Saint Gabriel School Weekly Newsletter for Parents
Saint Gabriel School Weekly Newsletter for Parents
Winter MAP testing continues next week. The schedule has been adjusted due to the snow days. Please make an extra effort to ensure your child arrives on time, eats breakfast, and has a snack on testing days. While MAP is only one snapshot of how your child is doing, it does provide valuable data to help teachers plan instruction to meet your child's learning needs.
Since 1974, National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. It starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, January 26 – January 31. The theme for National Catholic Schools Week 2025 is “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Catholic schools offer an education that combines Catholic faith and teachings with academic excellence and instilling the value of service to others, preparing students to be productive citizens and future leaders. Our school theme is "St. Gabriel is One of a 'Kind'" to go along with our "Be Kind" theme for the year. We hope you will join us our fun activities the whole week long! Click the image to see full schedule.
We love our families! Current parents/ guardians are invited to visit the classrooms on Thursday, January 30 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Come see the amazing things your children are learning!
Snow Days/ Distance Learning
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It’s been such a crazy start to 2025! Thank you so much to our families for working with us in trying to make our distance learning days beneficial to our students. Thank you also to our teachers for planning and implementing online lessons on short notice. Thank you to our maintenance team for preparing our sidewalks and building for a safe return. Thank you to Miller Mowing and Landscaping who have done a great job of clearing the parking lot of nearly 14 inches of a variety of snow forms for both storms. Thank you to our bus drivers and carpool team for managing the snow and ice to get our students here safely. It is a team effort! Winter is not over yet so we need to be prepared in case we get more inclement weather days.
Back in September, St. Gabriel utilized our one “snow day” that was figured into our 2024-2025 school calendar. This was a free day in which school was called off because of hurricane winds. Since that date, the state of Kentucky has declared that day as “excused” and we no longer have to use that day as our “snow day”.
The Archdiocesan policy on NTI (non-traditional instruction/ distance learning) days is that each school is permitted to use 5 NTI days during a school year. With last week's snowstorm, we have used 5 of those 5 NTI days. Therefore, we do not have any more distance learning days available.
With all of that information, the plan for upcoming snow days is:
Our next snow day will be a “free day” to enjoy the day
A second snow day would be a free day that would be made up on Friday, March 14. This is currently scheduled as a staff PD day.
A third snow day would be a free day that would be made up on Friday, April 18. This is currently scheduled as Good Friday.
A fourth snow day would be a free day that would be made up on Monday, February 17. This is currently scheduled as part of winter break.
A fifth and subsequent snow days would be added to the end of the school year: (May 27, 28…)
I am hoping that we do not need to utilize any of the bulleted plans listed above, but for planning purposes, we are ready!
Thank you again for being part of our team.
Stay safe and warm,
Lara Krill
Principal
Mrs. Mackenzie Bradshaw (Art teacher) will not be returning for the remainder of the school year. She will be pursuing a new position at a Catholic high school. Her last day will be January 24. We thank her for her service and sharing her talents with our school and wish her all the best. We are hoping to find a replacement as soon as possible and will keep you updated.
Thank you to our families for working with us during carpool with the cold and snow. Here are some friendly reminders to keep everyone safe and things moving as quickly as possible:
Please drive slowly, especially in the back by the play park.
If you are picking up a preschool student, please make sure that you are checked in before leaving your car to do so.
Please pull all the way up to the cones and pull in close to one another so we can maximize our space.
Make sure to use the app or at least have your number readily available.
If you are in wave 2, patiently remain in your car. Students are not allowed passed the cones.
Cleaning out your closet and find some board games you no longer need? We would love to have them for indoor recess. When it's yucky weather outside, our students love to play games. Used games are perfectly fine if they have the pieces. Please bring them to the school office. Thank you for your donations!
Attention all families! The deadline for Round 2 aid applications for the 2025-2026 school year is January 31st. If you have not already applied for aid and would like to, please be sure to have your application completed and all documents uploaded and verified by the deadline. If you need assistance with this process, you can email Pam Terwilliger at pterwilliger@stgabriel.net, or call the FACTs parent helpline at (866) 441-4637.
The mission of the Board is to support quality Catholic Education for all children of St. Gabriel School. We are looking for new members to fill two vacancies! For more information and to complete the nomination form, click here. Nominations are due by Monday, February 3, 2024.
The areas in which the Board has responsibility and will be consulted are:
Planning; Policy development and formation (to include but not limited to handbook policies, admission policies, and tuition policies);
The process of public relations and communication of school programs;
Assist pastor in selection of the principal;
Review, revision, and implementation of long-range plans as they pertain to the school;
Marketing and enrollment management; and
Major curriculum changes, especially in the area of religious education.
To learn more about the school board and view meeting minutes, visit https://www.stgabrielcatholicschool.net/about/leadership.
The Gala will be Saturday, March 1, 2025 at Wildwood Country Club. This Monte Carlo themed event will be "Lucky Streak in the Creek." We would love to have your support. Please consider being a sponsor and donating an item for our silent auction. Click below for sponsor and donation forms.
Applications for the 2025-26 school year are now available! Know someone who may be interested? Help spread the word!
Visit our website to apply. Preschool through 8th grade will use the same application process. Priority deadline has been extended to TODAY, January 17, 2025. In order to receive preference, current and parish families who are ADDING students must apply by the priority deadline.
This is for NEW students only. Returning students will complete re-enrollment through FACTS in March.
Bingo is one of our largest fundraisers. Funds are used to offer tuition assistance and capital projects. A schedule for this year has been created to assist with staffing volunteers. If you volunteer, your child may have a uniform break the next non-mass day! Please sign up using Sign Up Genius.
