It was a GREAT week to be a Buckeye! 

This week was EXACTLY what makes St. Barnabas School extraordinary. We have learned, prayed, played, cheered, performed, and served together. At the heart of all that has happened this week are our students, staff, faith, community, and love for one another. Thank you to all those who joined us for Pack the House and Pack the Pews last weekend. It is such a joyful and powerful feeling when we are all together. 

The talent, dedication, and creativity of the entire cast & crew and all those who have helped our students along the way is an incredible testament to our school community. We were in awe of our musical, Seussical, from start to finish, as we enjoyed the production together as a school and then again at opening night, last night! We promise you, it is an experience that you do not want to miss. THANK YOU to everyone who made it such a success. 

We are incredibly proud of our St. Barnabas students, staff, and parents for their love, care, compassion, and hard work while serving the needs of so many today at our all-school service day. It is a day that will be remembered forever. Thank you for helping us live out our root belief, “We are the hands of Christ.” 

We ask for your continued prayers for our 2nd graders, who will receive their First Holy Communion next week, and for our 8th graders approaching their final weeks as Buckeyes. These milestones will remain tattooed on their hearts for a lifetime. We hope to see everyone this weekend at Seussical the Musical. Break a leg, Buckeyes! ~ Mr. Stack and Ms. Sadowski

PRAYERS REQUESTED

We are saddened to share that Father Raymond Tillrock, who served as the pastor of St. Barnabas Parish for 20 years, has passed away. In his time at St. Barnabas, Father Tillrock was instrumental in guiding the school and parish in his thoughtful, intelligent manner. His leadership at both the Church and school from 1987 - 2007 was instrumental in building the strength and community of St. Barnabas. Please keep Father Tillrock and his family and friend in your prayers.

SEUSSICAL

100 students in grades 5-8 have been diligently rehearsing and creating for months and the Seussical opening night was a RESOUNDING success! All are encouraged to come out and see the show tonight at 7pm or Saturday at 5:30pm. Purchase tickets at the door for any show, $10 for adults and $5 for students; advance tickets are not sold.

END-OF-YEAR ASSESSMENTS

During the week of May 8, students in grades K-8 will complete our Savvas and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt curriculum-based assessments in Math and ELA. During the week of May 15, students will complete their end-of-year iReady Diagnostic test. These evaluations provide students, families, and staff information about each student's academic progress to ensure they are challenged and supported appropriately.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS DRESS DOWN

Kids Helping Kids - On Friday, May 5 we will host an optional $3 dress down in red benefitting the Special Olympics. The Kids Helping Kids fundraiser is an annual campaign to support the athletes from Mt. Greenwood Park Special Rec/Special Olympics who are participating in the Special Olympics Spring Games. You may purchase the $3 dress down on MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT.

VISIT THE STEM & SCIENCE FAIR

All are welcome on Thursday, May 4 at 7pm to the Innovation Center to view the STEM and Science Fair projects of our participating 6th - 8th students. It is certain to be an evening of ingenuity and creativity. We thank our area high schools' science teachers for judging the fair. Participating students should expect an email with evaluation and judging process details by early next week. Questions, contact Jim Pfeiffer at [email protected].

NEW MEMBER APPLICATION

At this time, we are seeking three new Board members to fulfill a 3-year term that will run from June 2023 through June of 2026 to bring the number of Board members to 11. Please click HERE for the application. 

OPEN FORUM

The Open Forum meeting will be held on Monday, May 22 at 7 pm, location TBD.  The Open Forum meetings happen twice per year, once in the fall and once in the spring. If you would like to address the School Advisory Board during the Open Forum, please review the details HERE and email the School Advisory Board no later than Friday, May 12, 2023.

We look forward to hearing from those who would like to participate in the Open Forum and hope that many of you choose to apply for the Board positions.

MOTHER-SON BASEBALL GAME

The FSA is hosting a Mother-Son baseball game on Saturday, May 13 at 6:10pm Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros. Click HERE for details and to order tickets. Questions, contact Katie Rao at [email protected].

CHIPOTLE FUNDRAISER

Stop by Chipotle on 95th Street for our fundraiser on Wednesday, May 3 from 4pm - 8pm. DOWNLOAD the flyer or mention the fundraiser at checkout, and Chipotle will donate 33% of the proceeds to St Barnabas! Questions, contact Erin Liebenauer at [email protected].

ART FAIR

"Unique and United," join us for a celebration of the visual arts when the art fair returns as an in-person event. All students will showcase their school-created art on Saturday, May 20, and Sunday, May 21. Please join us for a special 10am mass on Sunday, May 21, prior to the Art Fair, to honor and celebrate the artists.

SPIRIT DAY

Volunteers are needed for our all-school Spirit Day on Friday, May 26. Volunteer opportunities throughout all grade levels are still available, a reminder that all volunteers must be Virtus compliant. Learn more and sign-up HERE. Questions, contact Maggie O’Reilly at [email protected].

HOWL AT THE MOON

Gather with friends to start the summer and celebrate the Feast of St. Barnabas as you enjoy the dueling pianos of Howl at the Moon. Tickets are now available for purchase on Give Central. Individual tickets are $35 in advance, purchase HERE. Premium seating tables for six are $300 and available for purchase HERE. Questions, contact Anita Snow at [email protected].

YEARBOOK HELP WANTED

The St. Barnabas yearbook has been on hold for the past few years, and we would love to bring back this cherished keepsake. Parents/guardians interested in learning more or volunteering for this project may reach out to Ms. Sadowski at [email protected].

MEN’S CLUB BAGS TOURNAMENT

Join the St. Barnabas Men’s Club for a Bags Tournament on the afternoon of Saturday, May 13. The tournament will be held in the 103rd alley between Hoyne and Seeley (Sullivan/Kreiter's backyards). Cost is $20 per person/$40 per team. Time details will be announced soon. Register for the event HERE. Questions, contact Pat Wirtz at [email protected].

RIDGE RUN

Register HERE with the St. Barnabas team for a $5 discount if you plan to run the BAPA Ridge Run this year! Use code: team2023, team captain: Ms. Grace Sadowski when registering. We are not hosting a formal group training this year, but feel free to connect with your running buddies and plan a few training days together.  

PEACE CAMP VOLUNTEERS

Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran on 94th and Oakley will host their annual one-week "Peace Camp." June 26-30 and this year, St. Barnabas will be a co-sponsor of the camp. We are looking for a variety of volunteers to help. To learn more, please see the LINK on the parish website.