Buckeye Shop - Uniform Flash Sale

We heard your feedback and reopened the uniform shop! Gym uniforms and dress-code-approved sweatshirts are back in the shop and available for purchase until Sunday, September 6. Items will be delivered in mid/late September, just in time for the chillier weather. Purchase apparel from the Buckeye Shop.

Thank you to the many families that placed an order for spirit wear - you’ll have your items in just a few short weeks.

Back to School Night

Our annual Back to School Night is next Thursday, September 3! This is a parent-guardian only event. We begin at 6:45pm in the Church with a presentation from school leadership. Parents/guardians will then transition to the school for two 25-minute sessions with teachers. Junior High teachers (Grades 6 - 8) will present together in the Media Center; all other teachers will present in their homeroom. If you have more than two children at St. Barnabas, you may want two parents/guardians to attend so you can meet with all/most of the teachers. The evening concludes with an adults-only gathering in the gym and the Early Bird Bucks Buck Drawing! 

i-Ready Inform Test

The i-Ready Inform, formerly known as the i-Ready Diagnostic, is a standardized, computer-adaptive diagnostic assessment required in all Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic grammar schools. All students in K - 8 will take the Inform exam three times this year (in September, January, and May). A student's i-Ready Inform scores and growth throughout the year are important factors for placement in our Math and ELA courses. Students' 7th and 8th-grade i-Ready results are also part of the application process to most Catholic High Schools.

The beginning-of-the-year exams will begin next week, and testing lasts about 60-75 minutes each morning:

• Reading Inform is planned for Tuesday, September 1, and Wednesday, September 2
• Math Inform is planned for Tuesday, September 8, and Wednesday, September 9

NOTE: all students (Kindergarten - Grade 8) are required to have corded headphones for the test. Airpods/bluetooth earbuds are not permitted. 

Concussion Screening

Next week, students in grades 3-8 will participate in a concussion screening. We follow the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) concussion protocol, and per our Athletic Board Bylaws all students in Grades 3-8 must be screened annually. This screening provides a helpful tool if any of our students incur a brain-related injury at school or in sports. Learn more about the IESA Concussion Protocol.

Note: BC Knights athletes who were screened this summer will not be screened again at school next week.

Become a Room Parent

We are looking for room parents! Volunteer room parents will support our teachers throughout the school year by recruiting volunteers for class parties, coordinating gifts for holidays, teacher appreciation, or birthdays, and helping spread the word about important items. This is a great opportunity to support the teachers and connect with classmates’ parents. The time commitment is minimal and can be done largely from home. If interested, please complete the form by Friday, September 4. School administrators will review all responses and appoint leaders in mid-September. Complete the Room Parent interest form.

Scrip Tuition Savings

Raise Right (known as Scrip) is an optional program families can use to earn credit toward their tuition. If used to the fullest, families may earn over $1,000 off their tuition by purchasing gift cards redeemable at over 750 vendors (including local and national retailers). Contact Julie McGrath with questions - scrip@stbarnabasparish.org. Learn more about Scrip.

Service Day

Thank you to the many families who eagerly registered during our Service Day launch on Tuesday. If you have not yet completed your registration, please do so promptly. Several Grades 4-8 sites have reached capacity and are now closed to additional participants. Send Service Day questions to Mrs. Tracy Burke at tburke@stbarnaparish.org. Learn more and complete the required registration.

Seeking Donations

We are requesting donations for a few upcoming initiatives and would love your help! A collection table is available in the school's Main Hall. 

BOOKS - We are looking to stock the book collections in our classrooms (all grade levels)! Please send gently used books to school, attention Mrs. Anne Piko.

SERVICE DAY - We are also seeking donations for some of the organizations we will support on Service Day. Dog treats and care items, children's books, used crayons, children's and adult shoes, and financial contributions. Learn more about this collection.

We are seeking book donations for both Service Day and our classrooms. Please send them to the school, and our staff will sort all books appropriately. Thank you for your consideration!

8th Grade Parent Form

Thank you to our Class of 2027 parents/guardians who came to the meeting on Wednesday night. We ask all parents to volunteer to support the 8th grade activities. Please submit the questionnaire and volunteer form by Friday, September 4. View the 8th grade details.

Chicago Snowballs Game

What a fun night! Thank you to all who came out to Ozinga Field to enjoy a Chicago Snowballs game. And a huge thank you to St. Barnabas parent (and Snowballs athlete!) Brian Kent for inviting St. Barnabas to enjoy the game. If you took pictures you'd like to share, please email them to Ms. Amelia McCabe at amccabe@stbarnabasparish.org.

Report an Absence

Report an absence from school daily by 8am. Please use the Absence Reporting Form or call the Main Office at 773-445-7711. In addition to reporting the absence, a parent/guardian should send an explanatory email to the homeroom teacher. The Absence Reporting Form is on our website in the Family Resources section and is linked at the bottom of each newsletter in “Quick Links”

Late arrival, early dismissal

Late Arrival - If a student arrives late to school, they must enter through the main entrance and sign in at the Office (Preschool students can arrive directly at the Early Childhood Building).

