WOLFHOUND WEDNESDAY
March 10, 2021
Mr. McKenna taught a science lesson to fifth-grade students on a force and motion unit about the speed of vehicles. Mr. McKenna shared his experience on the police force and how speed was determined through radar, LIDAR, and other means.
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The O'Reilly Minute
Dear Parents,

Thank you for your support for next week's Week of Remembrance, Hope and Prayer as described in Monday's Task Force Email Update. We created the week based completely on student feedback and ideas, and our students are very excited! Thank you once again for understanding our decision to take Wellness Days to give families and children an opportunity to rest, recharge and spend time with family. We know this can be a burden on parents' schedules, and we appreciate your flexibility as these changes have been announced throughout the year. Monday will be our final Wellness Day for the school year, and we do not anticipate any additional schedule changes the remainder of the year (though we know we cannot let our COVID guard down just yet -- as things are still changing rapidly!).

I would like to remind you that the deadline for submitting the FACTS paperwork to be eligible for both Diocesan and Saint Brigid tuition assistance is MARCH 15th. Please see the story below for more information. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me at 614-718-5825.

As our Lenten journey continues please continue to cultivate kindness and pray for each other.

Lenten blessings,
Kathy O'Reilly
Photo Newsletters - K and 1st Grades
Click the images below to view this week's photo newsletters and see what the classes have been up to.
Task Force Update March 8: Week of Remebrance, Hope & Prayer

Included in this email is a description of the Week of Remembrance, Hope and Prayer that we will be celebrating as a school next week, March 15 - 19.
Saint Brigid of Kildare School Named 2021 Blue Ribbon School Finalist
We are excited to announce that we have been chosen as a finalist for the 2021 Blue Ribbon School award. We have been selected as one of the non-public school applications that will now move on from the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) to the U.S. Department of Education for judging. We will be notified in September 2021 if we have been chosen as a U.S. Department of Education 2021 Blue Ribbon School for Academic Excellence. If chosen, this will be our fifth national award, including three Blue Ribbon School awards, in the last 15 years. 

In the fall of 2020, we applied for our third National Blue Ribbon School award after meeting eligibility criteria.  Schools may only apply to receive a National Blue Ribbon School award every five years. We received this award in 2008 and 2014.  We have again applied in the "High Performing Schools" category, which requires that the achievement of the school's students in the most recent year tested place the school in the top 15 percent in the nation in reading and mathematics as measured by a nationally normed test or in the top 15 percent of its state as measured by a state test.

In our 25th year, we are excited to be named a finalist for this prestigious award. As their website states, "The coveted National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. The National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing an entry or flying overhead is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning."

We are eligible for this award because of our hard-working and dedicated teachers and staff, as well as our community of supportive parents and families. 
Power of the Pen Sets New Records!
We have big news from our Power of the Pen team! They competed in a virtual district tournament two weeks ago and have set new records for our school. Not only have all 12 writers qualified for the Regional tournament, but the seventh-grade team and the eighth-grade team each took first place against 18 other public and private middle schools in the Columbus area. 

Five of our writers also won special individual awards:
  • Maren Reville, 9th place for seventh grade (as well as a “Best of Round” award)
  • Paige Harper, 8th place for seventh grade
  • Elizabeth McLaughlin, 11th place for eighth grade (as well as a “Best of Round” award) 
  • Madeline Tinkler, 6th place for eighth grade 
  • Eve Worley, 3rd place for eighth grade

The other writers on our teams were Will Davis, Hayden Kiedrowski, Emily Mifsud, Zachary Utt, Ava Blackburn, Marin Lynch, Hannah Stuebe and Claire Heise (alternate).

