July 30, 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Have you noticed the Back-to-School displays popping up at Target, Walmart, and other stores? What an exciting time of year heralding that school will begin again soon!

Our custodial and facilities team has been hard at work preparing the building for another wonderful school year. Several improvements have been completed over the summer, including an upgraded school bell system and newly refinished cafeteria floors. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to a refreshed and ready campus.

As we head into August, many families are beginning to prepare for the new school year. I would like to take this opportunity to share a few important reminders. As in previous years, I will continue sending bi-weekly communications throughout the school year to keep you informed about school news, upcoming events, and important announcements. Since August is often filled with questions, I will also send a weekly update before school begins to help answer some of the most common ones.

This week's reminders focus on school supplies, uniforms, and parent involvement.

Please visit our school website to access your child's school supply list. Larger classroom supplies, such as tissues, sanitizing wipes, and paper towels, may be brought in throughout September or at Back-to-School Night if that is more convenient for your family or easier for your child to manage.

Please also remember that rolling ("wheelie") backpacks are not permitted. They create a tripping hazard in our hallways and are specifically prohibited in our Parent/Guardian/Student Handbook. If your child has a medical need that requires an exception, please contact me directly.

Students should bring a refillable water bottle to school each day. As part of our commitment to being good stewards of God's creation and reducing waste, disposable plastic water bottles are not permitted. We ask that families choose a sturdy, leak-resistant reusable water bottle. Please avoid Stanley-style cups or other tumblers with exposed straws, as well as sport-top squeeze bottles commonly used at athletic events, since these tend to leak and create spills in classrooms and hallways. Our school has four bottle-filling stations that provide cold, filtered water throughout the day. Thanks to our students and families, these stations have helped keep more than 70,000 plastic bottles out of landfills over the past several years.

As a reminder, school uniforms are required only for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8. Preschool students should wear comfortable clothing that they can manage independently, although they are certainly welcome to wear the school gym uniform if they wish.

Our Semi-Annual Gently Used Uniform Sale will be held on August 20 from 5-7PM in the school cafeteria. New uniform items should be purchased through FlynnO'Hara School Uniforms. Families may order online at www.flynnohara.com or shop at one of their retail locations. We encourage you not to wait until the last minute, as popular sizes can sell out before the start of school.

Please note that there have been a few minor updates to our uniform policy. I encourage you to review the policy with your child before school begins. This year, we will be consistently enforcing all aspects of the dress code, including guidelines related to jewelry, sweatshirts, jogger-style pants, socks, earrings, and smart watches.

Our Home School Association (HSA) has also been hard at work planning another exciting year of events that help make St. Bartholomew School such a special community. Throughout the year, the HSA sponsors family events and fundraising activities that enrich the educational experience for our students while strengthening the connections among our families. Many of these events, like the Basket Raffle, Mission Fair, and Halloween Party are only possible because of the generosity of parent/guardian volunteers. Whether you have an hour to spare, would like to chair an event, or are interested in serving as a Grade Parent (previously called class parent), we encourage you to get involved. Families interested in learning more about the Grade Parent role are invited to attend a Grade Parent Interest Meeting on Wednesday, September 2, at 7:00 PM. Additional details will be shared as the date approaches. All volunteers must complete the VIRTUS certification process before serving in any volunteer capacity including attending class trips. Information about becoming a volunteer, including the VIRTUS requirements and application materials, can be found on the school website under Become a Volunteer. For your convenience, Mrs. Solinski will be hosting the Virtus “Protecting God’s Children” course on Monday, August 24 at 6PM in the cafeteria. We hope you'll consider sharing your time and talents as we work together to make this another memorable year for our students.

Next week, I'll share information about our cafeteria program and lunchroom procedures to help your family prepare for the first day of school.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I wish you and your family a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Theresa Craig, M.Ed.
Principal