IRISH WEEKLY
April 24, 2026
April 24, 2026
Seniors & Senior Parents - be sure to check the Senior Updates page for Important information coming up for the next few weeks. There is also a letter from Ms. Gay and Mr. Pamer.
FINE ARTS FESTIVAL TONIGHT
Celebrate the creativity of our Fighting Irish at the Fine Arts Festival tonight from 5:30–8 PM! Explore an impressive student art show beginning at 5:30 PM in the LRC and throughout the Language Arts hallways.
Enjoy an evening of performances starting with a theatre performance at 6 PM, followed by a choir concert at 6:30 PM. The night concludes with our Spring Band Concert at 7 PM in The LeBron James Arena.
Join us for a night of talent, expression, and the arts in action!
**The whole family is invited! We'd love for younger & older siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles to attend and help us celebrate our talented students!
ACADEMIC AWARDS NIGHT THURSDAY, APRIL 30
Academic Excellence Awards Night invitations were sent to students and families this week for those who will be recognized on April 30th. We look forward to celebrating many of our students for their achievements in the classroom and beyond. The evening will include recognition of Classroom awards, Resilience Awards, and other special honors across all grade levels.
Please note that not all senior awards are presented at the Academic Excellence Awards Night. Several of our most distinguished senior honors, including the Senior Leadership Awards and the Irish Family Spirit Award, will be recognized at the conclusion of the Baccalaureate Mass, while the Celtic High Cross, Knights of Columbus Manhood and Womanhood, and some Athletic Honor Awards will be presented at Commencement. We are proud to celebrate our seniors in multiple ways throughout the end-of-year events.
Senior Sunset will follow at the conclusion of the Academic Excellence Awards Night.
PROM: NIGHT AT THE MET
On behalf of the STVM Student Council, it is our honor to announce the 2026 St. Vincent-St. Mary High School Prom: Night at the MET!
Please review the Prom Packet of materials linked below. Important details have also been outlined below:
Prom 2026 Guest Permissions Form
Prom Itinerary Acknowledgement 2026
When:
Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 6:30 to 9:30 PM
Where:
Portage Country Club
240 N. Portage Path, Akron
Itinerary for Prom
6:30 PM: Doors open at Portage Country Club & Guests Begin to Arrive
7:00 PM: Dinner will be served, followed by dancing and dessert
All students attending prom are to be at Portage Country Club no later than 7:30 P.M.
In case of an emergency or an unusual circumstance that prohibits your child from being there on time, please call Portage Country Club at (330) 836-4994 and ask for Vince Glidden.
If a parent/guardian has not called before 7:30 P.M. the students will not be permitted into the dance and no refunds will be given.
9:30 PM: Prom ends
Working together, we can provide our students with a safe and memorable Prom. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Sincerely,
The Student Council Faculty Advisors
Mrs. Gay | agay@stvm.com
Mr.Glidden| vglidden@stvm.com
Mrs.McCants | tmccants@stvm.com
Mrs. Young | cyoung@stvm.com
THANK YOU!
Thank you to our parent community for making Showcase 2026 such a success. Whether you attended, volunteered, purchased raffle tickets or donated auction items, your support was felt throughout the night. We are especially grateful to our co chairs, Brendan and Mary O'Connor and Tawanda and Raymond McCray, for their leadership. Together, we raised a record-breaking $405,000 and surpassed the Bernard Family Scholarship match goal!
Congratulations to our Current Parent Raffle winner: Nick VM00 and Lauren DiOrio.
STAFF UPDATES
Congratulations to Athletics Director Kyle Sasala, who has accepted another position and will be leaving us at the end of this school year. We thank Kyle for his leadership and lasting impact on STVM Athletics and wish him the best in his next chapter. An announcement was sent last night to our community.
Welcome to Isabella Mettler, STVM's new Head Cheerleading Coach! Please see the Athletics page for more information.
SAVE THE DATE: Parents’ Club is hosting a Used Uniform Sale on Thursday, June 11, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the STVM Student Center. Items range in price from $1-$10. Cash, check or Venmo (@stvm-parentsclub) will be accepted for payment. Don’t miss out on your chance to save money!
DONATE NOW: Do you have items your student has outgrown? Do you want to declutter your student’s closet? Gently used uniforms/spirit wear/sports items may be dropped off at the STVM office during school hours. Questions? Email parentsclub@stvm.com.
VOLUNTEER: We need volunteers to assist with the sale. Setup will begin at 2:30 p.m. Please contact Tracy Fox at 330-256-3385 or tlfox99@yahoo.com.
