Dear Parents,

The first week of school has truly been a joy!  The students and teachers have already experienced many learning opportunities and special times for prayer.  Our opening school Mass was last Friday with both Fr. Black and Fr. Lynch concelebrating.  We were proud to have leadership from our 8th grade participating as altar servers, readers and gift bearers.  We also had many parents, younger siblings and members of the parish community join us, making our opening school liturgy a truly exciting and meaningful way to end our first week. Our Home and School also hosted a special Tears and Cheers Coffee Social before Mass began. This event provided hospitality and a way for our parents to come to the table and connect with each other.  

We will continue to attend Mass weekly on Thursday at 9:00 am as a whole school unless there is a holy day or special holiday Mass which will be noted on our website calendar.  (Kindergartners will attend Mass according to a specialized schedule. Kindergarten teachers will inform you).  Parents wishing to attend Mass with their child(ren) may sit with them in East or West alcoves or you may sit with the class.  (Please click here to see the seating chart for Mass. ) Parents, please make contact with the teacher to make sure they know that you are taking your child to sit with you and also make contact with the teacher upon returning your child to the class.  

Looking ahead to next week, parents please plan to attend Curriculum Night to learn more about what will be happening in the classroom during the coming year.  The schedule is as follows:

Wed, Sept 6th

Curriculum Night

Grades K - 2, 6:00-6:40 pm

General parent meeting for all grades in Gym, 6:45 - 7:15 

Grades 3-4, 7:20-8:00 pm

Thurs, Sept 7th

Curriculum Night

Grades 5-6, 6:00-6:40 pm

General parent meeting for all parents in Gym, 6:45 - 7:15 

Grades 7-8, 7:20-8:00 pm

Our format is slightly different this year.  In between the grade level sessions, there will be a general meeting for parents of all grade levels.  This will be an opportunity to introduce Fr. Black to our school community and we will also share some general information regarding our new religion curriculum and our general academic model. Additionally, we will have an EdChoice information table in the cafeteria from 6:00 - 8:00 pm in order to answer questions and assist you with your application.   

I look forward to seeing you next week at Curriculum Night!

Kathy O’Reilly

Family Directory Now Available in FACTS

The family directory is now available when you login to your FACTS account (district code SBK-OH); it is on the left side menu under School. If any of your information is not correct, please update it in FACTS or reach out to the school at (614) 718-5825.

AM Car Rider Arrival Reminders

To keep traffic running smoothly and to allow your child to get to class on time, please adhere to the following:

1. Your child must be able to exit the vehicle on their own without the driver leaving the vehicle. If your child needs extra time (bringing in large items etc.), please park and walk your child to the entrance.
2. Pull as far forward as possible before dropping off your child. Follow staff instructions. The “Drop-Off” is between the crosswalk at the preschool doors (START) and the gym doors (END).
3. Please consider only making a RIGHT TURN when exiting our property. It will help keep the traffic flow moving and minimize backup onto Avery since it is only a two lane road without a traffic light.

In short, pull as far forward towards the START and when vehicles stop and you receive a signal from staff, let your child out on the curbside of your vehicle.

Thank you for your help with keeping your child safe and the traffic pattern moving efficiently.

News from the Nurse

NEW STUDENTS: Health forms are submitted once upon admission. Each student’s health file must contain the following forms:

1. Health History – signed by parent or guardian
2. Immunization Record – signed by parent or health care provider; due by the 15th day of school on the year of admission, and when updated thereafter
3. Physician Form – signed by physician

*Please turn these forms into the school nurse by September 12th, 2023

Please review the sick policy if you have not done so already this year. 

Attendance:

Excessive Tardiness: Students who exceed the three emergency tardies in any given quarter will be considered to have an excessive tardiness problem. 

Fifth tardy: Teacher contact

Sixth tardy: A meeting may be called for the student, parent, teacher, and/or principal to discuss the situation and devise an intervention plan.

Absences: 

*New this year: If your child is absent from school for a doctor or dentist appointment, we do need a note from a physician. 

*Any absence due to illness or quarantine for more than three days will require a note from a physician.

Absences will be monitored, and excessive absences will be addressed by the teacher and the

principal. If a student is absent from school for any reason for more than a total of 28 days, the

student will not receive credit for that year at the discretion of the principal.

Sensory Garden at St. Brigid of Kildare School

Thanks to generous donations from Oakland Park Nursery, John & Sheila Reiner, and our SPiCE Corks for a Cause fundraising, the Sensory Garden is nearly complete.

