Dear Parents,

This Saturday, our second graders will receive their First Communion.  We believe that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. When we receive the Lord in the Eucharist, it is an act of thanksgiving to God. It recalls the Lord’s Supper with his Apostles.  It is the nourishment that enables us to remain spiritually strong and healthy.

Let us pray for our First Communicants as they make their final preparations this week:

Lord Jesus Christ, bless the children coming forward

to receive Holy Communion for the first time. 

May this day be the step toward a life-long love of the Eucharist.

Give them a hunger for this sacred food so that

they turn to you for comfort, guidance, and wisdom as they grow into full discipleship.

Thank you for their innocence and goodness.

May their hands, extended in anticipation of your body and blood,

inspire all of us to cherish this sacred Sacrament. 

Amen

On May 18th our May traditions continue with our 2nd and 8th grade students leading our May procession for our May Crowning ceremony. Please join us for the 9:00 am school Mass if your schedule allows.  

We did it!  While working together as ONE,  we beat last year's record of 20,000 diapers collected for the World's Largest Diaper Drive by bringing in 21,900 diapers this year! To celebrate meeting our goal our 8th grade  service committee is sponsoring a school-wide dress down day on Friday, May 12th!  Thank you to everyone who donated and helped organize this drive, especially our 8th grade service committee.

In closing, this weekend take the opportunity to celebrate and honor all mothers. 

Blessings,

Kathy O'Reilly

Photo Newsletters: 7th & 8th Grades

Click the photo albums below to see what the classes have been up to.

St. Brigid School & Child Care Job Openings for 23-24

Saint Brigid of Kildare School is seeking candidates to hire for the following positions beginning in the 2023-24 school year:

• Paraprofessional (Classroom Aide) – Grade 1 or 2
• Educational Support Aide – K-2 and 3-4
• Intervention Specialist
• Instructional Support Teacher – 7-8
• Cafeteria (part-time)
• After School Child Care (part-time)

To inquire or get more information, contact Principal Kathy O’Reilly at [email protected] or (614) 718-5825. 

For information on Cafeteria positions, contact Joyce Brown at [email protected].

For information on After School Child Care positions, contact Karol Halm at [email protected].

To view and complete the official diocesan application, visit this link.

Lunch Account Balances

Student lunch account balances at the end of the school year with a balance of $15.00 and above will be refunded to families who will not be returning the following year. Any balance below $15.00, a written request will be needed to request these funds.

Wolfhound Field Day Volunteer Sign Up

Wolfhound Field Day is Here Again!

Friday, May 26th, 2023 at Brigid's Green

Our end-of-the-year field day will feature inflatables, game stations, activities, and fun for all grade levels to enjoy!! We need LOTS of volunteers to make this day fun and safe for our kids. Please sign up to help make this day a success! We need volunteers for the day (either 8:15 to 11:30 or 11:45-2:30) to work at one of the stations. We will also need lunch volunteers (10:30-1). All volunteers should plan on arriving 15 minutes prior to your shift.

To join the fun, please sign up below. You will be sent a confirmation email a few days prior to Wolfhound Field Day. All volunteers must be fingerprinted and have completed Protecting God's Children.

7th Grade Wax Museum

The seventh graders are hosting the annual Wax Museum event this Thursday, May 11th from 1:00-2:15pm in the gym. Families are invited to see historical figures from past and present come to life here at St. Brigid as we share our research and costumes!

Visitors to the Wax Museum are asked to check in/enter at the Gym door instead of the front door, where there will be a designated sign-in desk. 

This year, the seventh graders voted to use the event to benefit the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan. They were deeply moved by a visit from its founder, a Lost Boy of Sudan named Bol Aweng; the medical clinic primarily serves maternal and neonatal patients. Anyone who wishes to donate to the Wax Museum's mission can do so at this link. Thank you for your prayerful consideration as we support the dignity of life and the corporal works of mercy. 