MURDER MYSTERY DINNER
The Leprchaun Theatre presents "Honeymoon from Hell" on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
The event includes an entree, side dish, salad, bread and dessert -- plus an evening of mystery, mayhem and of course, murder!
Deadline to order tickets: Tuesday, April 28th. Tickets may be purchased through HomeTown Ticketing.
ADMISSIONS NEWS
Do you know a family or prospective student interested in STVM? Please share information with them to sign up for our newsletters to stay on top of the latest admissions activities and events!
Here is the form to join the admissions newsletter mailing list for current 7th graders. Please note: registering for this list will automatically get students on the 8th grade list when they finish this school year.
2025-26 Yearbooks
For this school year, yearbooks can be ordered anytime through the Yearbook Order Center by searching for St. Vincent-St. Mary or entering school code #3108.
ATTN: Senior Parents! Now is a great time to create a senior ad to celebrate your student and share a special message. Click here to learn more and submit your dedication.
THE LEPRECHAUN NETWORK
INPUT NEEDED: The STVM Broadcasting Team is asking for community involvement with the student-run site, The Leprechaun Network. Check out the poll, quiz, and leave a note as the students work to share the stories of STVM from their perspectives.
RECENT STORIES:
Prom Promise Assembly
Showcase Celebrates 40 Years
How the STVM Community Helps The Earth
Senior Capstone
2026 SUMMER CAMPS
The 2026 summer camp schedule and flyer is available and registration is open!
Click here to see the flyer.
Click here to register.
2026-2027 SCHOOL CALENDAR
At St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, our mission and Marianist charism call us to be thoughtful stewards of both our Catholic identity and our academic program. With that in mind, we will be adjusting our spring break starting with the 2026-2027 School Calendar to consistently align with the end of the third quarter, placing it within the first two weeks of March. We will continue to honor Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Monday as days off, ensuring our community can fully observe the holiest days of our faith.
This adjustment supports several important academic priorities:
Stronger academic rhythm: Aligning spring break with the end of the third quarter creates a natural pause, improving instructional continuity and helping students and faculty return focused for the final quarter.
More stable event planning: A consistent break supports smoother scheduling for Kairos, theater performances, and other major spring programs, reducing overlap and stress.
Protected academic preparation: An early March break minimizes disruption to AP courses, Capstone timelines, and presentations, avoiding end-of-year calendar compression.
Better support for student-athletes: A standardized break reduces missed class time during spring sports travel.
This decision reflects long-term planning that prioritizes student formation, academic excellence, and faith. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students.
IMPORTANT SCHOOL SCHEDULE UPDATE
Due to the late February snow day, we are required to add an additional instructional day to our school calendar. Because the snow day was called at the last minute, students did not have the necessary materials at home to participate in a virtual learning day. As a result, a full make-up day is needed.
Please take note of the following updated schedule:
Monday, May 18 – Regular School Day (make-up instructional day)
Tuesday, May 19 – Friday, May 22 – Final Exams
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact administration.
DRESS CODE & FOURTH QUARTER EXPECTATIONS
Administration shared this message in an email within the last few weeks:
As we enter the Fourth Quarter, we want to take a moment to thank our families for your continued partnership in upholding the standards that make STVM such a special place. With that spirit in mind, we are writing to share that we will be raising dress code expectations school-wide beginning Tuesday, March 10, 2026, and we need your help at home.
Dress code will be checked during Morning Meeting each day. Students who are not in compliance will be asked to stay after Morning Meeting, and parents will be contacted to bring appropriate clothing to school before their student joins the school day. We appreciate your patience and cooperation in advance should that call come your way.
Shorts Return for Q4
Starting Monday, March 16, 2026, students may wear shorts again. Please note that shorts must be khaki (tan) only, in a traditional chino or golf style, with the correct inseam length (9" minimum for men, 7" minimum for women), and a belt must be worn. No jogger styles, cargo pockets, elastic waistbands, or drawstrings are permitted.
Additional Areas we will be Focusing on this Quarter
The STVM polo must be worn at all times (including under crew necks)
Only approved quarter-zips and approved crew necks may be worn
No jackets, hoodies, or non-approved team apparel during class hours
No athletic outerwear may be worn Monday-Thursday
Approved pants colors only (black, khaki, or grey), no leggings, jeans, or cargos.
Pants must have only the pockets found on a standard dress pant: front side pockets and rear welt pockets. Any additional pockets on the thighs, legs, or exterior of the pants are not permitted.
