The O'Reilly Minute

Dear Parents,

We have had a great beginning to Catholic Schools Week…Sowing Seeds of Hope: United in Faith and Community! We began the week by gathering together for morning prayer in the gym planned by our 8th grade Faith Committee. It was a wonderful opportunity as a school community to sing and pray and celebrate the gift of Catholic education. Today our 8th grade Service Committee is sponsoring a cereal box collection and domino challenge. Representatives from each homeroom will work together today to set up around 700 boxes of cereal to create a domino run that will take place this afternoon. The cereal will then be donated to the Dublin Food Pantry and “Feed the Kids Columbus”. This is such a great opportunity for our students and families to sow seeds of hope by serving our greater community by helping families, who otherwise would not have a nutritious breakfast to start their school day. 

Everyday this week members of our clergy and religious from St. Brigid and across the Diocese have been coming to our lunch tables to enjoy some table talk with our students around the topic of vocations and religious life. Tomorrow our celebration will be centered on the Feast of St. Brigid with a beautiful Mass including all of our favorite St. Brigid hymns. Earlier this week our students enjoyed their favorite school lunch of rotini and will have fun on Friday with Spirit Day dress down day. Our teachers and staff will also be treated on Friday to a special lunch as a gift of appreciation funded through the Annual Fund and organized by our Home and School Association.

In closing, we reflect this week on the life of our Patroness, Saint Brigid, who dedicated her life to education and to the poor. I would personally like to thank you for the opportunity to be able to serve the children and families of Saint Brigid.

May the blessings of St. Brigid be with you always,

Kathy O'Reilly

Catholic Schools Week 2025

The Catholic Schools Week theme is “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Catholic schools have an irreplaceable role in the Church’s evangelizing mission. Building on the central goal of Catholic schools to form saints, Catholic schools teach and embrace the whole person, body, mind and spirit. The fact that all members of a Catholic school community share the Christian vision of faith that Christ is the foundation of Catholic education is what unites the school as a faith-filled community.

There are several “To Do” items to mark on your family calendar.  

Wednesday - January 29th - Celebrate your Nation

• Cereal box collecting continues with Cereal Box Dominoes
• Families will come together to celebrate student learning at Student Led Conferences for Grades K-4
• Our book fair will be open this evening during conferences as well as a bake sale fundraiser for 8th grade.

Thursday - January 30th - Celebrate Vocations

• We will gather together for Mass at 9:00 AM and celebrate our patroness Saint Brigid
• Celebrating Seeds of Hope with a Hope Project with our buddies
• Families will come together to celebrate student learning at Student Led Conferences for Grades 5-8
• Our book fair will be open this evening during conferences as well as a bake sale fundraiser for 8th grade.

Friday - January 31st - Celebrate Faculty, Staff, Volunteers

• Students and staff may enjoy a spiritwear dress-down day
• Clergy member Deacon Steve will be visiting students at lunch
• Faculty and Staff will enjoy a special luncheon organized by Home and School and our Annual Fund. 
• Our traditional Basketball Game at 1:30 pm - Faculty, Staff, Clergy vs. 8th Grade (Parents are welcome if your schedule allows)

7th Grade Photo Newsletters

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

Student-Led Conference Sign Ups

Student-led conferences will be held:

Wednesday, January 29 (4-6:30 PM):

Grades K, 1, 2, 3, and 4

Thursday, January 30 (4-6:30 PM):

Grades 5, 6, 7, and 8

Use the link below to find your child's teacher and sign up for their conference.

Congrats Spelling Bee Participants!

Each year St. Brigid School participates in the Scripps National Spelling Program which starts at the Classroom Bee level in December, and ends with the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. in May. Classroom Bee winners competed through over 20 rounds of difficult words including "conspiratorial" and "technicalities". 

8th grader Andrew Burns earned the title School Champion… Best of luck to Andrew as he starts studying for the Regional Bee! Fellow 8th grader Frankie Dziewiatkowski was the official Runner-up.

Congrats to all our participants and alternates:

 Michael White, JJ. Dula, Collin Peterson, Bernadette Dziewiatkowski, Lillian Babcanec Jake Dublikar, Isabella Salvatore, Jolene Peters, Mary Vivona, Anthony Pizzino, Amy Jo Anthony, Autumn Enghauser, James Ferrara, Allison Langanke, Gabe Wilke, Madeleine Bader, Louis Dziewiatkowski, Gabby Dye, Annie Creekmur

Literati Book Fair for Catholic Schools Week

Students in grades K-4 must shop with an adult during the times listed below. 

