April 15, 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you are enjoying a wonderful Spring and are making a smooth transition back to school following Easter Vacation. We are about 40 school days from the end of the year and know there are still many things to be accomplished.

Our Passion Project evening will be on Thursday, April 23 for all students in grades 5-8. I am so proud of our students and the wonderful projects that they will share with you. Congratulations to the teachers and students in PreK3 through 4th grade on a job well done with their PBL Projects! The end of the school year offers many opportunities for parents/guardians to participate in school events including the Band and Chorus Concert on April 30, the performances of Beauty and the Beast, Jr. on May 15 and 16, various field trips and Step Up events for PreK students and Kindergarteners.

I am pleased and proud to share that the Monsignor J. Morgan Kelly Award recipient for 2026. The Award is given to a parishioner who embodies Monsignor's dedication to our parish community. This year Fr. Tom is honored to present the Award to Veronica Tkacenko, our Assistant Principal. Mrs. Tkacenko has been an active member of our parish family and has spent many dedicated years of service to our students and faculty and staff. Veronica, with her late husband Leon, sent their three children through Saint Bartholomew School and were very active members of our Home School Association. Next Sunday, April 26th, Fr. Tom will present the Monsignor Kelly Award to Mrs. Tkacenko at the Noon Mass. Fr. Tom and I would like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to Veronica for her commitment to the ongoing mission of our school, to love, educate and inspire our students to live the teachings of Jesus Christ. There will be a light reception immediately following the Mass in the Bride's Garden outside the narthex of the Church. We hope you are able to join us.

As you know, students are now permitted to wear their spring/summer uniforms. This includes the khaki shorts and gym shorts for all students, and the khaki skirts for girls. Students may still opt to wear pants or sweatpants if they are more comfortable, and girls may wear the plaid or navy skirt. Formal uniforms are still required on Mass days which is most often on Fridays. Shorts are not part of the formal uniform and should not be worn to Mass. I am asking parents to check jewelry on students and limit it to 1 necklace and 1 bracelet per child. Some students are pushing the limits on this. A reminder that Smart Watches and other devices are not permitted at school.

A calendar update: The last day of school will be Friday, June 12 with an 11:30 AM dismissal. June 5, 8, 9, 10, and 11 will be early dismissal days (11:30 AM). The last day for after school care is June 11. Please mark your calendars. For those families who need to use aftercare on June 5-11, the fees will be waived.

I am asking for your assistance with an issue that is becoming a problem. Please check your child’s backpack for toys, fidgets, trading cards, etc. and keep these items at home. These kinds of things are creating distractions in the classroom and causing conflicts between students. I know they want to share their special treasures, but school is not the place to do that. There are plenty of toys and games in classrooms for downtime like indoor recess and after school care that belong to the school. There is no need to allow these things to be brought to school.

Spring 2026 has brought athletic opportunities for St. Bart’s middle school students. Our middle school boys’ volleyball season has begun, and baseball and softball teams have started their seasons. Our track team is also competing against local schools. We are excited to be able to offer these extra-curricular opportunities to our students. Check the school website for more information about spring clubs.

Here are a few dates that you need to be aware of:

• April 23 - Passion Project Night (Grades 5-8) - 6:30 PM
• April 30 - Spring Band and Chorus Concert - 6:00 PM
• May 4 - Start of Spring MAP Testing for grades 1-8
• May 4-8 - Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 15 & 16 - St. Bart’s Drama Club Presents - Beauty & the Beast, Jr
• June 5-11 - Early dismissal at 11:30 AM
• June 11 - Last day of aftercare
• June 12 - Last day of school (11:30 AM dismissal)

Thank you for your continued support of our wonderful school.

Wishing you a wonderful week,
Mrs. Theresa Craig, M.Ed.
Principal