SAC Members Named for 23-24

We are happy to announce our selections for the 2023-24 School Advisory Committee:

Brian McDaniel is a technology consultant and part-time lecturer for Otterbein University College of Engineering. He also serves on a certification review board for Ohio State University’s College of Engineering. His expertise in the technology field will be very valuable as we navigate the continuous changes in this area. He and his wife Carolina have a son in 5th grade here at St. Brigid.

Lindsey Meadows brings over twenty years of experience in the recruiting and talent acquisition industry. She is currently a Client Operations Director advising several Fortune 500 companies on employee recruiting and retention. Lindsey has been involved in many areas of our school, most recently starting our cheer program back in 2021. She and her husband Harold have two children at St. Brigid in elementary and middle school.

Kelly Norton is a CPA who brings years of experience in a variety of financial, legal, and organizational leadership roles. Kelly and his wife Sara are very active members of our parish and school community and have three children who went through our preschool program. They will all be in the big school together this fall. 

Thank you Brian, Lindsey, and Kelly for taking this step in getting involved with helping our school’s continued success!

We would also like to take a moment and thank all of those who applied to the St. Brigid School Advisory Committee this year. We had a record number of applicants (16!) and each and every applicant was outstanding in their own respective ways. Our charter allows for 12 members and we know how fortunate we are to have such a diverse committee with expertise in a variety of areas that will help our school now and in the future. Please consider reapplying in the future! 

In addition, a big thank you to all of our current SAC members and to those that have completed their time on this committee through the years. Your service to our school is valued and appreciated! 

Serra Club Altar Server Award

Congratulations to our four eighth grade students who received the Serra Club of Columbus' 60th Anniversary Serra Altar Server Award at St. Joseph Cathedral on Sunday, May 7 by Bishop Earl Fernandes. The Serra Club is an organization that promotes religious vocations.

Congratulations to Andrew Hayek, Kevin Feehan, Alfin Rosario, and John Doll.

3rd & 4th Grade PBL Showcase

Last week our 3rd and 4th grade students got to showcase their Project Based Learning (PBL) projects. Students created projects based on their driving question: How can I help God's creation by helping wildlife in my neighborhood?

Students individually identified a problem and then designed, researched, and created a solution. They communicated their work in our showcase of learning for parents and other students. We had many parent and student visitors who got to view the many ways our creative students approached solutions to their problems.

Thank you to our many parents and visitors who attended and supported our students' hard work!

View more photos on our Instagram or Facebook page.

School Supply Kit Ordering

Go to this link by June 20, 2023 to order your kit and receive FREE shipping!

Saint Brigid of Kildare is offering the EduKit program for our families to order school supplies for the 2023-2024 school year. EduKit has put together specific grade level kits approved by your student’s teacher. Some supplies can be reused next year (Earbuds, Spanish-English Dictionary, etc.).

Order by June 20, 2023 and your kit will be shipped directly to Saint Brigid of Kildare and delivered to your student’s classroom.

For questions, please contact Jennifer Musser, [email protected]

To view supply lists for each grade, visit this link.

Summer Tutoring

Summer tutoring is available from many Saint Brigid of Kildare staff members. Staff can be contacted via email or by calling the school office and leaving a message.

Click below for the list of teachers, subjects and contact information.

May Counselor Newsletter

On average children are thrilled for the end of the school year, lazy days, sleeping in, and no homework. The prospect of summer break isn’t quite that pleasure for parents. All kids do better with structure and routine, however, those with mental health issues are especially dependent on the predictable routine that the school year offers.

To continue reading the May newsletter from our Spirit of Peace counselor, Maegan Flannery, click below.

Gifts of Gratitude: Teacher & Staff Appreciation Gift

What is it?

Gifts of gratitude is a program established by the Home and School Association as a united effort to provide a generous monetary gift to every teacher and staff member at Christmas and the end of the year to thank them for all they do for our children. Gifts of Gratitude is different from The Annual Fund.  

Why participate?

This is a convenient way for families to make sure that each teacher, aide, and staff member who touches your child's life is recognized for all they do at St. Brigid. Instead of several small gifts from each student, each teacher and staff member will receive a monetary gift that they choose how to use.  