This garden consists of an outdoor student space, dining and conversation area, teacher relaxation and sitting area, Mary garden, Japanese-inspired space, sensory garden, and general, unifying landscape.

To learn about the many details and thoughtful planning that went into this garden by John & Sheila Reiner, click the link below.

Proud St. Brigid Family Metal Signs for Sale

We are excited to offer again the Proud St. Brigid Family signs to our school families! We will be taking orders for these 11" metal outdoor signs that look great in a front flower bed or landscaping. These signs are made of no-rust aluminum with a UV resistant paint designed for long lasting outdoor durability, and will hold up a minimum of 5-10 years. They are made of 3mm max metal and come with a 48" metal T-bar stake for stability into the ground.

Total cost for the sign and stake is $32. We are selling these signs at cost to help encourage your participation in helping us spread awareness of our great school and building our community!

To order, fill out the form below by Friday, September 8 and pay via credit card. Signs will be produced after the ordering period is over, and plan to be ready for pickup shortly after. Purchasers will be notified when signs are ready.

Attn St. Brigid School Volunteers: New & Established

If you are interested in volunteering for the school, or are already an established volunteer, we are asking EVERYONE to go to the link below in order to be verified as a volunteer in good standing. This will enable us to merge our old system (paper records) of established volunteers into our Raptor System, along with welcoming new volunteers.

All requirements to volunteer are still applicable (completion of Protecting God’s Children Session and Fingerprint / Background check etc.) and will be verified with your submission by

our Safe Environment Coordinator.

We are utilizing the Raptor Visitor / Volunteer Management System to screen all volunteers in

our school and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff. Upon entering

the building during school hours, volunteers will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver’s

License to be scanned or manually entered into the system. The Raptor System will check the

volunteer’s name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex

offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the

Raptor system. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the volunteer.

If you have questions about the volunteer requirements or status of your application, please

contact John Denzel (Safe Environment Coordinator) [email protected] or

614.761.3734 ext. 249.

If you have questions about the Raptor System, please contact Bruce McKenna (School Safety

Officer Director) [email protected] or 614.718.5825 ext. 276.

Gym Uniform Pants and Spirit Wear Stores - Closing Soon

Hello Wolfhounds! As you are heading back to school and back to school sports, remember that both of our spirit wear stores are still open!

Morganheimer/Premier is our traditional St. Brigid spirit wear option (non-vintage), and their spirit wear store is open. Shop the link below to check out their options for those Wolfhound Spirit Wear Days! Options are available for pick up at their store front location or you can have the items shipped directly to you.

Check out the link below to order spirit wear from Morganheimer/Premier:

https://saintbrigid.itemorder.com

Rah-Rah is a Dublin-based spirit wear company that is offering super-soft, vintage-inspired, uniquely designed spirit wear made just for us! The owners of Rah-Rah are a St. Brigid family and we are happy to offer their spirit wear to our Wolfhound families. They have added a new design for us this year that they are excited to share with you!

Check out the link below to shop the Rah-Rah spirit wear store and add their vintage inspired clothing to your closet! The Rah-Rah store will remain open until August 30^th!

https://rahrahgear.com/collections/st-brigid?page=1 [rahrahgear.com]

You can have any items shipped directly to you for the best and quickest delivery. Standard shipping rates apply. Details on shipping can be found on the website.

If you prefer to pick up your Rah-Rah order, you may do so at:

6702 Royal Plume Drive, Dublin (home of Jamie Erickson)

Please watch the Wolfhound Wednesday (and your email) for delivery information.

Any questions? Please contact Jaime Erickson 614.578.8960 or Shauna Durant 740.815.9053

EdChoice Scholarship: How to Apply

Ohio's Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Program is now accessible to ALL Ohioans! All families are eligible to receive between $650-$6,165 per K-8 student.

We are asking that all families apply for EdChoice. This will allow us to reallocate our scholarship, grant, and aid dollars to ensure families receive maximum support.

To apply for an EdChoice scholarship for the 2023-24 school year, please see the instructions and more information here.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call (614) 718-5825.

Parish Job Openings

St. Brigid of Kildare Parish is hiring for several positions to begin this fall:

• The Parish Office needs a Receptionist/Administrative Assistant to welcome guests and perform a multitude of administrative tasks. This is a 12-month full-time position, with generous full-time benefits. Hours are 8:30-4:00 Monday-Friday. Click here to view the full job description. To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

• The Parish needs a Grounds Manager to help keep our campus beautiful, functional, safe and well-maintained. This is a 12-month full-time position, with generous full-time benefits. Hours are generally 7:30-3:00 but may sometimes be weather-dependent. Click here to view the full job description. To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

Application instructions and full job descriptions are available in the links above.

Join Us for Welcome Weekend

Join us in Hendricks Hall on September 16th and 17^th, after all Masses for Welcome Weekend. This is a time when all parishioners can enjoy food and drinks while browsing the many opportunities and ministries that need your participation. Over 50 ministries and committees will be present for you to explore, and volunteers will be available to answer your questions. There will also be a new parishioner's welcome committee to register for our parish if you would like to join.

Fr. Black will be available to greet parishioners as he begins his ministry here at St. Brigid. We hope you will join us for refreshments and fellowship in Hendricks Hall after every Mass. 

Please consider how you can become part of our parish family and join us on the journey of faith.

Thinking About Becoming Catholic?

• Have you ever thought about becoming Catholic?
• Do you think you might like to look into the Catholic way of Life?
• Do you know someone interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith?

 You are invited to join us!

Our first meeting will be an orientation on October 17. All classes will be held on Tuesday evenings, from 7:00-8:30 pm in the Berry Room. The calendar for this coming year is on our website at www.stbrigidofkildare.org/rcia. For more information contact Kim VanHuffel at [email protected] or complete the form on the website above.

The Rescue Project

September 13—November 15

The Rescue Project tells us that the most urgent task in the church is the compelling proclamation of the gospel, one that offers people a way of seeing reality, and of making sense of the world, history, and life, that is vastly different from the story our modern culture tells.

We invite you to join us for the Rescue Project! Together we can discover The Story.

There are four ways to participate this fall:

•  Sisters in Christ - Join a community of women in prayer and study. Wednesdays, 1:15-2:45 PM, Deacon’s Room
• Wednesday Evening Group - Join other parishioners in this study/small groups. Wednesdays, 7-8:30 PM, Berry Room
• Thursday Morning Group - Join other parishioners in this study/small groups. Thursdays, 10—11:30 AM, Berry Room
• Individual Small Groups - Create your own small group in your home and receive study materials free of charge from the parish!

To register, click the button below.

For more information, contact Kim VanHuffel at [email protected]. 

That Man Is You!

THAT MAN IS YOU! is an interactive men’s program combining the best research from science with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of man fully alive. By honestly addressing the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture, That Man is You! Seeks to form men who will be capable of transforming homes and society. At St. Brigid of Kildare, we are currently in year 5 of this program (for the 2023-24 year).

Join us for food, fellowship and faith, starting Saturday, September 9, 2023 in Hendricks Hall. Doors Open at 6:30 AM for light breakfast and fellowship. Program starts promptly at 7:00 AM. All men are welcome.

Mom to Mom Kickoff Sept 13

Mom to Mom is a vibrant, faith sharing group focused on motherhood, spirituality, and Catholic parenting.  Whether you’re a rookie or veteran, join us to support, share and gain wisdom from each other.

Meetings: Wednesday Sept 20th - Nov 15th

Time: 9:45-11 am

Location: Church Basement

Child Care Sign up: Here

This fall Mom to Mom will watch and discuss videos from the Formed “Catholic Moms Summit.”  The Catholic Mom’s Summit is a collection of talks in which women encourage and support one another in the vocation of Catholic Motherhood, see below for our September Schedule. Drop in any time, no need to prepare, come as you are! We hope you can make it! 

Requirements to Volunteer with our Children

If you are 18 years or older and interested in volunteering with youth activities at SBK, attending PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN is required before you can volunteer. Register under the Diocese of Columbus at 

www.virtus.org

The Diocesan Safe Environment Department will be offering Virtus Protecting God's Children (PGC) sessions: 

9/06/2023 St Francis DeSales HS 6:00pm 

  with Fingerprinting @5pm

9/16/2023 St Brendan (Hilliard) 9:00am

11/06/2023 Zoom PGC Columbus 6:00pm

All volunteers with our children and youth must complete PGC, a St. Brigid volunteer application, submit the signed code of conduct, copy of photo ID, and complete a criminal background check prior to volunteering.

Full details and forms can be found at https://stbrigidofkildare.org/safe-environment/ 

Alumni First Day of School

A few of our St. Brigid class of 2023 gathered for a group photo for their first day of school at St. Charles last week!