We are so proud of these writers for persevering through the online tournament and will keep them in our prayers for Regionals in a little under two weeks! 
PE Uniform Dress Code Update for the 2021-22 School Year
This school year has definitely been one marked by change, updates, and “pivoting.” Some of the changes we have implemented during this year of COVID protocols will dissipate, but those that have led to new best practices will most likely remain. One of the most visible changes to our policies this year has been the revision to our students’ PE uniform dress code. We are happy to announce that our PE uniform dress code for grades 5-8 will now be permanently changed. Students will no longer change their clothes at school for PE but rather will come to school dressed for PE on PE days. Students in grades 5-8 will wear our traditional green PE t-shirt with solid black wind pants and an optional solid black wind suit jacket. Please carefully read the requirements below:

  • The green uniform PE t-shirt must be purchased through one of the uniform stores, or through our periodic used uniform sales.  
  • The black wind pants must be made of 100% polyester, a polyester-spandex blend with less than 10% spandex, or a poly/tricot blend. The pants must be solid black, with no other colors, stripes, or logos. The pants must be open at the ankle, not cuffed or gathered. The pants must be loose fitting. The pants may have a short zipper at the ankle but this is not preferred. No fleece pants, tight fitting pants, leggings, jeggings, yoga pants, or any other kind of athletic pant will be allowed.
  • The optional black wind suit jacket must be made of 100% polyester or a poly/tricot blend. The jacket must be solid black with no other colors, stripes, or logos. The jacket may not have a hood, and must be loose fitting. It may have a ¼ zip, a ½ zip, or a full zipper. No other kind of athletic jacket will be allowed.

On their PE days, students in grades K-4 have the option of wearing the PE wind pants and jacket with an approved uniform blouse or shirt instead of the uniform PE green t-shirt. However, all the above rules for the pants and jacket must be followed. Students in K-4 may also wear their regular school uniforms on their PE days, with uniform tennis shoes and, for our girls, a pair of shorts under their jumpers for modesty.

Parents are encouraged to start looking now for items that adhere to the school PE uniform dress code. A traditional uniform store, a department store, or an online store are all options, will all differ in price, will all differ in availability, and will all differ in fit and quality. Parents this year had various experiences with all retail options so we encourage you to shop early if you are able. Due to all of the issues our teachers and our families were dealing with during this year of COVID, we did not enforce the PE uniform dress code to the “letter of the law.” However, starting in the fall, we will expect all students to be in full compliance with our PE uniform dress code. 
Home & School Meeting Rescheduled
Home & School will be combining the originally scheduled March and April meetings with a new meeting date of Wednesday, March 24 at 10 AM.

Kindly mark your calendars and Zoom link to follow closer to the date.

Thank you for all you’re doing to support Home and School!
Yearbook Order Forms Coming Home Friday
Yearbook ordering envelopes will be coming home in this week’s Friday Folders.

The Ordering Deadline is March 26th. 
PERC Dublin Presents Screen Time & Your Student
PERC Dublin will be hosting Screen Time & Your Student Thursday March 11 at 9:30 AM and 7 PM.

Click here to view the flyer, or visit www.percdublin.org for more information.
Schoolbelles Sales
Schoolbelles is having a 20% off everything sale with free shipping beginning March 14.

They are also continuing their tuition giveaway promotion, which you can find more details on here.
8th-12th Grade Students: Face Forward $500 Service Award
The Office of Vocations and Face Forward are offering two $500 Service Awards. Two students in the Columbus Diocese in grades 8-12 will be awarded $500 each for their outstanding service activities within their community and parish.

Celebrating the Year of St. Joseph: Prayer 3 - Most Faithful
With the Apostolic Letter Patris corde (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis recalled the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To mark the occasion, the Holy Father proclaimed a "Year of St. Joseph" that began on December 8, 2020 and ends on December 8, 2021.

St. Joseph's feast day is on March 19. Our school will be attending virtual school Mass that day, and will also be receiving St. Joseph Holy cards.

For a short reflection and prayer video, click the link below.

