WOLFHOUND WEDNESDAY
April 21, 2021
Kindergarten students created a "rainbow' during Science class.
TIP: Some email providers shorten or "clip" this email to reduce its length. Please click "view entire message" at the bottom of this email to view the entire email and ensure you don't miss anything!
The O'Reilly Minute
Dear Parents,

This week we are hosting our Annual Corks for a Cause event. While this year’s event is virtual, we are still able to offer many opportunities to support our SPICE program. Our SPICE program is more critical than ever as we strive to best serve our students during this stressful time. Thank you in advance for your generous support of our SPICE program through your prayers, volunteer hours and generous donations.

Yesterday you received a Task Force letter with a parent survey. Please take a moment to give us your feedback. This information will help us in formulating our plans for the 2021-2022 school year. The deadline for the survey is April 28.

Please remember if you are interested in applying for an Oak Society Scholarship, the deadline for all applications is this Friday, April 23. See more details in the story below.

Today we celebrate National Administrative Assistants Day! A special thank you to Mrs. Shannon Crawford, Mrs. Sandy Peecook, Mrs. Megan Wachalec and Mrs. Sherry Collins for sharing their organizational skills and cheerful dispositions with the students, parents and staff of St. Brigid School!

Spring Blessings,
Kathy O'Reilly
Photo Newsletters: K & 1st Grades
Click the images below to view this week's photo newsletters and see what the classes have been up to.
Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day: Sign Up
April 28th is National Superhero Day. This year, we have been shown that the staff of St. Brigid are truly superheroes. In honor of our SBK superheroes, the Home and School Association is setting up a "Superhero Refueling Station" full of snacks and drinks to show our appreciation for all they do.

Please use the sign up genius link below to donate.
Virtual Corks for a Cause is Going on Now!
Virtual Corks for a Cause kicked off on Sunday and closes this Saturday, April 24 at 9 PM! Corks for a Cause is our primary fundraiser for the SPiCE program at St. Brigid of Kildare.

Voting for a Sno Cone & Extra Recess Party: JUST OPENED

VOTE for the grade level that you want to win this special occasion! Come back to view who is winning and vote as many times as you would like!

The winning Saint Brigid of Kildare School grade level will receive an extra recess and will then get to enjoy a sno cone, being the first students to use our school's new sno cone machine!

The grade with the most $5 votes will win this event. All $5 votes cast will be donated to St. Brigid of Kildare SPiCE.

Click here to view who is winning (remember you can vote as many times as you'd like). Voting closes Saturday, April 24 at 9 PM.
Summer Camp for Young Children: Registration Opens Monday
Calling all parish children ages four to six! Join us this summer for TREASURED: a faith-based camp. Make new friends and discover that you are God’s greatest treasure through bible stories, music, crafts, outdoor games, and much more!

Space is limited! Each program pod will hold no more than 12 children of the same age group. Each pod will have two counselors to supervise children. The summer program will run Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 11:30 am in the preschool arks on Saint Brigid of Kildare campus (located inside the units on the parking lot).

Please note that each week will be the same program so children should only attend one session. Children must be at least four years old by June 1, 2021 and have not completed first grade in order to register for the program. 

Program Date Options:
Session 1- June 7-11
Session 2- June 14-18
Session 3- June 21-25
Session 4- July 26-30
Session 5- Aug 2-6
Session 6- Aug 9-13

Available sessions will be determined by registration numbers. In order to implement safe covid practices and offer a high-quality experience, the cost to attend the summer program is $100 per child. 

We can’t wait for you to join us! For more information or questions, please contact Hillary Harper at mrs.harper@stbrigid-school.org

Registration opens Monday, April 26 at 10 AM and slots will be filled based on registration order. To register, visit www.stbrigidofkildare.org (search "summer camp" or view the Recent News). 
World's Largest Diaper Drive
The Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Columbus are partnering with Bottoms Up Diaper Drive to participate in the World’s Largest Diaper Drive.

