Blessings to our 8th Graders

Please join us in praying for our 8th-grade students who are making their Sacrament of Confirmation this evening. May the Holy Spirit strengthen them with gifts of discipleship and send them out as witnesses of Christ’s love in the world. St. Barnabas, Son of Encouragement, pray for us.

Fun Food Deadline Today

Fun Food with Manzo's Burgers is on May 1. The ordering window will close TODAY, Friday, April 17, at 3pm. Cheeseburgers, hamburgers, chicken tenders, hot dogs, or grilled cheese - there is something for everyone! Volunteers are needed to help serve and organize. For questions, contact the FSA Fun Food Coordinator, Elise Mayer, at elise.mayer@chsd218.org. Order Fun Food.

Introducing Journey Youth Ministry

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Journey, a new youth ministry initiative. Journey, part of SPR, is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and dedicated to helping young people grow in faith, purpose, and community. It will offer programs for local teens that nurture wellbeing, community connection, and a lived relationship with God. We extend our gratitude to SPR for working tirelessly to bring a strong youth ministry program back to our south side parishes.

The inaugural event is geared toward parents, educators, and mentors, and we encourage you all to take part! Thursday, May 7, at 7pm, a Virtual Book Talk with Lisa Miller, PhD, Author of The Awakened Brain. Learn more.

Share Your Opinion

Ms. Sadowski thanks our families for their continued feedback and is encouraging all families to complete the monthly Pulse Survey from the Archdiocese of Chicago. This information helps us celebrate our successes and continue to grow and learn. It takes less than a minute to complete! April Pulse Survey.

School Board Open Forum

The School Advisory Board will hold its spring Open Forum meeting on Monday, May 11, at 7pm. The Open Forum represents an opportunity for St. Barnabas community members to share their ideas and thoughts with the Board and the school administration. If you would like to address the School Advisory Board during the Open Forum, please complete the interest form no later than Monday, May 11, at 12pm. Comments about individual employees or students of St. Barnabas school or parish are prohibited at the Open Forum. Open Forum Interest Form.

Sister Act!

Opening night is almost here! Our incredible cast and crew have been hard at work preparing for their upcoming performance weekend. Please join us in the school gym next week > Sister Act.

• Thursday, April 23 - Opening Night, 7pm performance
• Friday, April 24 - Let's Pack the Theater to honor our 8th-grade cast & crew, 5:30pm performance
• Saturday, April 25 - Closing Night, 7pm


Beginning this weekend and continuing through the closing night performance, the school gym will be closed to all activities outside of theater as the cast and crew transform the stage and prepare for performance weekend. After Care will be held in the Church Hall.

New Round of ASE

The week of May 4, we will kick off the final sessions of After School Enrichment. Registration is now open for these exciting classes. Spots are limited, don’t delay! Register today. 

MONDAYS

• Young Engineers Club (Gr. 3 -8)

TUESDAYS 

• Chess Club (Gr. 1 - 8)
• Craft Club (Gr. 1 - 3)
• Calming Creations (Gr. 3 - 8)
• Yoga (Gr. PK - 8)

WEDNESDAYS

• LEGO Superheroes (Gr. PK - 2)

THURSDAYS

• Yoga (Gr. PK - 8)

Operation Rice Bowl

Thank you to all students and families for supporting our Operation Rice Bowl effort to benefit Catholic Relief Services. Please bring collections to school on Tuesday, April 21, and they will be presented at Mass.

Earth Day

Next Wednesday, April 22, is Earth Day. As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to care for the earth. We encourage you to be mindful of the way you can make an impact, both large and small, in caring for the planet. We invite you all to walk or bike, and if possible, avoid vehicles when traveling to and from school on Tuesday.

April 30 - Parent Workshop

Please join us on Thursday, April 30, at 6:30pm in the Main Hall for a Parent Workshop with Julie Schultz of Align. Julie will share guidance with parents to help their children build confidence, resilience, and strong decision-making skills. Our students will participate in a school-day workshop to learn similar, age-appropriate tools from Julie. This event is geared toward parents of students in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade, but open to all ages, please. Learn more.

June Summer Camp

Registration is still open for our June Summer Camps, hosted by St. Barnabas teachers and open to students in rising grades PK - 8. Camps will be held the weeks of June 8 and June 15, and are the perfect way to ease into summer. Register online.