School-approved skorts at an appropriate length - no rolling
No backless shoes (including Uggs and Crocs)
Natural hair colors only, no nose piercings
No hats or head coverings can be worn indoors
For a full review of our dress code policy, please visit: STVM Dress Code Policy
The Fourth Quarter is a wonderful opportunity for our students to finish strong — academically, personally, and as a community. We ask that families take a few minutes this weekend to review these expectations with your student and help set them up for a great Tuesday morning. Doing the right thing, adhering to our school and community expectations, and holding ourselves to a high standard are values that extend far beyond our hallways, and we are grateful to have families who share that belief.
Thank you for helping us raise the bar at STVM. 🍀
IMPORTANT STUDENT DROP-OFF & PICK-UP PROCEDURE REMINDERS
For the safety of all students, please remember there are only two approved drop-off locations. Stopping on Smith Street or anywhere outside the designated zones puts students in danger.
Arrival Option 1 — Bottom of the Hill : Enter campus from Maple Street at the bottom of the hill. Follow the orange cones and arrows on the far right side of the parking lot to Walnut Street (between the school and the Cosgrove building). Students may exit at Door 6 on Walnut Street. Exiting: Please leave via Walnut Street to West Market Street, or via Bates Avenue near the football stadium. Do not circle back through Maple Street — students will be entering that lot for assigned parking.
Arrival Option 2 — Top of the Hill: Students may enter campus at Door 12 from Maple Street. Do not pull into the Bus Lane. Students must exit from the passenger side only.
Dropping off on Smith Street or outside the designated areas creates serious safety hazards for your child and others. These are the only approved options — no exceptions.
Officer Brown will be on-site this spring to remind families of proper procedures and to enforce safe drop-off and pick-up practices. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe!
UPPER PARKING LOTS ARE FOR STAFF & VISTORS ONLY
All of the Upper Parking Lots are reserved for Staff and Visitors only during school hours. Students are not permitted to park in any of the Upper Parking Lots during school hours. These lots include:
the large parking lot on the corner of Maple and Market
the parking lot next to the Arena, between Maple and Walnut
the parking lot in front of the Costigan
Students must park in their assigned spaces in the Student Parking Lot. If a student does not currently have a parking pass, one can be purchased through the Irish Outfitters Spirit Shop. Any student found parking in these areas will be subject to disciplinary action.
SERVICE HOURS ARE DUE SOON!
All students should be sure their service hours are submitted and verified in MobileServe by the following deadlines: Seniors’ hours were due by April 1st, and hours for Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors are due by May 1st. Please see the service hour requirements on the school website and the student handbook! Instructions for using MobileServe, along with service opportunities, can be found on the Service Hours page of Irish Weekly. If you have any questions or need help, please email Mrs. Cooper or stop by the Campus Ministry office.
TECHNOLOGY REMINDERS FOR PARENTS
As a reminder, St. Vincent–St. Mary High School does not permit the use of Meta (or other smart) glasses on campus. In addition, smart watches and personal electronic devices, including laptops and iPads, are not allowed for student use during the school day unless explicitly approved for instructional purposes.
We appreciate your partnership in helping students remain focused, engaged, and present in our learning community. Thank you for your continued support.
Please see the full calendar link below. Highlights include:
April 24: Fine Arts Festival
April 25: Prom
April 30: Academic Awards & Senior Sunset
May 1: Senior Farewell Mass
May 1: Murder Mystery Dinner
May 4-15: AP Testing
May 15: Baccalaureate Mass
May 16: Graduation
May 19-22: Final Exams
ATTENDANCE REMINDERS
Parents: If your student is (1) not going to be in school, (2) going to be late to school, or (3) leaving early from school, it is critical that you notify the school by calling the attendance line as soon as possible at 330-253-9116.
Students MUST SIGN OUT of the Attendance Office if they leave school early.
It is important that you call us first thing in the morning if you are planning to pick up your student during the day so that we can ensure they will be excused from class and ready to be picked up when you arrive. You may leave a message on the attendance line with this information. As a reminder, please refer to the Student/Parent Handbook for Absence Policy and required documentation.
ABSENCE REMINDERS
Please be mindful of the school policy regarding vacations and travel.
ABSENCES FOR OTHER REASONS
Absence for other reasons (vacations, family events, or participation in non-school sanctioned events) is discouraged by the school. However, in cases where the parent determines the necessity of this type of absence, the parent must notify the attendance secretary and the student must notify their classroom teachers a minimum of two weeks prior to the absence. A telephone call is required to the attendance secretary the first day of the absence at 330-253-9113 prior to 9 a.m. in order to verify that you are going forward with your travel plans.