Wolfhound Wednesday - May 20, 2026 | | Last week, our 5th graders led financial literacy presentations for our 2nd graders, teaching lessons on saving, spending, and smart money habits. Click here to view more photos. | |
The O'Reilly Minute
Dear Parents,
As Memorial Day and the end of the school year approach, we are grateful for the many blessings and opportunities we have shared while being Rooted in Love, Beacons of Hope throughout the 2025–2026 school year.
Wolfhound Field Day is truly a blessing coming our way this Friday! Details for the event, along with an opt-out permission slip, were included in last week’s Friday Folder email. We are especially grateful to our Home and School Annual Fund for providing the support that makes this special day of fun and fellowship possible for our students.
We are also blessed by the many volunteers generously giving their time to help make the day both fun and safe for all. Students will enjoy a “free” outdoor picnic complete with hot dogs grilled by Mr. Rich, side dishes prepared by our amazing cafeteria staff, and a special snow cone treat!
A quick clarification regarding attire for Friday’s Field Day: the handbook states that shorts should be no shorter than three inches above the knee. This guideline also applies to tennis skirts.
Next week we will proudly graduate our 28th class of eighth grade students on Wednesday, May 27, at 5:00 p.m. Our eighth grade leaders have truly been a blessing to our school community this year, serving as faith-filled role models for our younger students.
Please mark your calendar for our final day of school on May 28, which will include our Leadership Mass. Parents, grandparents, and alumni are all invited to attend. Additional details can be found in the Friday Folder email. Please note that dismissal that day will be at 1:00 p.m.
As we move quickly toward the close of the school year, please read carefully through the many articles below containing important information to help prepare your family for the 2026–2027 school year.
At this time, I would also like to share a few staffing updates for next year.
We are pleased to welcome Miss Mia Khayyat as our new kindergarten teacher. Miss Khayyat is a recent graduate of the University of Dayton and is very excited to be joining the staff of St. Brigid School. Mrs. Kathy Stuart will transition from the classroom into the role of Instructional Support Teacher for the kindergarten team.
We are also excited to announce that Kelly Walker, one of our current second grade aides, will be moving into a third grade classroom teaching role. Kelly graduated last weekend from John Carroll University with her education degree, and we are so proud of her accomplishments. We are thrilled to welcome her into this new position.
In addition, Mrs. Ellen Faler will transition into the role of Instructional Support Teacher for third grade. With the addition of another teacher on the 3–4 team, we are strengthening the team’s ability to support the developing literacy and numeracy needs of our intermediate students.
Additional staff updates will be shared next week.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, and please take time to honor and remember the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces.
Blessings,
Kathy O’Reilly
P.S. School Lunch Updates:
- No salad bar the week of May 25
- Thursday, May 28: Picnic bag lunch featuring a turkey sandwich, chips, apple, and juice box.
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Honoring the Legacy of Ms. Kathy O'Reilly
After 25 years of dedicated leadership at St. Brigid of Kildare School and an extraordinary 47 years in Catholic education, Ms. Kathy O’Reilly is retiring, leaving behind a legacy that has shaped generations of students, families, and educators.
Ms. O’Reilly began her career in 1979 as a teacher at St. Paul School in Westerville, where she taught both third grade and kindergarten. She later served as principal at St. James the Less for 11 years before coming to St. Brigid, where she has faithfully led our school community for the past 25 years.
Throughout her career, Ms. O’Reilly’s impact extended far beyond the classroom. She served on numerous school and diocesan committees, including the St. Brigid School Advisory Committee, Home and School, SPICE Committee, and Finance Committee, as well as multiple diocesan initiatives focused on teacher development, assessment, special education, and student information systems. She also helped launch the Inclusion Network, supporting professional development across diocesan schools.
Under her leadership, St. Brigid earned national recognition, including three Blue Ribbon School honors (2008, 2014, and 2021) and the Catholic Schools for Tomorrow Award. She was also recognized as a Distinguished Principal by the National Catholic Educational Association.
When asked what has meant the most during her time at St. Brigid, Ms. O’Reilly points first to the people. “Without question, the most meaningful part of my time at St. Brigid of Kildare has been the relationships,” she shared. “The connections built with students, teachers, and families are what have made this work so special.”