Students in grades 5-8 may bring money to school and shop during the school day with a teacher’s permission.

Family Shopping Times for Book Fair

Monday Jan. 27 - After School 2:45-4:00

Tuesday Jan. 28 ~ After School 2:45-4:00

Wednesday Jan. 29 ~ After School 2:45-4:00 and during conferences!

Thursday Jan. 30 ~ After School 2:45-4:00 and during conferences!

Friday Jan 31 ~ No shopping. Book Fair Pack Up!

Collect Lost & Found Items When You Visit School This Week

While you’re in the school shopping the Book Fair or attending Student Led Conferences, please take a moment to look through the Lost and Found, located in the cafeteria, to see if any of your students’ belongings are there. A friendly reminder that the lost and found will be cleaned out in conjunction with the uniform exchange on February 23, so please reclaim your item(s)! 

Yearbook Sales from LifeTouch

You may have received an email from LifeTouch (our school photo and yearbook company) for yearbook sales which are currently ongoing. The deadline for orders will be in the spring.

Yearbooks are $15 each and can be ordered from the link in the email.

8th Grade Bake Sale

From the Eighth Grade Social Committee:

The Eighth Grade Social Committee is having a Bake Sale fundraiser for their trip to Washington DC. It will be open the nights of Student Led Conferences on January 29th and 30th. A portion of the profits will go to charity. The bake sale will be between the Think Tank and the Sun Room next to the library, and near the Book Sale. We can only accept cash payments at this time. Thank you for your support!

SBAA New Sports Survey

The St. Brigid Athletic Association (SBAA) is very excited about a few new possible opportunities in athletics. The diocesan sports offerings have recently expanded, so we want to survey our St. Brigid of Kildare Parish community to gauge interest in bringing some of these new sport opportunities to our parish.

This survey is open to all parents of youth in our parish and school. Please take a minute to complete it at the link below.

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.

Hounds Hoopla - Feb 21

Hounds Hoopla is coming next month, 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. 

Please look for the registration link next week. 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#/

Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest - Feb 2

All girls and boys aged 9 to 14 (as of 1/1/25) are invited to the annual Knights free-throw competition held on Sunday, February 2nd, in the St. Brigid school gymnasium from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. Check-in for registered participants begins at 2:00 pm. 

Complete the online registration at the link below.

Remember to share the registration link with your friends! 

Saint Brigid Feast Day Mass - Feb 1 at 9 AM

Please join us on Saturday, February 1 for a 9 AM Mass to celebrate the Feast Day of our patroness Saint Brigid of Kildare.

There will be a reception with light refreshments to follow in Hendricks Hall.

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.

Make It a Date! - Feb 8

A Night Out to Focus on Your Marriage

Valentine's Day Edition

Saturday, February 8, 2025

6:15 to 7:30 p.m.

Hendrick’s Hall – St. Brigid of Kildare Parish

All married and engaged couples are invited to St. Brigid’s 31st Make It a Date!

Hear thoughts from couples of the parish as we watch a short video and share in fellowship with each other. Like always, we’ll have light appetizers and there will be a chance to catch up with old and new friends.

At the conclusion of the event, couples leave on their own date at a venue of their choice to talk about the evening and how it relates to their own relationships.

Please RSVP to Jessica Freiburger at 4freixys@gmail.com or 614-282-5095 by February 6.

Sponsored by Family First and the St. Brigid School of Adult Faith Formation

BWHS Pickleball Social

Join the BWHS Pickleball Social on Saturday, February 8 from 6-10 PM at the Pickle Shack.

Learn more and register at the link below.

St. Charles Spaghetti Dinner - Feb 2

St. Charles Preparatory School will host its annual Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday, February 2, from 1:00- 6:30 p.m., in the school’s Walter Student Commons. Dinner will be prepared by the Susi Family and its staff from Berwick Manor. Guests will enjoy a bountiful meal of spaghetti with meatball, salad, rolls, ice cream, and a beverage. Cost is $15.00 for Adults; $10.00 for Senior Citizens; $7.00 for Children ages 5-12 (4 and under are free). There is also a special $60 Family Rate (dine-in, up to 6 immediate family members). Tickets purchased at the door and carry out orders will be available.

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.