Jan. 22- 3Boyd
Jan. 23- 3Helms
Jan. 29- 3Mattmiller
Jan. 30- 4Cornwell
Click here for more information about distance learning.
When weather conditions cause school openings to be questionable, one of the following announcements will be made for the Catholic Elementary Schools in Jefferson County.
“All Catholic Elementary Schools in Jefferson County are open” – Saint Gabriel is open.
“Catholic Elementary Schools in Jefferson County will be open, but on a delayed schedule.” Saint Gabriel will be on a two-hour delay. Buses will run two hours late. Doors will open at 9:25 a.m. for student arrival. Students are not allowed in before this time. Classes will start at 10:00 a.m. Dismissal will be at regular time – 2:45 p.m.
“All Catholic Schools in Jefferson County are closed.” – Saint Gabriel is closed. In the case that Saint Gabriel is closed, Saint Gabriel Preschool will make every effort to offer full-day care for registered participants. Notification will be sent separately.
All morning activities, including detention, are cancelled for that day. Detention will be served the following scheduled day.
You will be notified via the Saint Gabriel Parent Alert program.
NEW: Updates on campus closures and delays can be found here: www.gabrielweather.com
Are you planning to volunteer or attend a school event this year?
Field Trip chaperones and special event volunteers need to have a background check on file and have attended the Safe Environment Training. For more information, visit https://www.stgabriel.net/background. Not sure if we have your information? Contact background@stgabriel.net. To view upcoming Honor Thy Child trainings, visit https://www.archlou.org/about-the-archdiocese/archdiocesan-policies-guidelines-and-handbooks/restoringtrust/safe/. Background checks and safe environment training refresher must be completed every five years.
January 27-31- Catholic Schools Week
January 29- Pep Rally @ 1:45 p.m.
January 30- Open Classrooms for Current Families @9:30-10:30 a.m.
February 5- Family Paint Night
February 11- Kindergarten Love Program
March 1- Gala
March 7- Eat Lunch With Your Child Day
March 11- Spring into Math Family Night
March 13- Grandparents Day (2nd)
April 24- Grandparents Day (8th)
April 26- Confirmation
We have a new online payment system for the cafeteria called mySchoolBucks. Students received a letter earlier this week with their Student ID number and more information. Students will need to input this number to purchase lunch.
With mySchoolBucks, you can check your balances, review transaction history and receive low balance alerts for no charge. Payments can be made online for a small convenience fee. You may also send in payments with your child, either cash or checks made out to Taher, for no charge.
If you have any questions you can email cafeteria@stgabriel.net or support@myschoolbucks.com.
Winter weather is here. On days when there is a 2 hour delay, breakfast will not be available, and the cafeteria will serve the following lunch menu:
Hot dogs
Burgers
PBJ
(We will still take a lunch count on these mornings.)
St. Gabriel PTSO’s Father/Daughter dance has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 22. Tickets previously purchased will be honored. If you are no longer able to attend, refunds are available. Please email ptsosgs@gmail.com by February 1 to request your refund. Refunds cannot be guaranteed after this date. Tickets are still available for purchase. Tickets will only be available online until March 17 and will not be available at the door the day of the event. The theme is Hollywood, and we look forward to a night of friends, music and a chocolate fountain.
Join us for Family Paint Night to create lasting memories.
When: Wednesday Feb 5th
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Where: St. Gabriel Cafeteria
Who: Open to St. Gabriel moms, dads, grandparents, or other responsible adult AND your child(ren)
Maximum Capacity: 150 people
Cost: $35 per painting (a portion goes to the PTSO)
Box Tops is a great fundraiser for PTSO! Download the Box Tops for Education app and scan your receipt for a contribution of $1.50 or more. Be sure to enter the name of the child who should receive credit. Join the January monthly challenge in the Box Tops app and you'll earn 24 BONUS box tops when you buy 12 participating products across all scans during the month of January. Our next Box Tops Uniform Break will be January 27.
Our school ID is ID: 393279.
Not on social media but want to stay up to date on PTSO news? Join our GroupMe chat. GroupMe link
Father/ Daughter Dance- March 22
Paint Night- February 5
Teacher/ Staff Appreciation Week- May 5-9
St. Gabriel will host the annual Mass for Life on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre is the principle celebrant and the homilist is Father Jeff Nicholas of St. Bernadette Parish. The Mass for Life is an opportunity for prayer and penance and provides the Christian faithful an opportunity to come together to affirm the dignity of human life, embracing the certain reality that society must respect, defend, and promote life at every moment and in every condition, without regard to distinction.
The 2024 Catholic Services Appeal has reached its goal!! We are blown away by the continued generosity of so many throughout the Archdiocese of Louisville.
The 2024 CSA has received $4,267,557 in gifts and pledges, which is 102% of the total Archdiocesan goal. There have been 9,852 households participate.
Thank you to our St. Gabriel community. Generous donations total $106,466 (111% of our goal) from 334 donors (just 10 donors shy of our goal). And donations continue to come in.
Spring Sports Sign-Ups
Volleyball (JK-4th grade) until 2/1/25
Soccer (JK-8th grade) until 2/1/25
Swim (3rd-8th grade) until 2/1/25
Track (1st-8th grade) until 2/1/25
Baseball (6th-8th grade) until 2/1/25
Please sign up using GameDay: https://gameday.loucsaa.net/login
We need coaches!!! If interested email Jamie Pike at jpike1793@gmail.com the sport you want to coach.
Here is the uniform ordering site https://stgabrielleopardsuniforms.itemorder.com/ please make sure you click on the correct sport and grade level.
Choose St. Gabriel for your Kroger Community Rewards! This can be done easily by selecting our program on your digital account.
St. Gabriel ID # is: QA178
Learn more at https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards