"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Today we were blessed to watch a parade of 2nd graders dressed as famous people who left their mark on the world. There is no doubt that our Buckeyes, big and small, will leave a positive impact on our future. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for choosing St. Barnabas to be a partner on your child's pathway to greatness. 

This week was filled with faith, fun, and family. In preparation for their upcoming sacraments, our 8th graders went on a Confirmation retreat at St. Rita, and our 2nd graders had their Reconciliation Night of Reflection. Thank you to the Barsch family for opening their home for a powerful week of praying the Rosary with the Blessed Mother. It is a wonderful tradition that we hope continues for years to come. If you can make it to the Barsch home Friday or Saturday at 7pm, we highly encourage it! As fall sports come to an end, we are so proud of all our student-athletes for their hard work, dedication, and teamwork. Good luck to Will and Quinn in the All-Star game this Sunday; make sure to check out the details below to cheer them on! Today we celebrate Veterans Day, a day that truly deserves honor 365 days a year. Thank you and God Bless all the Veterans in our community and their families for sacrificing so much for all of us. We are grateful for your bravery, strength, and love. We hope everyone can join us at 10am Mass on Sunday to celebrate our Veterans. It is a powerful experience to attend this Mass as a community. Have a wonderful weekend, Buckeyes! Go Buckeyes! - Mr. Jonathan Stack and Ms. Grace Sadowski 

QUICK LINKS

Topics that have been detailed in recent School News issues, and are still timely, will be linked here.

• November Staff Snack Contributions, 3rd & 4th Grade Families
• Lunch Duty Volunteer Sign-up
• Family Movie Night, Friday, November 18
• Red Tag Christmas Gift Program

ADMINISTRATION

How to report early departures

We understand that sometimes a student needs to leave school early for a planned appointment. Early departures should be reported, in advance, to both the homeroom teacher and Mrs. Sue Connolly at [email protected]. Kindly report the departure plans in the morning so your child is prepared and ready for pick-up at the correct time. 

Labeling clothing and materials

There is a steady stream of items entering our lost and found. Labeling your child’s belongings will make it easier to return. We ask for your help by labeling all items: lunchboxes, water bottles, uniform layers, jackets, hats, gloves, and classroom materials (pencil cases, books, etc). Parents/Guardians are always welcome to check in at the Main Office at the end of the school day to search the lost and found table.

TUESDAY SCHOOL MASS

Are you looking to reconnect with the Church? Students in grades K - 8 attend mass every Tuesday at 8:45am and we encourage you to join in. Our students play a vital role in the mass, including readings, music, and the presentation of the gifts. The reverence our students demonstrate fills us with hope and joy. Shout-outs at the end of the mass serve to illustrate our root beliefs.  Our students love seeing their parents, grandparents, or friends in the back of mass. Consider making the school mass part of your week. 

VETERANS DAY MASS

A mass to honor all military service men and women will be celebrated this Sunday, November 13th, at 10am in the church. The mass will thank all Armed Services members who have defended and continue to defend the United States. 

This beautiful and meaningful mass is an annual tradition at St. Barnabas. Our school Children’s Choir will share their voices alongside the Adult Choir during the mass. To add the name of an active service person to the Prayers of the Faithful, contact Geri Doherty at [email protected].

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE

Our Thanksgiving food drive is underway and we greatly appreciate your support of the Maple Morgan Park Food Pantry. If you’re grocery shopping this weekend, please keep the pantry in mind. Contributions are being collected through next week. Our Student Council FAMILY MOVIE is on November 18, and all attendees are encouraged to bring canned food to contribute to the collection.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Earlier this week, we shared the year-long plan for service at St. Barnabas. If you missed the email, please find it HERE. The Community Involvement Committee meets on the third Tuesday of each month via Zoom. The next meeting is Tuesday, November 15 at 7pm - please join us!

Meeting ID: 822 8378 6416

Passcode: Vbrm06

LINK to upcoming Zoom meeting

HOMEROOM CLASS LISTS

The FSA manages the Membership Toolkit website, which provides a wealth of information, including the online school directory and homeroom class lists. Please update your family information on the site annually so your name is searchable to school families that may wish to connect socially. Please see the included HOW TO access a class list.

LINK to Membership Toolkit

PROGRESSIVE MIXER, DEC. 3

The Men's Club Progressive Mixer is just a few weeks away, and you don’t want to miss this incredible night! Tickets are $80 per person and proceeds benefit the Staff Stocking Stuffer. There are a few options for purchasing tickets: 

• Purchase online: at GIVE CENTRAL 
• Venmo: Pat Wirtz @Patrick-Wirtz
• Cash or Check payable to St. Barnabas and ATTN: Progressive Mixer - Matt Kreiter c/o Mae Kreiter Room 202

ARTOBER

Art teacher, Ms. Malinowski, hosted her annual October “Artober” art contest. Students were encouraged to submit a Fall, Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, or Hispanic Heritage Month drawing. Judges considered creativity, neatness, and overall completed work. We had many stunning creations by our young artists. Congrats to the winners: Jack Lomaglio, Tess VanHootegem, and Jonah Maclay-Ryan. Well done artists!

ALL-STAR FOOTBALL GAME

Congratulations to 8th graders, Will Doody and Quinn McChesney, who have been selected to play in the upcoming Southside Catholic Conference All-Star Football Team Championship game. Thank you to these student-athletes for representing St. Barnabas and bringing their Buckeye spirit! Come cheer them on this Sunday after the Veteran’s Day Mass. 12pm kick-off at Mt. Carmel High School.

CHESS CLUB IS BACK

After a brief delay, the FSA after-school Chess Club is back and classes will meet on Tuesday afternoons. Those families that registered earlier this year have already been notified. There are a limited number of spots available for new participants. If you wish to register, please connect with Kathleen Hogan at [email protected].  

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR HSPT PREP

Redwood Prep, our High School Placement Test preparation provider, recently added two additional opportunities for 8th-grade students that are not currently enrolled in the existing Saturday morning class.

• In-person, beginning this week at St. Barnabas School: REGISTER HERE
• Online, November 19-20: REGISTER HERE

The course will cover all five sections of the HSPT. The focus of the class will be to improve test skills, learn key content, and reduce test stress. Questions regarding the course may be sent to Greg Owsley of Redwood Prep [email protected].

SCRIP NEWS -

Scrip is a program that allows families to earn tuition credits by purchasing gift cards through the RaiseRight program.  Click HERE to see a details list of vendors.

• There will be no SCRIP the week of Thanksgiving, all orders should be in by this Monday, November 14. Country Fair, Jewel, Mariano's, and Whole Foods are all vendors, consider purchasing gift cards for your Thanksgiving shopping.
• The Holiday Gift Guide is HERE, giftcards make for the perfect gift or stocking stuffer. 

Questions connect with Julie McGrath at [email protected]