Dear Parents,

Curriculum Nights are tonight and tomorrow!  These evenings provide a first-hand opportunity for parents and teachers to come together at the table, to make connections, and to build a strong relationship between home and school. Catholic schools are renowned for their strong sense of community and commitment to fostering deep, meaningful connections among students, teachers and parents. This commitment is rooted in the belief that education is not just about imparting knowledge, but also about forming the whole person and fostering a sense of community and belonging.  

While other schools also foster connections, Catholic education communities are unique in their overt commitment to fostering these strong relationships.  According to a study by Bryk and colleagues (2014), this commitment to relationship and community is one of the key factors that sets Catholic schools apart. This study found that Catholic schools provide a supportive and nurturing environment for students, which in turn promotes academic achievement and positive social-emotional development.  (Momentum Magazine, Summerl, 2023) 

In addition to learning about the curriculum, general expectations, and daily routines in your child’s classroom, there will also be a general meeting in the gym.  All parents are invited to attend this short meeting at 6:45 p.m. to meet Fr. Black, our new pastor, hear a short explanation of EdChoice, and also learn more about our new Innovation Team.  

(Due to the nature of this business-type evening, we are asking for parents and/or guardians only to  be in attendance.)  

 I look forward to seeing you tonight and tomorrow evening!

September blessings, 

Kathy O’Reilly

New Transportation Form

This week at Curriculum Night, parents will be receiving a Transportation Form to fill out with the "most normal" weekly transportation plan for each of their students.

We know some of you may have done this in FACTS already, but we are asking for a paper copy to make sure our records are up to date.

If there are any changes to this plan throughout the week, please continue to send a note or email to your child's homeroom teacher. You may also email the office at [email protected]

Curriculum Night & Packets

Please plan to attend Curriculum Night this week to learn more about what will be happening in the classroom during the coming year. The schedule is as follows:

Wed, Sept 6th

Curriculum Night

Grades K - 2, 6:00-6:40 pm

General parent meeting for all grades in Gym, 6:45 - 7:15 

Grades 3-4, 7:20-8:00 pm

Thurs, Sept 7th

Curriculum Night

Grades 5-6, 6:00-6:40 pm

General parent meeting for all parents in Gym, 6:45 - 7:15 

Grades 7-8, 7:20-8:00 pm

Our format is slightly different this year. In between the grade level sessions, there will be a general meeting for parents of all grade levels. This will be an opportunity to introduce Fr. Black to our school community and we will also share some general information regarding our new religion curriculum and our general academic model. Additionally, we will have an EdChoice information table in the cafeteria from 6:00 - 8:00 pm in order to answer questions and assist you with your application.   

Curriculum Packets

Please click the links below to view your child's curriculum packet information.

• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th & 6th Grade
• 7th & 8th Grade

Barn Bash is October 20: Tickets Open Next Week

Save the date for Barn Bash on Friday, October 20 from 6-8:15 PM at Leeds Farm in Ostrander, Ohio!

All are invited to attend this fun night for families, which includes games, snacks, a DJ and family fun on the farm all evening!

For questions related to Barn Bash, contact co-chairs Ashley Storey ([email protected]) or Anne Knapke ([email protected]).

Stay tuned for ticket purchasing information coming out next week!

Counselor Newsletter

Click the link below to read the September newsletter from our Spirit of Peace Clinical Counselor, Maegan Flannery.

Family Directory Now Available in FACTS

The family directory is now available when you login to your FACTS account (district code SBK-OH); it is on the left side menu under School. If any of your information is not correct, please update it in FACTS or reach out to the school at (614) 718-5825.

News from the Nurse

NEW STUDENTS: Health forms are submitted once upon admission. Each student’s health file must contain the following forms:

1. Health History – signed by parent or guardian
2. Immunization Record – signed by parent or health care provider; due by the 15th day of school on the year of admission, and when updated thereafter
3. Physician Form – signed by physician

*Please turn these forms into the school nurse by September 12th, 2023

Please review the sick policy if you have not done so already this year. 

Attendance:

Excessive Tardiness: Students who exceed the three emergency tardies in any given quarter will be considered to have an excessive tardiness problem. 

Fifth tardy: Teacher contact

Sixth tardy: A meeting may be called for the student, parent, teacher, and/or principal to discuss the situation and devise an intervention plan.

Absences: 

*New this year If your child is absent from school for a doctor or dentist appointment, we do need a note from a physician.  

*Any absence due to illness or quarantine for more than three days will require a note from a physician. If your child has tested positive for COVID, we follow the CDC and Ohio Department of Health's guidelines for 5 days of quarantine. If the child needs more than 5 days to recover from COVID then we will require a note from the physician.

Absences will be monitored, and excessive absences will be addressed by the teacher and the

principal. If a student is absent from school for any reason for more than a total of 28 days, the

student will not receive credit for that year at the discretion of the principal.

Proud St. Brigid Family Metal Signs - Deadline to Order Friday

We are excited to offer again the Proud St. Brigid Family signs to our school families! We will be taking orders for these 11" metal outdoor signs that look great in a front flower bed or landscaping. These signs are made of no-rust aluminum with a UV resistant paint designed for long lasting outdoor durability, and will hold up a minimum of 5-10 years. They are made of 3mm max metal and come with a 48" metal T-bar stake for stability into the ground.

Total cost for the sign and stake is $32. We are selling these signs at cost to help encourage your participation in helping us spread awareness of our great school and building our community!

To order, fill out the form below by Friday, September 8 and pay via credit card. Signs will be produced after the ordering period is over, and plan to be ready for pickup shortly after. Purchasers will be notified when signs are ready.