What if I already participated at Christmas?

If your family donated to the Gifts of Gratitude program previously this school year, there is no need to donate again. We only ask for each family to donate once per school year.

Will my family be recognized for participating?

Yes -- the teachers and staff will receive a list of families who participate in this

program. 

How much should I give?

The suggested annual gift amount is $25 per child, however any given amount is graciously accepted and appreciated!

Can't remember if you already contributed?

No worries -- just contact Sherri Johnson at [email protected] or Anne Flock at [email protected] and they will let you know!

You can find the link for Gifts of Gratitude at the button below. Choose your donation amount and that's it. It's that easy! It's such a simple way to show appreciation to your child/children's teachers and the staff at St Brigid of Kildare.  

New Family Mentors Needed

Home and School is currently looking for parents to sign up to be on the New Family Welcome Committee. This entails being a mentor to a new family for the

next school year. Mentor families will attend the New Family Welcome Breakfast (Sunday, August 20th). They will need to be available to check in with their new family monthly and answer any questions to assist with their transition. Mentors

will be paired up with new families with children in the same grade.

We need more mentor families than usual because we have many new families this year. If you are interested in being a new family mentor, please fill out the short survey below. Thank you!!

Track & Field News

On Saturday, May 6 the St. Brigid track and field teams competed in the Diocesan Championship against 17 other parishes.  

In the team results, awards were given out to the following teams:  

Reserve Girls - Diocesan runners-up 

Reserve Boys - Diocesan runners-up

In addition, both the 4th and 5th Grade Girls and the 4th and 5th Grade Boys placed 3rd and the Varsity Boys placed 4th. 

St. Brigid was the only parish to place all teams in the top four! In addition, the runner-up finish by the Reserve Girls made it eight straight championships with a St. Brigid girls team in the top two!

Following is the list of St. Brigid Diocesan champions and runners-up:

Diocesan Champions:

• Reserve Girls
• Emmi Glatz, Alyn Luis, Annabelle Adkins Davidson, Elle Smith – 4x400m Relay
• Alyn Luis – 200m Hurdles
• Sarah Ziegler – High Jump
• Reserve Boys
• Andy Oberhammer, Ronan O’Reilly, Riley Hogan, Samuel Hollis – 4x800m Relay
• Andrew Doll – 100m Hurdles and 200m hurdles
• Varsity Boys
• Fritz Oberhammer – 1600m Run
• 4th/5th Grade Girls
• Jamie Tracy – Long Jump
• 4th/5th Grade Boys
• Graeme Kneflin – 50m Dash and 100m dash



Diocesan Runners-up:

• Reserve Girls
• Sarah Ziegler, Kwynn Davis, Elle Smith, Emmi Glatz – 4x200m Relay
• Emmi Glatz – 400m Dash
• Elle Smith – 800m Run
• Alyn Luis – 100m Hurdles
• Reserve Boys
• Charlie Ferrara – 800m Run
• Varsity Boys
• Andrew Doll, Charlie Ferrara, Parker Brown, Fritz Oberhammer – 4x800m Relay
• 4th/5th Grade Boys
• Jack Bender – 50m Dash

In addition, there were 52 third through eighth place award winners. Congratulations to all of our St. Brigid track and field athletes on an outstanding season!

Summer Camps

Click the links below for more information on summer camp opportunities -- registrations are now open and opening soon for the following camps:

• St Charles Summer Camps (24 summer camp offerings for rising grades 1-9, including athletics and academics)
• Bishop Watterson Summer Camps (including options in art, sports, wood shop and theatre)
• SPiCE Social Groups Summer Camps (hosted by Bishop Hartley, grades 1-9)
• Summer Acting Opportunities
• BWHS Woodshop Camp (incoming 6th-9th grades)

You’re Invited to A Mother & Daughter Princess Tea in support of Mommies Matter! 