We will be featuring one short prayer to St. Joseph each week during Lent.
School Tuition Assistance Deadline is March 15
Applications for Tuition Assistance for the 2021-22 school year must be submitted through the FACTS Grant and Aid portal by March 15, 2021. To be considered for Saint Brigid or the Diocese of Columbus Tuition Assistance Programs:

  • You must be registered for the 2021-22 school year by March 15, 2021.
  • You must submit your Grant and Aid application and all required financial documents by March 15, 2021. Grant and Aid applications must be complete to be considered for a tuition assistance grant.
  • You must pay the online $35 application fee.
  • You need only submit one application per family.
  • Saint Brigid does not offer tuition assistance for non-Catholic families but you may be eligible for Diocesan assistance.
  • There is no tuition assistance available for preschool.  
Family First: March Service Opportunity
Just as St. Joseph is our spiritual father, so too our priests have taken on this role in their vocation as our spiritual fathers. In celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19th, we hope to give Monsignor Hendricks, Fr. Morris, Deacon Frank, Deacon Don and Deacon Paul a word of encouragement and thanks for all that they do for the parishioners of St Brigid, as well as our school and community.

In support and encouragement for our dear priests and deacons, we invite you to participate in making cards for our clergy to let them know our appreciation and that our prayers are with them. We would love you to make a card for each priest and deacon, please put the cards in individually addressed envelopes so we can deliver them to the right clergy member! We encourage you to include a spiritual bouquet such as praying a rosary or a decade of the rosary for them and their intentions. Be creative and let them know you are praying for them!

  • Please deliver the cards to the front porches of Anna Blouir (5776 Sandymount Dr, Dublin 43016) or Anne Flock (10300 Summersweet Way, Plain City 43064) by March 17th. We plan to deliver them in time for the Feast day of St. Joseph! Any questions please email anne.flock@gmail.com or ablouir@gmail.com. Thank you! 
St. Brigid Athletic Association: Spring Season
St. Brigid Athletic Association currently has 3 offerings available for the Spring Season and are currently open for registration.  Please try to register in the next few weeks, as practices will start soon for track, and we are trying to align on numbers for baseball and softball.

Track & Field
  • 4th - 8th Grade boys & girls that are St. Brigid students or parishioners
  • Practices start early March (weather permitting), meets early April until Mid-May
  • Cost $85
  • Registration: https://www.gowolfhounds.com/Default.aspx?tabid=2541566
  • With high numbers, we are always looking for assistant coaches, so if interested, or if you have any questions, please contact Commissioner Workman track@gowolfhounds.com
  • Register soon, a parent Zoom call will be sent out to all those registered here in the next week or so to help navigate how the spring track season will be organized.

Boys Baseball & Girls Softball
  • 4th - 8th Grade boys & girls that are St. Brigid students or parishioners.
  • Practices start early April, games late April to late May.  
  • Cost $90
  • Registration: https://www.gowolfhounds.com/Default.aspx?tabid=2541566
  • If you have any questions, please contact Commissioner Matthews baseball@gowolfhounds.com

Note: Registration is open to all St. Brigid students, Religious Education students and children of registered St. Brigid families.
Planning to Travel?
As we have learned more about the transmission of Coronavirus, the CDC and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) have both recently updated their travel guidelines. This seems to be a good time to share the updates that we will be following for travel going forward:


All travel guidance is subject to change as the pandemic progresses. Consult these ODH and CDC websites for current requirements if travel is anticipated.

  • Please continue to notify Peggy Iannarino, RN, School Nurse of your travel plans or if any concerns arise regarding COVID-19.
Corks for a Cause is Going Virtual!
We are excited to announce Corks for a Cause, our primary fundraiser for the SPiCE program at St. Brigid of Kildare, will be returning this year in a new weeklong virtual format!

Our website and silent auction bidding will open on Sunday, April 18 and close Saturday, April 24.

Silent Auction Items & Wine Bottle Donations Needed
We are looking for donations of silent auction items (e.g. golf packages, gift cards, vacation homes, items and experiences that are COVID-safe), and bottles of wine valued at $20 and higher for our wine grab! To donate or get more information, contact Sarah Moore at sarahmoore00@hotmail.com or (614) 761-3734.