She reflected on the joy of watching students grow not just academically, but in confidence, character, and faith, and emphasized the strong sense of community built through collaboration between school and families.
One of Ms. O’Reilly’s most impactful initiatives was the introduction of SPICE, which reflects our commitment to forming the whole child—spiritually, physically, academically, and in their social-emotional growth. “SPICE has transformed how we approach teaching and learning,” she shared. “It ensures that each child is known, supported, and nurtured as a beloved child of God.”
Looking ahead, Ms. O’Reilly hopes the school will continue to help students navigate an increasingly complex world with strong faith and purpose. “I hope we continue to create opportunities for students to slow down… and deepen their relationship with God,” she said, while also encouraging thoughtful and responsible use of technology rooted in Gospel values.
As she enters retirement, Ms. O’Reilly looks forward to new opportunities for travel, including her very first fall vacation—a season that, for so many years, has been the busiest and most demanding time in her professional life. She also hopes to remain connected to Catholic education through volunteering and possible consulting work.
Reflecting on her time at St. Brigid, she shared a message of gratitude:
“This community has been more than a workplace—it has been a place of faith, growth, and deep connection. I have learned as much from our students, families, and staff as I have ever given.”
“As I step into this next chapter, I do so with a full heart and great confidence in the future of Saint Brigid. I know the school will continue to thrive and remain a place where students are known, loved, and guided in faith.”
Ms. O’Reilly’s leadership, faith, and unwavering commitment to Catholic education have left an enduring mark on St. Brigid. She will be deeply missed, and we are profoundly grateful for the many years she has devoted to our school community.
Please join us on Sunday, June 14 after the 11 AM Mass to celebrate Ms. Kathy O’Reilly at the parish picnic in her honor.
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Congratulations Maggie Harper, 2026 Promising Young Talent Award
St. Brigid of Kildare School is proud to congratulate eighth grader Maggie Harper on receiving the 2026 Power of the Pen Promising Young Talent Award at the Power of the Pen State Tournament held at Ashland University.
This prestigious award is presented annually to the young writer selected by the tournament’s guest author as showing the most promise as a future novelist. This year’s guest author, Lindsay Puckett, selected Maggie’s story, “To Live in Color, Not Die in Black and White,” which Maggie wrote during the 2024–2025 school year.
The Promising Young Talent Award is one of the highest honors presented through Power of the Pen, Ohio’s statewide creative writing program for middle school students. Maggie was recognized during the state awards ceremony on May 18, where Lindsay Puckett personally presented her with the award.
We are incredibly proud of Maggie’s creativity, dedication, and talent as a writer, and we congratulate her on this outstanding accomplishment!
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Now Hiring: School Lunch Assistant
St. Brigid of Kildare School is seeking a friendly and dependable Lunch Assistant to help serve meals to our students.
Responsibilities include:
- Assisting with serving lunch to children
- Light food prep and setup
- Washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen/dining area
- Creating a positive, welcoming environment for students
Details:
- Flexible weekday hours (typically late morning to early afternoon)
- Great opportunity for parents, retirees, or anyone who enjoys working with children
- No prior experience required - just a willingness to help and a positive attitude
If you are interested in supporting our school community, please contact Joyce Brown at jbrown@cdeducation.org for more information.
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St. Brigid Athletics: Summer & Fall Registrations Open
Summer & Fall Sports Registrations Now Open:
Fall Sports Registration Opens Soon
- Cross Country Grades 4-8, Boys and Girls
- Volleyball Grades 4-8, Girls
- Football Grades 5-8, Boys
- Flag Football Grades 1-4, Boys
- Cheer Grades 4-8, Girls
Fall Lil Hounds Clinics
- Cheer Grades 1-3, Girls
- Soccer Grades 1-3, Boys and Girls
- Volleyball Grades 2-3, Girls
Additional details and timing for clinics will be shared soon.
Coaches & Volunteers Needed
Our athletics programs depend on dedicated volunteers. Coaches play an important role in developing skills, promoting sportsmanship, and creating a positive team experience for our student-athletes.
Coaches must be at least 21 years old and complete all required safe environment and coaching certifications. They are also expected to attend preseason meetings and follow age-appropriate instruction guidelines. Ongoing support and training are provided by sport commissioners.
If you are interested in coaching soccer or golf, please send your name, email, and phone number to Athletic Director Aaron Quinn at aquinn@stbrigidofkildare.org by May 20.
Thank you for helping us continue to provide meaningful athletic opportunities for our students!
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The Summer Scaries: Survey Reveals Concerns About Kids’ Mental Health Don’t Disappear When School Lets Out
While children may look forward to the freedom of summer break, a new survey reveals that the end of the school year brings a fresh wave of anxiety for many parents, dubbed the “Summer Scaries.”
The national survey of more than 1,000 parents, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, reveals that half of parents are just as concerned about their child's mental health when they are out of school for the summer as they are during the school year. One in 10 parents is even more concerned about their child’s mental health during the summer. The top worries include increased screen time (38%), boredom and lack of structured activities (34%) and disrupted routines or sleep schedules (26%).
Click here to continue reading article from The Kids Mental Health Foundation.
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Scan Your Box Tops for Education This Summer
Earn $5 for our school when you sign up with our referral code and scan your first receipt. Box Tops for Education gives families an easy way to earn for schools with products they already buy. All you need is the Box Tops app to upload your receipts and earn cash for our school when you purchase any of the over 350 participating products.
1. Download the Box Tops for Education app (https://www.boxtops4education.com)
2. Search for St. Brigid of Kildare Home & School and select it as your school
3. Use our referral code (R9M18Y5P) to earn $5 for our school after
scanning your first receipt in the app
$2.50 for the school will show in your earnings
$2.50 for the school will show in our school’s referral account, totaling $5 for the school.
How to earn money for the school:
- After you are signed up, scan receipts or submit digital receipts with participating items within 14 days of purchase to earn Box Tops ($) for our school (https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/box-tops-products):
- Connect your Walmart Account to automatically earn Box Tops when purchasing participating products at Walmart without having to scan receipts
- See the Box Tops App’s Bonus Offers for ways to earn bonus Box Tops
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Register for Bus Transportation for 26-27
The transportation departments from Dublin, Hilliard and Olentangy schools require all new and returning families to register your students for busing this fall. If you are a new family moving to the area, and don't know your new address yet, please contact them as soon as you have this information.
Olentangy Schools Requests:
Dublin Schools Requests:
Hilliard School Requests:
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Semi-Annual Uniform and Spirit Wear Exchange Aug 9 10am-1pm
Shoppers, sign up here to receive reminders and updates: Summer 2026 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. New families are welcome to seek answers to uniform questions as they shop. 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:
- At the school office June 1-5 or Aug 3-7 during school hours
- At a bin outside Theresa White’s home at 5882 Vandeleur Place, Dublin, OH Aug 1-7
- Bring them with you to the exchange if the other options don't work for you, but please help us put them out.
- 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
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Non-logo 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 can help, please sign up here: Summer 2026 Uniform and Spirit Wear Exchange Volunteer Sign Up
Questions? Email Theresa White at theresa.m.c.white@gmail.com or Justine Kouskouris at justinekouskouris@gmail.com.
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Lost & Found
With the end of the year approaching, please check the Lost and Found when you visit school for all your
year-end events! The lost and found is located in the gym hallway beside the stage. All items will be
donated or thrown away on June 5, 2026.
View photos of items currently in Lost & Found at the link below.
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Field Day Volunteer Sign Up
St. Brigid Wolfhound Field Day (Super Games day!) will be held on Friday, May 22nd at Brigid’s Green. This year, Buckeye Inflatables will be providing us with new inflatables and activities! We cannot wait!
We are in need of numerous volunteers to ensure the day runs smoothly and the teachers and students have a blast! To volunteer, you MUST have updated fingerprints on file, be PGC compliant, and have signed up to volunteer in our Raptor system.
This year, if you wish to volunteer, we request you only sign up for ONE (1) time slot. This will allow additional families the ability to volunteer.
For questions regarding Field Day, please contact Jessica Freiburger (4freixys@gmail.com).
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New Family Mentors Needed
Home and School is currently looking for parents of children in grades 1-8 to sign up to be on the New Family Welcome Committee. This entails being a mentor
and friendly support to a new family for the next school year. Mentor families
will attend the New Family Welcome Breakfast (Sunday, August 16th ). They will
need to be available to check in with their new family monthly and answer any
questions to assist with their exciting transition. Mentors will be paired up with
new families with children in the same grade.
If you are interested in being a new family member, please fill out the short
survey below. Thank you!
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Check Lunch Account Balances
Parents, please check your children's lunch account balances. Starting the week of May 18th, all accounts will be checked to make sure there are funds available to purchase al-a-carte items and second entrees.
Any account with a negative balance at the end of the school year will be invoiced, and an additional $225 charge will be added to what is owed. All positive balances will be rolled over to next year.
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Now Hiring: Classroom Aides
Classroom Teacher's Aides
We are hiring classroom teacher's aides for the 2026-27 academic school year. The ideal candidate has enthusiasm for working with students to support learning, is flexible, and has collaborative skills in working with the classroom teacher.
To view the full job description and application instructions, click here.
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Summer Tutoring (Updated List 4.28.28)
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.
| | News from Our Parish & Community | | |
Knights of Columbus Golf Outing
Friday, May 29 at Safari Golf Club
Click the link below to learn more about the Knights of Columbus Golf Outing, which benefits the annual scholarship program.
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Family First Seeking Board Members
It's that time of year, we are looking to fill board positions for the 26-27 Family First year. Please prayerfully consider joining our leadership team. Open positions include:
Co-Director- Family First is looking for a new co-chair to serve with Beth Biller. Co-chair is a two-year commitment, with the first year being mentored by the "senior" co-chair and the second year assuming the "senior" role while mentoring a new co-chair. This role requires an open heart to listen to the needs of our parish, a willingness to lead weekly (during the school year) Mom-to-Mom meetings, and availability to represent Family First at various parish and Family First events throughout the year.
Publicity Chair- works with the parish office to create Bulletin, Common Threads announcements, Instagram posts, and publicity materials for Family First events, so some artistic and graphic design skills are a plus, but not required.
Further details about the roles are available in the link below. Please reach out to Kerri (414)839-5597 or Beth (412)523-1108 with any questions about the roles. Family First cannot continue without volunteer leadership. Where is the Holy Spirit calling you to serve?
You can view roles and responsibilities here.
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Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Sessions - Next Session May 28
At St. Brigid of Kildare
5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
May 28
Join us for an informative series designed to support caregivers and loved ones of those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. These sessions will provide helpful resources, practical tips, and compassionate guidance to navigate the challenges of caregiving with confidence and grace. You'll connect with others, learn from experienced professionals, and gain tools to better support both your loved one and yourself.
To sign up, visit:
www.stbrigidofkildare.org/signups
| | News from Our Catholic Schools | | |
St. Charles Summer Camps & Upcoming Events
This June and July, St. Charles will host 35 exciting camps and classes for students of all ages and interests. Options include co-ed camps in Track & Field, Robotics, Volleyball, and Ice Hockey! Students can also participate in Camp Cardinal, a fun-filled day camp exploring the best of St. Charles, along with Baseball, Basketball, Borromean Project, Engineering, Football, Lacrosse, Quiz Bowl, Soccer, Speed Camp, Ultimate Frisbee, and Wrestling camps. For incoming freshmen, St. Charles also offers readiness courses in Latin, Algebra, English Preparation, and Study Skills.
For questions, contact Ryan Aiello at (380) 209-2248 or raiello@scprep.org.
Click the link below for more details on summer camps and to register.
St. Charles will also be hosting two upcoming events, click the links below to learn more:
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Bishop Watterson Summer Camps
Bishop Watterson High School will be hosting several summer camps for children of varying ages! Sports, Wood Shop Registration Open Now! Dance Coming Soon!
Newly added information on their soccer camp is available here.
Click the link below for more details and to register.
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All-Catholic High School Reunion July 17th
Pre-1971 grads, July 17th
A special “Reunion Luncheon” is being organized for those who graduated from a Columbus Catholic high school (since closed or still open) before 1971. This special gathering will take place on Friday, July 17, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Valley Dale Ballroom, site of so many past events and fond memories. Final details (cost, lunch activities, RSVP instructions) will be released in May via letter, email, social media, and parish bulletins. In the meantime, mark this date on your calendar!
Email Katy Ryan Paolini (katysma61@outlook.com), Louis J. Fabro (lfabro@scprep.org), or Lou Nobile (lngolf57@att.net) if you have suggestions on how to make this event even more special. See you on July 17th!
| | U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School (2021, 2014, 2008) | | | | |