Dress up and indulge your innate royalty with an afternoon of memorable fun! This Mother & Daughter Princess Tea is an opportunity to celebrate the special little girl in your life - your daughter, granddaughter, or niece! Affirm and reveal her God-given dignity in her truest identity as a daughter of the King, while teaching her what it means to be a woman living in service for the most vulnerable among us. All proceeds benefit Mommies Matter, a local non-profit that walks with single, pregnant women. 

You don’t want to miss it! This event will be held on June 3 from 3-5 PM in Hendricks Hall. Accompanied by an adult female, all girls ages 4-10 are invited to participate! 

Tickets are $25 for your first princess and $20 for additional princesses. Adult admission is $25. The deadline to register is May 22.

SBAA Sport Registrations for Fall

St. Brigid Athletic Association has opened up the 2023 Fall Sports Registration.  Registration will run between now and early August - depending on your sport of choice.  We will offer an Early Bird Discount of 10% off if you register before June 1st - and it will automatically be taken off from your shopping cart if you register before June 1st - so register soon at https://gowolfhounds.sportngin.com/register/form/682995707

Please note, some activities like Summer Football Mini-Camp, Girls Tennis, and Golf - all have activities that start before August 1, so sign up soon to stay in the loop for all summer communication and activities.

If you have any questions about each activity, please reach out to the following sport commissioners and coaches:

• Cross-Country & Track Commissioner - Dan Workman - [email protected]
• Football Commissioner - Carl Graf - [email protected]
• Volleyball Commissioner - Gina Winkler - [email protected]
• Tennis Coach - Leah McCoy -  [email protected]
• Golf Coach - Jason Jutte - [email protected]
• Cheer Coach - Lindsey Meadows - [email protected]

If you have any registration problems, please reach out to [email protected]

Shepherd’s Corner Ecology Center’s 17th Annual Farm Fresh 5K

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Shepherd’s Corner, Blacklick, Ohio

Race beings at 9:00 am

Race check-in begins at 8:00 am

• $30 for adults (13 years and up)
• $15 for kids (12 years and under)

Please register by May 19th if you want to be guaranteed a t-shirt.

Partner with Shepherd's Corner's mission to care for Earth and to feed the hungry.

Proceeds will benefit Shepherd’s Corner Ecology Center’s environmental education programs, land and water conservation projects, and our efforts to provide fresh, naturally grown produce to those in need. For the third year we are partnering with nearby

Altar Server Training May 21

All rising Fifth graders and older are invited to become Altar Servers for the Weekend and Holy Day Masses. 

Is the Lord calling upon your son or daughter to serve?  Have them answer that call by becoming an Altar Server!  St. Brigid of Kildare is encouraging all those in (incoming) fifth grade and above to consider becoming an Altar Server.  Attend one short training session, study one short section from the Liturgical training manual and they will be ready to serve the Lord as an Altar Server. What a wonderful, rewarding service! Our next training session for Altar Servers is May 21, 2023, Sunday afternoon in the Church from 1:00 pm until 2:00 pm.  Please register by May 19th so we can be prepared to welcome you.  To register online, please click here or the button below. For more information please contact Joe Feehan at [email protected]. 

Sunday, May 21, 2023, St. Brigid of Kildare Church 

Catholic Family Night with the Clippers - May 24

Watch the Clippers vs. the Indians on May 24th at 7:05 PM for the Catholic Family Night with the CLippers!

To purchase tickets and view more info click the flyer linkbelow.

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:

5/11/2023 St Brendan (Hilliard) 6:00pm

5/22/2023 St Mary Delaware 6:00pm

5/25/2023 Holy Spirit (Zoom Session) 6:00pm

6/13/2023 St Matthew (Zoom Session) 6:00pm

6/17/2023 St Brendan Hilliard 9:00am

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/ 

BWHS Men's Night

BWHS Men’s Night Columbus Blue Jackets Jared Boll and Brandon Dubinsky and other team members will join us for Bishop Watterson’s 2023 Men’s Night on Saturday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Brigid of Kildare. Tickets are $100 per person, with proceeds benefitting the Msgr. Grimes Scholarship Fund. Ticketing and sponsorship opportunities can be found at bishopwatterson.com. All are welcome!