IRISH WEEKLY
December 19, 2025
December 19, 2025
Plus be sure to check out all the pages linked at the top - Athletics, Counselor's Corner, Campus Ministry and Service Hours. There are time-sensitive scholarship opportunities in the Counselor's Corner and valuable info on the January Kairos in the Campus Ministry Section.
HOLIDAY HOURS
STVM will have modified office over the holiday break. Our best wishes for a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year.
REPORT CARDS RELEASED ON JANUARY 9
Report cards will be uploaded to MyIrish on January 9, 2026. Please email administration@stvm.com with any questions.
SENIOR MEETING COMING IN JANUARY
Watch for information in the Irish Weekly in early January about an upcoming virtual senior parent meeting. We will be sharing important information about special events and key dates leading up to graduation for the Class of 2026!
BACK TO THE '80s PURSE BINGO: SHOWCASE EDITION
Break out the neon and big hair because ticket sales are now open for St. Vincent–St. Mary’s 1st Annual Ladies Purse Bingo, presented by the STVM Ladies Association!
When: Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 6 to 8 p.m. (Doors open at 5 p.m.) in the Jack and Ann Haag Student Center at STVM.
Each round of bingo wins a designer purse, and the table with the best 80s themed decorations will receive a special prize. Guests may also add on extra bingo cards. Stay tuned for raffles and additional rounds of bingo.
Availability is limited, so gather your friends and take advantage of a discounted table rate for groups of 6 or 8. Reservations are required by January 18, 2026.
All proceeds benefit Showcase 2026. Registration is open—grab your friends, claim your table, and register online here today! Don’t miss your chance to party like it’s 1986!
Purses Needed
We need 10 fabulous designer purses to keep the bingo fun going. The next few weeks are a great time to take advantage of sales and after Christmas deals. If you come across a great find from brands like Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Coach, Tory Burch, or similar, we would love your support. Monetary donations are also welcome, and we are happy to shop for a purse on your behalf. Please contact Michelle Hlivko Schaeffer VM92 at mschaeffer@stvm.com with questions and to get involved.
The STVM Ladies Association, which is proud to present this event, is made up of dedicated alumni, current and past parents, and friends who wish to support STVM and its students. Our 2025-2026 Focus Project is Campus Ministry, with a special emphasis on the Kairos Retreat Program. We invite you to join or renew your membership today! Your dues will directly provide financial support for Kairos and other Campus Ministry initiatives. To get involved or learn more, contact Susie Gaebel Wallace VM91 at ladiesassociation@stvm.com
SHOWCASE 2026
BACK TO THE '80s
Get Ready for Showcase 2026!
It’s time to celebrate a milestone! Showcase 2026 is back for its 40th year! STVM’s biggest fundraising event supports tuition assistance, campus improvements, and school operations, all while bringing our Irish family together for a night full of fun. Join us on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at House Three Thirty in Akron for an evening of delicious food, an open bar, live music, thrilling auctions and raffles, and plenty of laughs and memories with friends old and new!
Be Part of the Excitement!
We’re forming committees for Showcase 2026, and there’s a spot for every parent! Whether you love organizing, connecting with people, or just want to be part of the behind-the-scenes action, volunteering is a fun way to get involved and meet other STVM families. Sign up here.
Questions or want to be added to the volunteer email list? Contact Michelle Schaeffer, Senior Director of Advancement and Alumni Engagement, at mschaeffer@stvm.com
CAPSTONE 2026
As part of the 2026 Capstone Experience for seniors, here are the key dates and requirements to keep in mind:
Capstone Experience Timeline Your Capstone can take place at any point during the school year, but the dedicated Capstone Week is May 4-8, 2026.
Shadowing Hours
Seniors are required to complete 25 hours of shadowing outside of STVM. Hours may be split between multiple locations, and you may shadow outside of Ohio if you choose.
Community Sponsor
Each senior must contact and secure a community sponsor who will help guide their Capstone Experience.
Capstone Proposal
Your Capstone Proposal, including details about your sponsor and shadowing plans, is due March 2, 2026.
Capstone Presentation
After completing the experience, seniors will return to STVM on Thursday, May 14, 2026, to submit all required assignments and present on their Capstone Experience.
For complete details, please see the Capstone packet and proposal form available in MyIrish (Blackb under Resources. Please review everything thoroughly before submitting your proposal.
Questions?
If you have any questions after reviewing the materials, please contact Beth Dolan at bdolan@stvm.com
Start planning now and make the most of this exciting opportunity to explore your future career interests!
ACT PREP COURSE COMING SOON
STVM will offer a prep course next semester for juniors preparing to take the ACT. Details will be shared in January.
This Ohio Scholarship Tax-Credit Program lets you “Turn Taxes into Tuition” by directing your tax dollars to our St. Vincent-St. Mary High School students. The money will be used for tuition assistance for those students with the greatest need. This will help STVM meet its fundraising goals and keep tuition affordable. You don't have to have a student attending STVM to be eligible. All Ohio taxpayers can participate.
How does it work? Make a donation to Angel Scholarship Fund, for which you may receive a 100% Ohio income tax credit of up to $750 ($1,500 if married filing jointly) against your 2025 state tax liability. These funds will be used to provide tuition assistance for Catholic school students, and you can direct the funds specifically to STVM. In other words, the state of Ohio allows you to "spend" some of the state income taxes (that you must pay anyway) to provide tuition assistance for STVM students. The Angel Scholarship Fund is a win-win-win for taxpayer donors, scholarship recipients, and our Catholic schools.
Click here to watch this short video explaining how easy it is to contribute to the Angel Scholarship Fund.
Click here to learn more and to make your gift.
Click here to read the FAQs.
THE LEPRECHAUN NETWORK
IS LIVE!
The STVM Broadcasting Team is actively publishing on the new student-run site, The Leprechaun Network. Thanks to the Educator Initiative Grant Program from the GAR Foundation, STVM students in the journalism classes can publish their stories while developing journalistic ethics and digital literacy skills. We welcome the entire STVM community to enjoy the voices of our students as they share their stories of STVM from their unique perspectives.
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.
Please note: The price will increase in January, so be sure to purchase your copy of To the Heights now!
ATTN: Senior Parents! You can celebrate your student and express your love with a dedication; click here to learn more.
Dec 20 - Jan 5: Christmas Break
Jan. 6: Start of 3rd Quarter
Jan 14: Parents' Club Meeting
Jan 19: No School (MLK)
Jan. 22: Back to the 80s Purse Bingo: Showcase Edition
Jan. 23: Blood Drive
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
With the holiday travel season approaching, 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.
Jan 2: 8th Grade HS application available
Jan 10: 8th Grade HS application due