Attn St. Brigid School Volunteers: New & Established

If you are interested in volunteering for the school, or are already an established volunteer, we are asking EVERYONE to go to the link below in order to be verified as a volunteer in good standing. This will enable us to merge our old system (paper records) of established volunteers into our Raptor System, along with welcoming new volunteers.

All requirements to volunteer are still applicable (completion of Protecting God’s Children Session and Fingerprint / Background check etc.) and will be verified with your submission by

our Safe Environment Coordinator.

We are utilizing the Raptor Visitor / Volunteer Management System to screen all volunteers in

our school and provide us with a safer environment for our students and staff. Upon entering

the building during school hours, volunteers will be asked to present an ID such as a Driver’s

License to be scanned or manually entered into the system. The Raptor System will check the

volunteer’s name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex

offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the

Raptor system. Once entry is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the volunteer.

If you have questions about the volunteer requirements or status of your application, please

contact John Denzel (Safe Environment Coordinator) [email protected] or

614.761.3734 ext. 249.

If you have questions about the Raptor System, please contact Bruce McKenna (School Safety

Officer Director) [email protected] or 614.718.5825 ext. 276.

EdChoice Scholarship: How to Apply

Ohio's Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Program is now accessible to ALL Ohioans! All families are eligible to receive between $650-$6,165 per K-8 student.

We are asking that all families apply for EdChoice. This will allow us to reallocate our scholarship, grant, and aid dollars to ensure families receive maximum support.

To apply for an EdChoice scholarship for the 2023-24 school year, please see the instructions and more information here.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call (614) 718-5825.

Parish Job Openings

St. Brigid of Kildare Parish is hiring for several positions to begin this fall:

• The Parish Office needs a Receptionist/Administrative Assistant to welcome guests and perform a multitude of administrative tasks. This is a 12-month full-time position, with generous full-time benefits. Hours are 8:30-4:00 Monday-Friday. Click here to view the full job description. To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

• The Parish needs a Grounds Manager to help keep our campus beautiful, functional, safe and well-maintained. This is a 12-month full-time position, with generous full-time benefits. Hours are generally 7:30-3:00 but may sometimes be weather-dependent. Click here to view the full job description. To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

Application instructions and full job descriptions are available in the links above.

Join Us for Welcome Weekend

Join us in Hendricks Hall on September 16th and 17^th, after all Masses for Welcome Weekend. This is a time when all parishioners can enjoy food and drinks while browsing the many opportunities and ministries that need your participation. Over 50 ministries and committees will be present for you to explore, and volunteers will be available to answer your questions. There will also be a new parishioner's welcome committee to register for our parish if you would like to join.

Fr. Black will be available to greet parishioners as he begins his ministry here at St. Brigid. We hope you will join us for refreshments and fellowship in Hendricks Hall after every Mass. 

Please consider how you can become part of our parish family and join us on the journey of faith.

Thinking About Becoming Catholic?

• Have you ever thought about becoming Catholic?
• Do you think you might like to look into the Catholic way of Life?
• Do you know someone interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith?

 You are invited to join us!

Our first meeting will be an orientation on October 17. All classes will be held on Tuesday evenings, from 7:00-8:30 pm in the Berry Room. The calendar for this coming year is on our website at www.stbrigidofkildare.org/rcia. For more information contact Kim VanHuffel at [email protected] or complete the form on the website above.

The Rescue Project

September 13—November 15

The Rescue Project tells us that the most urgent task in the church is the compelling proclamation of the gospel, one that offers people a way of seeing reality, and of making sense of the world, history, and life, that is vastly different from the story our modern culture tells.

We invite you to join us for the Rescue Project! Together we can discover The Story.

There are four ways to participate this fall:

•  Sisters in Christ - Join a community of women in prayer and study. Wednesdays, 1:15-2:45 PM, Deacon’s Room
• Wednesday Evening Group - Join other parishioners in this study/small groups. Wednesdays, 7-8:30 PM, Berry Room
• Thursday Morning Group - Join other parishioners in this study/small groups. Thursdays, 10—11:30 AM, Berry Room
• Individual Small Groups - Create your own small group in your home and receive study materials free of charge from the parish!

To register, click the button below.

For more information, contact Kim VanHuffel at [email protected]. 

That Man Is You!

THAT MAN IS YOU! is an interactive men’s program combining the best research from science with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of man fully alive. By honestly addressing the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture, That Man is You! Seeks to form men who will be capable of transforming homes and society. At St. Brigid of Kildare, we are currently in year 5 of this program (for the 2023-24 year).

Join us for food, fellowship and faith, starting Saturday, September 9, 2023 in Hendricks Hall. Doors Open at 6:30 AM for light breakfast and fellowship. Program starts promptly at 7:00 AM. All men are welcome.

Mom to Mom Kickoff Sept 13

Mom to Mom is a vibrant, faith sharing group focused on motherhood, spirituality, and Catholic parenting.  Whether you’re a rookie or veteran, join us to support, share and gain wisdom from each other.

Meetings: Wednesday Sept 20th - Nov 15th

Time: 9:45-11 am

Location: Church Basement

Child Care Sign up: Here

This fall Mom to Mom will watch and discuss videos from the Formed “Catholic Moms Summit.”  The Catholic Mom’s Summit is a collection of talks in which women encourage and support one another in the vocation of Catholic Motherhood, see below for our September Schedule. Drop in any time, no need to prepare, come as you are! We hope you can make it! 

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: 

9/16/2023 St Brendan (Hilliard) 9:00am

11/06/2023 Zoom PGC Columbus 6:00pm

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/ 

Alumni First Day of School

A few of our St. Brigid class of 2023 gathered for a group photo for their first day of school at St. Charles last week!