Welcome Back!

We were thrilled to open our doors again to the smiling faces of our students. While rest and rejuvenation are vitally important for both students and staff, it feels wonderful to be back together, engaged and refreshed for the second half of our school year. As always, thank you for entrusting your children to St. Barnabas School.

We hope you will join us on Saturday for the 4pm Parish Mass and Reception. It has been a remarkable year for our Parish, honoring and celebrating 100 years of faith and community. The Children's Choir will be singing, and the evening will conclude with a reception in the Church Hall. Learn more.

Upcoming Due Date - January 17

Fun Food and Sweetheart Soiree Reminder

SWEETHEART SOIREEE - hosted by the FSA, is Friday, January 17. All girls in Preschool - Grade 8 are encouraged to attend with their favorite date (dad or any special adult). Advance tickets are required. Order your tickets today!

FUN FOOD - On Thursday, January 30, the FSA will host Fun Food with Home Run Inn Pizza. Place your order and register to volunteer by January 17

Admissions for Next Year

Sunday, January 26, is the first official day we begin accepting new student applications for the next school year. Our current families play a significant role in making our school community strong and vibrant and serve as our best ambassadors. We invite you to think of your local friends or neighbors who are not part of our school and please invite them to explore St. Barnabas. 

Preschool Admissions Coffee

Wednesday, January 15, we welcome our youngest prospective Buckeyes to the school. Parents/Guardians will have the opportunity to meet with Mr. Stack, Ms. Sadowski, and some of our preschool teachers as the young children explore a PK Classroom. Learn more and spread the word!

School Open House

Sunday, January 26, please gather as a parish and school community for the 10am Mass. This mass is a beautiful opportunity to reflect on why we choose Catholic education. We encourage all families to attend.

After mass, current school families are invited to the school. See your child’s homeroom, chat with classmates and parent friends, and visit the information (and treat) tables in the gym. At that same time, prospective families will be touring the building. We love that our prospective families can connect and mingle with current students and families. Learn more and help share Enrollment and Open House details!

Share on Social

If you are active on social media, we encourage you to share any of our posts in the coming weeks. This can help generate excitement and awareness about St. Barnabas School.

iReady Diagnostic Next Week

Next week, all students in Kindergarten-Grade 8 will complete mid-year iReady Diagnostic Test. Testing will take place during the students' math periods on Monday and Tuesday and the ELA periods on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday will be a makeup/testing completion day.

All students must have wired headphones/earbuds to complete the test correctly. Please ensure your child is adequately prepared. Wireless Bluetooth devices (such as Air Pods or Beats) are prohibited.

Boys Volleyball

Registration for Boys Spring Volleyball (Grades 4 - 8) is now open. The season will run from mid March through early May.  Learn more and register by January 24

Registration for Spring Golf, Soccer, and Jr. Basketball will open soon.  

Saying Goodbye to Mrs. V

Mrs. Mary Kate VanHootegem, “Mrs. V,” the aide in Mrs. Boayue’s kindergarten classroom, has resigned to pursue a different career opportunity. We greatly appreciate the time she has shared with St. Barnabas School, and we look forward to her continuing to be a dedicated parishioner and school parent in our community.

If you or anyone in your network is interested in the Kindergarten Aide position, please contact Mr. Stack or Ms. Sadowski for details. Working at St. Barnabas is an incredibly rewarding experience, and we would love to discuss the role further with interested candidates.

Cold Weather Apparel

We wanted to share a few cold-weather apparel reminders:

SNOW BOOTS - If students wear snow boots to school, please be sure they have a change of shoes in their backpack. Each classroom has a designated snow boot “holding area,” students can change into school shoes at arrival and dismissal.  

TOP LAYERS - School-approved sweaters and sweatshirts for warmth are permitted during the day but must adhere to the dress code regulation detailed in our handbook and website. 

BOTTOM LAYERS - For warmth, many girls wear pajama-style bottoms when traveling to and from school. Those layers should be removed upon arrival to their homeroom and may not be worn during the school day. Solid-color tights or leggings (in black, navy, gray, red, or white) are always permitted.

LABEL ALL CLOTHES - We often see a high volume of hats, gloves, and layers in the lost and found. Please label all clothing so it can hopefully make its way back to the owner.

Celebrating Catholic School Week

The last week of January kicks off Catholic Schools Week. CSW is a time-honored tradition organized by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). Many parents who attended Catholic school as a child have their own fond memories of Catholic Schools Week. It is a national celebration of Catholic education, and within the Archdiocese of Chicago, it also signals the kick-off to enrollment for the next school year.

Our students will celebrate numerous events throughout the week, including a few dress-down days. Thank you for choosing Catholic education - we are grateful for each of you!

Bulls Tickets

Monday, January 27, The Archdiocese, in partnership with the Chicago Bulls, has arranged a Catholic Schools Night at the United Center to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. The Bulls take on the Denver Nuggets at 7pm. Purchase tickets here.

Grandparents Mass

Tuesday, January 28, We invite grandparents to join our weekly all-school mass on Tuesday, January 28 at 8:45am. Following the school mass, our grandparent guests are invited to a coffee reception in the Main Hall of the school

Career Panel

Thursday, January 30, we are hosting a panel of professionals to speak to our students about their careers. If you are passionate about your job and interested in speaking with the students on Thursday, January 30 please fill out the interest form. 

Trivia Night

Friday, January 31, the School Board will host their annual Trivia Night in the Gym! Team Tickets are now available for purchase. Gather a team of six and order tickets today; limited quantity available!