exam: school starts at 7:45 a.m.; exam finishes at 9:45 a.m.

7th period exam: students should arrive by 10:30 a.m.; exam finishes at 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 27

6th period exam: school starts at 7:45 a.m.; exam finishes at 9:45 a.m.

5th period exam: students should arrive by 10:30 a.m.; exam finishes at 12:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 28

4th period exam: school starts at 7:45 a.m.; exam finishes at 9:45 a.m.

3rd period exam: students should arrive by 10:30 a.m.; exam finishes at 12:30 p.m.

Friday, May 29/Last Day of School

2nd period exam: school starts at 7:45 a.m.; exam finishes at 9:45 a.m.

1st period exam: students should arrive by 10:30 a.m.; exam finishes at 12:30 p.m.

Following is the Student Handbook policy on final exam attendance:

Testing and Absence – Semester Final Exams

Students must be present during all scheduled finals. The only excused absence is one due to extreme illness. A doctor’s note may be required for verification. If a student is ill and needs to reschedule an exam, they must contact Vice Principal Heather Law, mrs.law@bwhs.org, for permission and arrangements. Exams will not be rescheduled for vacations, club sports, etc. Absences due to reasons other than illness may result in the student receiving 80% of the grade earned.

Please examine our finals schedule closely and plan vacations accordingly. Inform family members, club coaches, employers, parish leaders working on service trips, retreats, etc. that students are not available until exams are over. Please do not schedule doctor’s appointments, elective surgery, etc. during this time.

Health Office



Vaccination Requirements for Students Entering 12th Grade for 2026-27

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) requires students who will be in 12th grade to receive TWO doses of the meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) prior to the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.

The ODH is requiring a meningococcal vaccine to protect your child against meningococcal disease which is a serious, life-threatening, vaccine-preventable infection. This bacterial infection can cause an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord or sepsis (an infection of the bloodstream). Approximately 1,000 cases of meningococcal disease occur in the United States each year. The bacteria are spread by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions during close or lengthy contact

Click here for information from ODH.

Vaccines can be administered by your pediatrician or your county health department.

A copy of your child's immunization record or a signed note from the physician will suffice for the documentation which must include the day, month and year of the vaccine(s). These can be delivered to the main office or scanned and emailed to our school nurse, Tonya Friend, tfriend@bwhs.org.

Vaccination Requirements for Students Entering 9th Grade for 2026-27

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) requires students who will be in 9th grade to receive specific vaccines prior to the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year. FOUR or more doses of DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis), THREE or more doses of Hepatitis B, TWO doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), THREE or more doses of Polio, TWO doses of Varicella (Chickenpox), ONE dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) and ONE or more doses of Meningococcal Vaccine.

The ODH is requiring vaccines to protect your child against several preventable diseases, which could be life threatening. Bacteria are spread by exchanging respiratory and throat secretions during close or lengthy contact.

Vaccines can be administered by your pediatrician or your county health department.

A copy of your child's immunization record or a signed note from the physician will suffice for the documentation which must include the day, month and year of the vaccines. This document must be turned in before the 14th day of school or your student will be excluded from school until it is completed. You can drop off your child’s immunization records to the front office or scan and email them to the nurse directly at tfriend@bwhs.org. Please contact the nurse with any questions at (614) 268-8671 ext. 290.

Guidelines for Medications at School

Students needing to take prescription medication during school hours must follow these guidelines:

• Provide the school nurse with a completed Medication Authorization Form signed by both the parent/guardian and the healthcare provider.
• A new Medication Authorization Form must be completed each school year AND when the medication or dose has changed.
• All medication must be in the original container in which it was dispensed by the healthcare provider or pharmacy and be labeled with the correct dose and instructions. The medication cannot be expired.
• The label must match what is on the Medication Authorization Form.
• Students taking a medication at both school and home can request 2 separate labeled bottles from the pharmacy to divide the pills to have some at home and school.
• Students using an inhaler, epinephrine pen or other emergency medications at school can request two prescriptions from the healthcare provider in order to have a supply at home and school.
• Medications ordered three times a day or less, unless time is specified, may not need to be taken at school. The medication should be given before school, after school and at bedtime.
• Even if a medication is self-carry, please complete a medication authorization to have on file in the nurse’s office to alert staff that the student has a medication on campus and is allowed to use it independently.
• All medication must be picked up by the parent/guardian on the last day of school or it will be discarded.

Over-the-Counter Medication Permission can be filled out on the medication form on the FinalForms website. Please check mark any/all medications you approve of during the school day so we can work together to keep our students in the classroom as much as possible.

Parking for 2026-27

Registration Closes Today

Primary registration for the 2026-27 parking lottery will be held digitally via Google form through today, May 6. Only rising juniors and seniors are eligible for a Bishop Watterson parking lot spot. Only carpools with three or more students may be registered during this window. Students received an email sent to their BWHS account the morning of May 5 with registration information. 

Instructions for carpools of fewer than three students will be issued on Monday, May 11. Please note any primary driver must have a valid license by October 31, 2026, to be considered for a spot.

Click on the button below to go to the Forms & Flyers page of our website for instructions and application.