Early Dismissal - If a student needs to leave school early for an appointment, please email the homeroom teacher and Mrs. Connolly in advance so your child is ready when you arrive. If your request is last minute, call the Main Office at 773-445-7711 to let us know. 

Incident Report

If you suspect or witness bullying within the school community, please submit an Incident Report. All reports will be sent directly to the school administration, and we will follow up within 24 hours (Monday - Friday).

Our school handbook includes additional details on bullying and threatening behavior, including steps to take if you suspect bullying. The Incident Report is available on our website in the Family Resources section.

Gym Duty

Girls basketball families - remember to sign up for your fall season of “Gym Duty”! View the Gym Duty guidelines and sign up.

PK-K Soccer Registration Closes Monday

Registration for Preschool - Kindergarten “Coffee League Soccer “ will close on Monday. This is a perfect intro to the St. Barnabas community and Buckeye athletics. The one-hour development sessions are on Saturday mornings at the school fields. Learn more and register.

Games Calendar

The fall sports season at St. Barnabas includes Soccer (all grades), Girls Basketball (Gr. 3- 8), Football & Cheer (Gr. 4- 8), and our newest league - Junior Flag Football (K - 3). The games calendar is linked here and is also available on our website. We encourage you to come out and cheer on our incredible student-athletes!! 

Save the Date!!

Saturday, September 26 is a day to celebrate all things St. Barnabas and the incredible community we are. Be sure to make space on your calendar to join us!

• Saturday morning, 9am - 12pm: The FSA will host its annual flower sale. Pick up your pre-ordered mums. $12 for large 9” pots. Order today.
• Saturday evening, 4pm - 10pm: Fall Fest!! Celebrate Mass together at 4pm, then head over to the parking lot and school grounds to connect with parish and school families - drinks, food, and games. All ages welcome. View the invite.
• Saturday evening, ~ 7pm: Big Bucks Raffle Drawing. Who will have the winning ticket? $10,000, $20,000, or $50,000 could be yours. Purchase a chance!

The Saints Among Us - Friday, September 4, at the Church

We are honored to welcome the relics of three saints to St. Barnabas Church. A relic of Saint Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, along with relics of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi, will be presented at the Church as part of a relic tour throughout the Chicago area. Archbishop Emeritus Domenico Sorrentino from Assisi and Sr. Alessandra, Chancellor of Assisi, will accompany the relics. Our students will gather in the Church at 1:45pm to learn about the relics and share in a prayer service and veneration; parents are welcome to join. Throughout the afternoon and evening, the relics will remain on display in the Church for anyone who wishes to pray and reflect. 

Class Picture Day (Grades PK - 7) - Friday, September 11, school day event 
VanGogh School Photographers will be on-site during the school day to photograph PK - Grade 7 students. Students should wear dressy attire (collared shirt, sweater, simple dress, etc). Learn more.

Skating Party - Friday, September 11, 5:30pm at School Parking 
All families are invited to attend the FSA's annual Back to School Skating Party! Learn more.

Fright Fest - Friday, September 18, 6pm at Great America

St. Barnabas parishioner and alumni parent Jay Miles invites our school community to buy tickets to Great America Fright Fest. New this year - purchase tickets online!

After School Enrichment

In September, we will launch registration for our After School Enrichment classes. In the meantime, we wanted to share links and sign up for a few additional student activities:

• Parish Children’s Choir (Grades 3 - 8) - Mondays at 3pm
• School Mass Choir (Grades 5 - 8) - Tuesdays at 7:40am
• Irish Dance (Grades K - 8) - Mondays at 3pm
• Run Like a Cheetah (Grades K - 4) - Mondays or Tuesdays at 3pm
• Scouts - Cub Pack 3607 (Grades K - 5) and Scout Troop 607 (ages 11- 17)

Smart Families

This year we will partner with Smart Families to build healthier, more intentional relationships with technology. We invite you to save the date for a few upcoming sessions:

• Wednesday, September 2 at 9am or 7pm. Online sessions for parents who are interested in learning more and serving as a Lead Family within our school community. RSVP here.
• Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30pm or Thursday, September 17 at 10am. In-person session at St. Barnabas for all parents/guardians to learn about the Smart Families Program.

Join the FSA

The FSA welcomes all parents to join our fun and welcoming auxiliary group! Learn more about the FSA and save the date for our first meeting of the year on Wednesday, September 23, at 7pm in the Innovation Center.

Men's Club

All men of the school and parish are invited to be part of the St. Barnabas Men's Club. The first meeting of the school year is Thursday, September 17 at 6:30pm behind the Convent. Bring a friend - all are welcome. Please reach out to Pat Wirtz - pwirtz@alumni.nd.edu with questions.

8th Grade Parents - Thank you to the Class of 2027 parents who attended the Wednesday night 8th grade meeting. We care deeply about your children, and we look forward to partnering with you in this momentous year. And a shout-out and thank you to Elaine Gaffney and Meg Kreiter for leading the year-long Parent Planning Committee.

First Mass - Thank you to the parents who joined us on Thursday for our first school Mass of the year. It is wonderful to be back together celebrating our faith.