Bottoms Up delivers free diapers and wipes to social service agencies so that moms and families living below the poverty line are able to have access to the diapers they need for their babies. In other words, when a single mother walks into a food pantry that partners with Bottoms Up, she is assured to get the size diapers necessary for her baby. Single moms are particularly susceptible to living below the poverty line. Be sure to keep the underprivileged and marginalized in our society in your prayers as you participate in the World's Largest Diaper Drive.

In 2020 Bottoms Up delivered 556,318 diapers to over 50 community partners in Central and Southern Ohio. That’s a half million fresh, dry diapers for babies whose mothers struggle to afford the $70-$80/month it costs to keep a sufficient supply of diapers to keep their babies clean, dry, and healthy.

Bottoms Up continues to grow with very little promotion and a lot of dedication to principled charity. Diapers are collected through drives at churches, schools, and businesses or purchased through the generosity of others.

At Saint Brigid, we will collect packages of diapers in various sizes the week of April 26. If you are able to help us with this world-record setting attempt and our individual school goal of 10,000 diapers, please send in these sizes of diapers to school on April 26-April 30. Thank you!
School Rewards: How to Sign Up
St. Brigid of Kildare School earns thousands of dollars each year through loyalty reward programs. Our programs have recently seen year-over-year increases thanks to our participating families!

  • Kroger rewards dollars are up 36% over prior year.
  • Amazon Smile reward dollars are up 29% over prior year.
  • Other reward dollars are up 6% over prior year.
  • TOTAL Rewards earned in 2019-2020 school year (from these 3): $6,334!

Our families are making a difference! Thank you all!

If you are not signed up, it is not too late! And it is easy! And it is free! Below is a written explanation for signing up.


***Please note Giant Eagle has currently decided to end their rewards program due to the pandemic.*** The organization is focusing these dollars on feeding students across all communities.
Now Hiring: Summer Program Counselors
Saint Brigid of Kildare is seeking Summer Program Counselors to assist with the early childhood summer program. Counselors will assist and supervise students ages four to six that are enrolled in the summer program.

This is a part-time position and would be a great experience for individuals pursuing a career in Early Childhood Education or Child Development. Hours are 8:30 am -12:00 pm, Monday - Friday from June 7-June 25, and July 26- August 13. Candidates must be available for all dates.

For requirements and application instructions, click the link below.
Help Needed: Jamaican Orphanage Donation and Item Collection
Alum Eagle Scout Project
I am Liam Chiarotto-Haney, a St. Brigid graduate, class of 2019 and am currently a sophomore at St. Charles. I am also the leader of my Boy Scout Troop and I am working on becoming an Eagle Scout. For my Eagle Project I’ve decided to collect supplies for Matthew 25:40, a Mustard Seed run orphanage for teen boys in Kingston Jamaica for whom I did a mission trip pre-Covid in 2019.
 
Mustard Seed is a Catholic charity that operates orphanages for the most vulnerable around the world and Matthew 25:40 is one of their orphanages in Kingston, Jamaica that houses and educates boys with HIV. You can find out more here: https://www.mustardseed.com/ During regular times these orphans lack many necessities as I have seen first-hand, but over Covid they have been largely forgotten. As a consequence, their needs have grown more severe. Could you please help me collect for their wants and needs which range from medical supplies, to school items, to fun things like sports equipment.
 
Unfortunately during these Covid times, Jamaican Customs requires any donations to be new and not used. Below is a link to an Amazon list of items for these boys. If you are interested in purchasing any item off of the list you can have them delivered to my home, otherwise I can arrange for pickup with you. No donation is too small. My goal is to fill a pallet full of supplies and ship it to Jamaica this spring.
 
Thank you for your consideration and your generosity to the boy’s orphanage of Matthew 25:40,
Alumni in the News
3rd Quarter Honor Roll
Congrats to our many alumni on 3rd quarter honor roll at Bishop Watterson High School and St. Charles!



Thomas Matthews Face Forward Service Award Winner
Congratulations to St. Charles sophomore Thomas Matthews (Saint Brigid of Kildare School class of 2019) who was selected by the Office of Vocations of the Diocese of Columbus and the Face Forward: Connecting Catholic Youth program as one of two winners of this award.



BWHS Signing Day: Congrats Jacob Hoying, Aubrey Bower, and Julia Flanagan
Three of the twelve Bishop Watterson High School athletes that signed to play college sports were our Saint Brigid of Kildare School alumni! Congrats to Jacob Hoying (football, University of Cincinnati), Aubrey Bower (lacrosse, DePauw University), and Julia Flanagan (soccer, Ohio Northern University).



Friends’ faith carries them through cancer: Luke Tortora and Sam Severance
Sam Severance and Luke Tortora have been friends since they met about 15 years ago when Severance entered fourth grade at Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare School. Since then, they have provided support for each other and for other people through experiences including the amputation of Severance’s leg because of osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Both young men say their Catholic faith stands at the core of their relationship and strongly influences their outlook on life.

Summer Camp Opportunities
Below are local summer camp opportunities available to Saint Brigid of Kildare School children. Click the link to view more details.

Schoolbelles Sale
Schoolbelles is having a customer appreciation sale from April 23-26.

St. Charles Father/Son Mass & Luncheon April 24th
Current students, 5th-8th Grade Boys, Incoming 9th Graders (Class of 2025) Welcome!

St. Charles Preparatory School is hosting the 2021 Father/Son Mass & Luncheon on Saturday, April 24, 2021. This event is open to prospective 4th-8th grade boys, current students, incoming 9th graders and graduates and their sons along with their fathers and grandfathers. We will wear masks, socially distance and follow all safety measures as directed by the state, city and diocese.

The day’s activities will start with a Main Campus tour (9:00 a.m.), Mass (10:30 a.m.) and guest speaker, Mr. Chuck Strickler, in the Robert C. Walter Student Commons. Afterwards, everyone is then invited over to the Robotics and Mentoring Center for a boxed lunch provided by Bosc + Brie. Tours of that facility, as well as the athletic and training facilities of West Campus, will also be provided. There will be a number of other activities going on around campus for attendees to watch including several athletic team games and demonstrations by the school’s Robotics Team.

Registrations are required and attendance is limited to the first 325 people who sign up (no later than Thursday, April 22nd, please) on our online SignUp Genius event page located in the event’s posting on the school’s Homepage (www.stcharlesprep.org). Please contact the school’s Alumni and Communications Director, Louis J. Fabro ’83 at lfabro@scprep.org, with any questions. We hope you can join us for this special tradition!
Oak Society Scholarship Applications Deadline this Friday, April 23
The Oak Society is possible thanks to the generosity of our parishioners. It is committed to helping families in our parish continue a Catholic education through parish-supported grants, scholarships, and tuition assistance. The Oak Society will provide scholarships to students with criteria set by the donor or organization. We will continue to build this scholarship program in order to expand the opportunities available to our students. If you are interested in donating or creating a scholarship, please contact Sarah Moore at sarahmoore00@hotmail.com or (614) 761-3734.

Next week we will open the application process for our Spring 2021 scholarships.

Current scholarship opportunities are:
  • The Brendan Foley Spirit Scholarship
  • The Home & School Association Scholarship
  • The Joyce O'Reilly Family Scholarship
  • The SPiCE Scholarship Program
  • Karen & William Nomina Faith & Service Scholarship
  • The Elizabeth Jane Zetzer Memorial Scholarship
  • The Babs Pulsfort Memorial Gift of Giving Scholarship

The deadline to apply for these scholarships is Friday, April 23, 2021.

To read more about these scholarships and to apply, click the link below.
KofC Virtual Free Throw Contest
Please join us and participate in our virtual Free Throw contest for girls and boys ages 9 to 14 years old. This year, we'll be recognizing all participants. Let's have some fun!

Like most everything else, this year's Free Throw Championship will be different than other years. While the district and state level tournaments won't be taking place this year, we can still have some fun doing a virtual free throw contest focused on fun and participation at St. Brigid of Kildare!

We won't be getting together this year. Parents, please work with your children to find a safe basketball hoop where you can, after a few practice shots, take 10 free throws and report here how many you make!

All participants will be recognized with a participation certificate!

This virtual event will end on April 30th, 2021.

Feel free to share your participation in this fun event on social media! #StBrigid2021KnightsFreeThrowFun