School News

Summer Edition: July 2024

View as Webpage

Dear St. Barnabas School Families - We hope you're all having a relaxing and rewarding summer break! We are about one month away from Information Sunday, the kick-off to the school year. In this summer edition of School News, we share highlights about the start of the year, including details on new staff members, the uniform exchange, and important dates and required items.

Stay Connected

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, make sure you stay connected. Our website is a wealth of information; be sure to use it as one of your first resources for questions. You’ll find links to our Events Calendar and News on the main page. The Family Resources section houses many common questions and resources for families, including our Summer Guide and detailed medical, uniform, and school supplies requirements.


If you’re on social, be sure to follow us on Instagram and join the official St. Barnabas Facebook Group: "St. Barnabas School Buckeyes".

Important Calendar Dates 

Key Dates for the start of school are listed below; further details about most of these events can be found in our Summer Guide.

  • Information Sunday: Sunday, August 18 at 10am
  • 8th Grade Parent Night: Monday, August 19 at 6pm
  • New Parent Night: Tuesday, August 20 at 6pm
  • First Day of School: Thursday, August 22, shortened schedule
  • Second Day of School: Friday, August 23, shortened schedule
  • Back to School Parents Night: Thursday, September 5 at 7pm
  • Back to School Skating Party: Friday, September 6, evening start time tbd
  • Parish Fall Fest & Big Bucks Drawing: Saturday, September 28 at 4pm

Required Items

As previously shared, medical authorization forms and school supplies are due on Sunday, August 18. Details regarding medical forms and supplies are in the Family Resources section of our website.

Tuition Payments

All families should have received an email from FACTS Tuition Management about customizing their payments. If you have any tuition-related questions, please contact School Business Manager Mrs. Jeanne Reilly.

Final Call for Sign-Up

The final day to register and pay for Girls' Basketball (Grades 3- 8) or Cheer (Grades 4 - 8) is this Friday, July 19. If your child plans to participate, please be sure to sign up. The team coordinators are ordering uniforms and finalizing rosters for the league; late registration cannot be accepted. Registration details are here.

Uniform Exchange

Families are invited to school next week, Tuesday, July 23 - Thursday, July 25, from 9am - 12pm to “shop” the uniform exchange. Gently used school uniforms (and spirit wear) will be available free of charge. Any unclaimed items will be offered at Information Sunday. The exchange is coordinated as part of the 8th-grade service project, and we thank our rising 8th-grade student volunteers and Mrs. McGowan for coordinating.

Student Support Plans

Throughout the summer, please email any new or updated neuropsychiatric/academic evaluations to studentsupport@stbarnabasparish.org and CC Mr. Stack at jstack@stbarnabasparish.org and Ms. Sadowski at gsadowski@stbarnabasparish.org. Students with a Student Support Plan should expect a family email in early August to schedule your child's beginning of the year Student Support meeting. All meetings will be held in August, prior to the start of the school year. 

Service Day

Save the Date - Friday, October 4, for our all-school Service Day! This year, we are moving Service Day to the first trimester. This move allows us to engage in a service-oriented mindset at the start of the year and carry those lessons and inspiration into our everyday actions. The day will be structured similarly to recent years, with a slightly later dismissal time of 1:30pm to allow for more time to enjoy this extraordinary day. Further details will be shared in August. 

HSPT Prep 

The High School Placement Test (HSPT) for admission into area Catholic high schools will take place on Saturday, December 7. Dr. Matt O’Keefe will again offer an HSPT Preparation course through RedWood Prep for our 8th-grade students. The class will take place on Thursdays immediately after school. Details on how to register for this optional course are forthcoming.  

iPad Pick-up

All 6th-grade students and 7th-grade students new to St. Barnabas may pick up their school-issued iPad at Information Sunday. The iPad fee has been added to your tuition statement. Questions regarding iPad usage or pick-up may be sent to Technology Director Mrs. Kathleen Davies.  

STAFF NEWS

We are thrilled to introduce the incredible staff members joining us for the upcoming school year. Each brings a wealth of knowledge, talent, dedication, and genuine care for students, and we cannot wait for you to meet them. 


MR. CHARLIE BROWN, Junior High Math - Mr. Brown joins us from his long career teaching junior high and high school math. Most recently, he spent nine years teaching at Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart in the Wicker Park neighborhood. Mr. Brown is a long-time parishioner and choir member; his children are St. Barnabas alum. He has a BS in Business Administration from Iona College in NY, a Master of Arts in Elementary Ed from Chicago State, and an Algebra Initiative Certification from the University of Chicago.


MR. MICHAEL LEVEILLE, Junior High ELA - Mr. Leveille recently graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. While at Purdue, he was a distinguished collegiate wrestler, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors. Mr. Leveille, also a Marist HS graduate, brings a committed and hardworking attitude to the classroom.


MRS. SINÉAD FITZMAURICE, 2nd Grade - Mrs. Fitzmaurice brings a wealth of teaching experience from the Chicago area and abroad. She comes to St. Barnabas, having previously taught 2nd grade in the Palos Heights school district and French and Religion in County Carlow, Ireland. Mrs. Fitzmaurice studied at St. Patrick's Pontifical University, Maynooth, just outside Dublin. She has the US equivalent of a BA in Secondary Education in Social Science and Theology with a minor in French.


MRS. JULIA PETROSINO, Student Support - Mrs. Petrosino, a St. Barnabas School parent and parishioner, joins us as a Student Support educator. Mrs. Petrosino will work alongside Case Manager Mrs. Maureen O’Donnell to support our students, teachers, and parents. She began her teaching career at CPS after earning a BS in Journalism from Illinois State and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Northeastern. Mrs. Petrosino spent six years teaching Kindergarten through Grade 2 before spending a few years at home with her young children. She is excited to return to a school setting.


MS. ANSLEE RAINWATER, Music - Many of you already know Ms. Rainwater as the extraordinary Choir Director at our weekly school mass, parish choirs, and director of the school musical, and she now joins us as a part-time music teacher. Ms. Rainwater studied vocal performance at Indiana University and made her way to Chicago’s North Side as a vocalist at Old St. Pat’s Church and a teacher at Francis Xavier Warde School. Now a Beverly resident, she is also a new school parent, and we are welcoming her daughter to St. Barnabas preschool this August.  


MR. CONNOR GRANT, Music - Mr. Grant, a St. Barnabas alum, recently returned to the parish with his young family. After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a BA in Communications and a minor in Music, Mr. Grant had a long and distinguished music career traveling the world, making New York City his home. He is a multi-talented musician, songwriter, and vocalist playing numerous instruments, including guitar and percussion. Mr. Grant is also a new school parent with a young daughter entering St. Barnabas preschool.


We are still looking to fill a few roles for the upcoming year: Junior High (Math or Science), Preschool Teacher and Aide, and Elementary Ed (Grades 4-5). We also continue to hire substitute teachers on a rolling basis throughout the year. If you or anyone you know is interested in exploring these roles, please contact Mr. Stack and Ms. Sadowski.  


We also share that Ms. Terese Cloonan will not return to St. Barnabas for the upcoming school year. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

STAY CONNECTED

Facebook Group

Facebook Page

Instagram

Website

ONE Barnabas - We are called to nurture the mind, body, and spirit.

Questions, Comments - Email us.