Art Fair

Our Spring Art Fair will be held Saturday afternoon, May 16, from 2pm - 4pm, and Sunday, May 17, from 11am - 1pm. Students will also have the opportunity to visit the fair with their homeroom on Monday, May 18. If you would like to volunteer to help support the fair, please email Mrs. Bachler at bachler@stbarnabasparish.org . Learn more about the fair.

Shoe Donations Wanted

Share Your Soles, one of the organizations we support for our annual Service Day, has an urgent need for shoes. If you're doing some spring cleaning and have shoes (child or adult size) that no longer fit our household, please drop them off at the collection bin in our Main Hall.

Calendar for Next Year

The school calendar for the next school year has been officially approved by the Office of Catholic Schools. Linked here is the calendar overview that details the first and last days, as well as early dismissals and days off throughout the year. View the 2026-2027 School Calendar

Tuition for Next Year

As shared via email earlier this week, a $354-per-child tuition increase has been approved by the School Advisory Board, the Parish Finance Council, the School Administration, and Father Donovan. This adjustment supports a 4% salary increase for our dedicated teachers and staff and addresses a nearly 11% rise in health insurance costs. 

On May 1, all families in good financial standing and eligible for re-enrollment will receive an email from FACTS with the request to sign your 2026–2027 Tuition Commitment Form before completing the setup of your payment plan. The first payment for the 2026-2027 school year is due in July. View Tuition details.

We're Hiring!

Ms. Sadowski has been hard at work promoting our school, and we already have several new hires set for next year! We are looking to add a few more members to our incredible teaching team. Should you know any exemplary candidates, please have them submit a resume online. 

Mother Son on Sunday

To all those attending the Mother-Son Bowling Party on Sunday evening at Arena Lanes - we wish you an incredible night filled with precious moments and fun times!

Get Ready for Spirit Day

Spirit Day is one of the best days of the year for our St. Barnabas students!! This year's event on Friday, May 22, is an 11:50am student dismissal leading into the long Memorial Day weekend. 

VOLUNTEER - This is a fun, high-energy celebration and a wonderful way to get to know the students, teachers, and fellow parent volunteers. To make the day run smoothly, we’re still looking for a few more parent/guardian volunteers. Sign up to volunteer

TSHIRT SALE - It's tradition for each grade to wear a specific color. This adds a team-oriented, festive element to the day, and 100% of the proceeds go to the FSA to help fund Spirit Day. Shirt orders are due by Sunday, April 26. Place your order.

QUESTIONS - Reach out to the Spirit Day Coordinators: Lindsey Goodman at ldrinane@gmail.com or Melissa Kreikemeier at mdillon925@gmail.com.

Staff Appreciation Week

Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week is May 4 - 8, and the FSA is excited to celebrate the incredible teachers and staff who make our school so special! The FSA will provide gifts for every teacher and stock the breakrooms with favorite snacks and drinks.

Want to join in? The FSA is collecting gift cards (any amount, any retailer) to raffle off during the week—a simple way to show your appreciation. Drop off your gift card in a labeled envelope for FSA at the Main Office by Friday, May 1. Thank you for your support!

For questions, contact FSA Teacher Appreciation Coordinators - Caitlin Andersen at caitlin.g.andersen@gmail.com and Sara Powers at sklynch01@gmail.com.

Thank you to the following high school deans and leaders who came to speak to our Jr. High students on Tuesday about leadership, positive behavior, and work ethic. We are grateful to Steve Nye (Brother Rice), Dan Higgins (Marist), Dan O'Connor (Mount Carmel), and Cristina Medina (St. Ignatius) for taking time out of their busy schedule to share their knowledge with our Buckeyes.

• FAMILY RESOURCES - School Policies and Procedures
• STAY IN THE KNOW - Link to top news & events
• REPORT AN ABSENCE - Report illness or planned absence by 8am
• HOT LUNCH - Country House food service
• STAFF DIRECTORY - Staff emails
• FAMILY DIRECTORY - DirectorySpot Access
• ROOM PARENTS - Contact Info for each homeroom
• INCIDENT REPORT - Online Incident Reporting Form
• CLASS OF 2026 - 8th Grade Events Page
• VOLUNTEER - Get Involved
• TREATS FOR TEACHERS - Donate drinks and snacks for staff
• BUCKEYE SHOP - Spirit Wear and Uniform Apparel
• SCHOOL NEWS ARCHIVE - Links to previous issues
• PHOTO GALLERY - Links to Meghan Jones images