Saint Gabriel School Weekly Newsletter for Parents

Speaking to Students About Safety

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

At our school, safety is always our top priority. Throughout the year, we practice fire, tornado, earthquake, and lockdown drills to ensure both our staff and students feel fully prepared and confident in how to respond during an emergency.

This summer, I had the opportunity to attend the annual Kentucky Center for School Safety conference. One of the recommendations was to conduct a "modified lockdown drill", which is a brief session where we talk directly with students about what to do if an emergency occurs while they are outside of the classroom.

Our safety committee developed an age-appropriate way to share these proactive measures with our students. Today during lunch periods, I spent about five minutes speaking with each group about staying safe in common areas, tailoring my approach to fit each age level. This proactive conversation fulfilled our required October lockdown drill.

While I cannot share specific emergency plans since those are not made public, here are some of the topics I talked about:

• Situational Awareness in Common Areas: We discussed what to do if an emergency happens while students are in the hallway, cafeteria, church, or restrooms rather than their regular classrooms.

• Finding the Nearest Safe Space: Students were reminded to quickly identify and move into the closest available space if they are away from their class.

• Listening and Following Adult Instructions: We emphasized the importance of quiet, quick listening during any drill or real emergency so instructions can be heard clearly.

• Building Student Agency: We encouraged students to feel empowered and confident in making safe, smart decisions.

Our goal is always to create a secure, supportive environment where safety practices feel like a normal, proactive part of our school routine rather than a source of worry. Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our school community safe!

Have a blessed day,

Lara Krill

Principal

IMPORTANT ENROLLMENT INFORMATION FOR 2027-2028

It is time to start thinking about enrollment for the 2027-2028 school year.  We will continue to use FACTS enrollment.

Current Students

We will assume all current students (grades K-7) will return for next school year unless we receive written notification that your child is not returning.  Please email school@stgabriel.net by December 1, 2026 if your child will not return.  Current families will complete re-enrollment packets through FACTS in March.

New Students

Applications for next year are now open.  Families will complete an online application through FACTS.  Visit our website for more information.  Priority deadline to apply is January 15, 2027.

Tuition Assistance (K-8):

Financial Aid applications for students in grades K-8 for the 2027-2028 school year are now available.  We are committed to assisting families who need financial aid to make a Catholic education a reality.  Last year, over $400,000 in total financial aid was provided to school families from St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, the Archdiocese of Louisville, the Catholic Education Foundation, and their partners.  There is one financial aid application to apply for all aid sources.  This application can be found at www.factsmgt.com/aid. This is a separate login from your FACTS Family Portal.  Apply through FACTS Management System by November 30, 2026.  For more information, please visit www.ceflou.org or contact Pam Terwilliger, our Finance Manager, at 502-239-5535 x302 or pterwilliger@stgabriel.net.

Thank you for choosing to partner with Saint Gabriel School for your child(ren)’s education.