The O'Reilly Minute

Dear Parents,

We are happy to announce that in 2024 we raised over $340,000 for tuition assistance through the Emaus Road Scholarship program! We are so grateful to our school families, parishioners, and supportive friends and family who raised these funds for our families. Thank you!

We want to ensure families apply for tuition assistance in order to access these funds, which can help cover tuition costs not covered by EdChoice Scholarships. Please see the article and instructions below on how to renew your EdChoice Scholarship for the 2025-26 school year. 

How to Apply for Tuition Assistance

In order to receive tuition assistance funds from the Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund, Diocesan Tuition Assistance, or TACT (Teacher) Tuition Assistance, you must apply through FACTS Grant & Aid. New this year, the FACTS Grant & Aid application is an income-only application, meaning you only need to submit the following information to apply:

• Federal tax return for the most recent tax year
• Most recent W-2(s)
• Any other sources of income and amounts

To begin the application, visit this link: https://online.factsmgt.com/aid

Applications must be complete by March 15, 2025.

(Please note St. Brigid Donor Scholarships and Oak Society Grants require a separate application in the spring. You will receive in email prior to the end of the school to apply for these additional scholarships and grants).

I anticipate tuition rates for the 2025-26 school year to be finalized within the next month once the diocese has finalized teacher contract negotiations.

This Friday, February 14 our classes will celebrate St. Valentine's Day with class parties, thanks to Home & School and the Annual Fund. Students may enjoy a red dress down day.

We will celebrate Rare Disease Awareness Day through education opportunities for children and parents next week, and with a Rare Disease JEANS dress down day next Friday, February 21.

Sincerely,

Kathy O'Reilly

Kindergarten Photo Newsletters

Click the photo album link below to see what the students have worked on in class over the past weeks!

2025-26 School Calendar

The list of major dates for the 2025-26 school year has been added to our website (click News, then Calendar from the drop down).

Click the link below to view the list of major dates for 25-26.

Adaptive Phys Ed Class

This past week at St. Brigid, all students were given the unique opportunity to participate in adaptive PE during their gym classes. Students tried stations including wheelchair basketball, blindfolded basketball dribbling, limb differential shooting, missing lower limb ball passing, hard-of-hearing basketball games, and lining themselves up in birth month order without talking. Students experienced challenges of not being able to talk or hear others and got creative in devising ways to figure out the solution. Students had fun while working together to get a hands-on perspective of disabilities and the determination it takes to do many of the things we can take for granted each day. 

Adaptive sports have modified rules and equipment to allow people with disabilities to participate. Adaptive sports can improve strength, flexibility, and endurance. They can also help to reduce anxiety and depression, and improve social skills by building confidence, teamwork, communication, and provide a sense of belonging. These adaptive sports have paved a way for people with disabilities to participate in their version of the Olympics called the Paralympics.

One Kindergarten student mentioned that he/she met someone with a missing limb, and that participating in these activities provided him/her a small look at what that person goes through every day. A fourth grader thanked Ms. Jordan for putting these challenges together and said she learned a lot about people with different abilities. These activities were sponsored by the SPiCE Committee and were a part of our mission to give students at St. Brigid an opportunity to learn that even those with differences or disabilities can do amazing things.

Educational Apparel Sale

Educational Apparel is having a sale on uniforms Feb 14-17th. See the graphic for more details.

EdChoice Expansion Scholarship for the 25-26 School Year

In order to receive the EdChoice Expansion Scholarship for the 25-26 school year, you must follow the instructions at the link below.

The link will provide instructions for each group:

• Renewal for current 8th graders
• Renewal for all other grades
• New applicants

Eyeglasses Drive

Help us provide vision for those in need! Drop your

unwanted eyeglasses and we will donate them to the Lions Club International to help change lives.

What are we collecting? Any used eyeglasses

Why Donate? Your donations will help provide vision

care to people who need it but can’t afford it. All eyeglasses collected will be cleaned, refurbished, and distributed to individuals in communities where access to eyewear is limited.

How can you help?

1. Gather Your Old Eyeglasses

2. Place them in the dropbox at the School Officce

3. Spread the Word!

Donation Period: February - May 1st 2025

Questions?

Contact: Sam Sage (St. Brigid of Kildare Class of 2022), sagesam82@gmail.com

Hounds Hoopla - Registration Open

Registration is now open for Hounds Hoopla! Get your tickets through the link below. Hounds Hoopla is Friday, February 21, 2025, from 6-8 PM at our school! 

Join us for Bingo, a DJ dance party, crafts, face painting, a magician, and fun! Pizza, snacks and drinks included. Entry is $30 per family. 

The volunteer sign-up link is below. Please consider volunteering your time to make this event a success. There will be a separate volunteer sign-up circulated for 7th and 8th graders for service hours. 

Donations Needed

Donations are needed for Bingo prizes. A donation box will be in the main office area outside the nurse's office. Great donation item ideas include gift cards for the older kids in the $10-20 amount, crafts, stuffed animals, games, sports equipment like soccer balls, plastic bats and balls, little kids ball gloves, nail polish, hair accessories. Anything new, unopened or in like new condition we would look forward to having on the prize table.  

Volunteer Sign-up Link

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090949A8AE22A3FB6-54210430-hounds#/

Kick-Off Meeting: St. Brigid Football

Parents of 4th–7th Grade Boys – You’re Invited!

Join us for an exciting St. Brigid Football Kick-Off Meeting as we introduce our coaching staff, outline plans for the upcoming season, and prepare for conditioning!

Date: Thursday, February 20th (corrected from last week)

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Hendricks Hall

What We’ll Cover:

✅ Meet the Coaches – Learn about the team leading our 5/6 & 7/8 squads

✅ Conditioning Schedule – Tentative start date of March 15th to get our athletes ready

✅ Upcoming Summer Camp – A great opportunity for development

✅ Volunteer Opportunities – Get involved with the chain gang, scorekeeping, and concessions

Don't miss this chance to be part of the future of Wolfhound Football!

Questions? Contact Adam Horn Sr. at adam.horn710@gmail.com

Semi-Annual Uniform & Spirit Wear Exchange Feb 23

Shoppers, sign up here: Winter 2025 Uniform and Spirit Wear Exchange. This sign up contains more information about the exchange and signing up ensures you’ll receive a reminder to attend. Everything is FREE and you don’t need to donate to attend. Prospective families are also welcome to come to start their wardrobe and seek answers to uniform questions. If you need items, but can’t attend, let a friend shop for you!

Have items to donate? If you have gently used items for the uniform and spirit wear exchange you have a few options for drop-off:

1. At the school office beginning Feb 3 during school hours
2. At a bin outside Erin Heise’s home at 6588 Wynwright Dr Dublin OH Feb 15-21
3. Bring them with you to the exchange if the other options don't work for you, but please help us put them out.
4. If you have a ripped jumper or logoed item, please still donate it as we can use it for spare parts (buttons, crest, elastic, etc.)! Similarly, if you have gym jackets without logos, we will try to find crests to add to them
5. Leftovers will be given to the Bishop Griffin Center.

Volunteer. Volunteers are needed to organize the exchange, help others find items, and to clean up and pack items for donation at the end of the exchange. If you are free, please sign up here:  Winter 2025 Uniform and Spirit Wear Exchange Volunteer Sign Up

Questions? Email Erin Heise at erinjolene@hotmail.com or Gracie Dziewiatkowski at marygracedzski@gmail.com.

FACTS Tuition Assistance Application Open - NEW Simplified Application Process

The application to receive tuition assistance for the 2025-26 school year is now open, with a deadline of March 15, 2025.

New this year, the FACTS Grant & Aid application is an income-only application, meaning you only need to submit the following information to apply:

• Federal tax return for the most recent tax year
• Most recent W-2(s)
• Any other sources of income and amounts

This one application makes you eligible to receive tuition assistance dollars from one or more of the following pools of funding:

1. Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund
2. Diocesan Tuition Assistance
3. TACT (Teacher) Tuition Assistance

(Please note St. Brigid Donor Scholarships and Oak Society Grants require a separate application in the spring).

Scholarship awards are determined in May. Please contact Jackie Mack (jmack@stbrigidofkildare.org or 614-761-3734) with questions regarding potential award status.

You can begin the application now at https://online.factsmgt.com/aid

SBAA Spring Sports Registration

St Brigid Athletic Association is happy to announce Spring Sports Registration is now open.  Please note strict deadlines for registration; there will be no extension of registration dates. In addition, if you register by the end of January you will receive a 10% discount on the registration fee.

Most parents that volunteered during the basketball season had their $50 refund processed. There may be a few outstanding that will be processed once our records are updated that show volunteering is complete. You should see the refund to the credit card you used for winter registration in the coming days. Thank you for all your support throughout the season and supporting the boys and girls teams by volunteering. It was a great help to the athletic board and commissioners.

Registration Deadline for all Spring Sports: February 20

Softball

Grades: 4th - 8th Grade Girls

Registration Fees: $160

Commissioner/Contact: Andres Adorno

Baseball

Grades: 4th - 8th Grade Boys

Registration Fees: $160

Commissioner/Contact: Andres Adorno

Track & Field

Grades: 4th - 8th Grade

Registration Fees: $85

Commissioner/Contact: Dan Workman

If you have any questions about a specific sport, please reach out to each respective commissioner/contact.  If you have any problems with registrations, please reach out to Brian Frantz for any registration problems.

Corks for a Cause 2025 - Buy A Star!

We are excited to hold our 18th annual Corks for a Cause Silent Auction and Wine Tasting for SPiCE on Saturday, March 1, 2025 with the theme Red Carpet.

Ticket sales are now open at corks25.givesmart.com.

NEW: Buy A Star!

Become a SPiCE Star on our St. Brigid Wall of Fame!

For each star purchased, the family name will have a star on the Wall of Fame at the event. Come find your star on March 1 and take a selfie next to it! If you can't make it to the event, this is still a great way to support and have your family represented. This wall is designed to recognize SPiCE supporters and to help raise money for our SPiCE program to support the special needs of our many types of learners at St. Brigid of Kildare.

Stars must be purchased by Friday, February 21. Click here to purchase a star.

Sponsorships Available

Become a Corks for a Cause event sponsor! Sponsors receive significant advertising of their business or organization to our entire parish community (nearly 10,000 people), as well as complimentary event tickets. Learn more about our sponsorship packages here.

If you'd like to learn more about the event, how you can help, or share your ideas please reach out to Sarah Moore at smoore@stbrigidofkildare.org or 614-761-3734.

Father/Daughter Dance - April 5

Save the date for the parish Father/Daughter Dance taking place on Saturday, April 5 from 6:30-9:30 PM in the school gymnasium.

Registration is now open at the link below.



Wear your fanciest attire for the Red Carpet VIP event!

Women's Retreat - Registration Open

Registration is now open at the link below.

St. Brigid Women's Retreat

April 25-27, 2025

Maria Stein

For more information about the Women's Retreat, visit https://stbrigidofkildare.org/womens-retreat-2025/.

Submit Materials to Wolfhound Wednesday

If you have information you'd like included in the next Wolfhound Wednesday, email it to Allie Wing at mrs.wing@stbrigid-school.org.



To view past issues of the Wolfhound Wednesday, find them archived on our website here.