Uniforms

School Closet has announced a May sale. Use code 25SALE for 25% off during the month of May.

CLICK HERE for links to all uniform suppliers

Class of 2026

We have shared the senior schedule of events for May with the seniors and their parents and we had a senior class meeting to discuss everything last week.

To access the schedule, click on the button below.

Summer Activities

Registration is open now for Bishop Watterson's dance, sports, theater and woodshop camps! Dance camp and theatre camp registrations are coming soon! Click on the button to learn more about our summer camps.

Athletics

Cheerleading Meeting for 2026-27

This will be a parent and athlete information meeting for rising 9th-12th graders interested in trying out for cheerleading for the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, May 14, at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Save the Date: Golf Team Outing

The boys and girls golf teams will hold an outing on Monday, June 8, at Jefferson County Club.

Cross Country Meeting

There will be an athlete meeting after school on Thursday, May 14, at 3:10 p.m. in the auxiliary gym for anyone interested in joining the cross country team. Athletes still competing in a spring sport can contact Coach Taliaferro, stephen.taliaferro@yahoo.com, at their convenience after their season is completed.

Worth Repeating

Campus Ministry

Class of 2027 Summer Kairos Registration Open

Current juniors are able to sign up to attend summer Kairos, July 13-16.



Kairos is a powerful experience of community and of God's love. Seniors often say it is one of their best experiences during their time at Bishop Watterson.

A deposit of $100 is due with registration. The total cost is $275 and scholarships are available. Registration form is available at the button below.

Counselor Corner

College Credit Plus

All students registered to take a College Credit Plus course at Bishop Watterson next year must attend a work session on Wednesday, May 6, in Dominican Hall from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Students will complete the onboarding process, uploading and submitting the following forms in their Columbus State Workday accounts:

• Registration Agreement
• Parent Permission Form
• Funding Letter

 Students must bring: 

• Computer
• Columbus State Login
• Download Funding Letter (released next week)

Students unable to attend should click here for resources to assist them in

completing all of these tasks before summer break. Questions can be directed to Mr. Woodford, twoodford@bwhs.org.

Lunch & Learn Speaker Signups for 2026-27

Do you love the Bishop Watterson community and want to find a new way to give back? Do you have flexibility in your schedule to come share your professional experience with our students? Are you new to BWHS and want to find a unique way to get involved? Join us for a Lunch & Learn!

Bishop Watterson's Lunch and Learn program is held monthly on a specific topic, giving students the opportunity to hear about and ask questions regarding a career path of interest.

Click here to help at a Lunch & Learn!

Scholarship for Seniors

The Alumni Association is pleased to award the Hoppers Family Scholarship to a Bishop Watterson High School graduating senior who will attend a college, university or vocational school. This $5,000 non-renewable scholarship will be given to a student who meets the application requirements (see details HERE). The deadline to apply is May 20, 2026 (see application HERE). Students can reach out to Mr. Johnston in the Development Office, tjohnston@bwhs.org, or their counselors with any questions. 

Bus Service for 2026-27

Students who live in Columbus, Dublin and Hilliard may be eligible for bus transportation to Bishop Watterson. To request transportation, please click on the appropriate link below.

Columbus

Dublin

Hilliard

Worthington: Application open May 1-June 1. Complete a Non-Public transportation request form, found at this link. If Worthington Schools deems it impractical to transport the students, they will send additional information to the parents who have requested transportation.

Families in other school districts that do not provide transportation can check with your district about how to apply for in lieu of transportation reimbursement.



Questions? Contact Mr. Lombardo, vlombard@cdeducation.org, or (614) 286-8671 ext. 226.

Mothers' Club

If you would like to help Mothers' Club with spring beautification, click on the button below to sign up.

Eucharistic Adoration

Can you schedule an hour with us?

Parents are invited to spend a holy hour with Jesus during Eucharistic Adoration in our newly renovated chapel. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the chapel on most Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. and remains until Benediction at 1:30 p.m. Each week, one grade level is assigned to spend some time in silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament during Theology class.

If you have completed the “Protecting God’s Children” requirements of the Diocese, please click on the button below to sign up for a particular holy hour.

Important Dates for 2026-27 School Year

August 19: First day for FRESHMEN

August 20: ALL students begin school

September 7: No School-Labor Day

September 25: No School-Administrator Retreat

October 23: No School-Teacher PD

November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break

December 14-17: Core Semester Exams

December 18: No School-Teacher PD

December 19-January 3: Christmas Break

January 18: No School-Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

February 12: No School

February 15: No School-Presidents Day

March 8-12: Spring Break

March 25-29: Easter Break

April 23: No School

May 20: Baccalaureate

May 22: Graduation

May 24-27: Core Semester Exams

May 27: Last day of school

Eagle Store



Mondays: 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Or email Ryan Schwieterman, rschwiet@cdeducation.org, or Heather Law, mrs.law@bwhs.org, to make an appointment!

Support BWHS Through Kroger Purchases

Bishop Watterson participates in the Kroger Community Rewards program.

To sign up, go to kroger.com, log into your account and under your settings click Community Rewards. Search for Bishop Watterson. Our number is VG154. Thank you!