IRISH WEEKLY

2026-2027 BLOCK SCHEDULE UPDATE

STVM is pleased to announce that we are adopting a different, innovative model for our block schedule. Beginning with the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, STVM will transition from our current A/B block schedule to a Rotating Drop Block schedule.

NOTE: students will still take eight courses – only the rotation, length, and frequency of class meetings are changing, not the curricular structure of our academic offerings. For more details, please CLICK HERE, and please plan to join us on July 29 from 7:00-7:30 PM for a virtual parent information session to review details and answer questions. (a link to the parent meeting will be shared via email on July 29.)

2026-27 SCHOOL CALENDAR

The 2026-27 School Calendar is available on our Website. We have transitioned our Calendar from the MyIrish/Blackbaud system to a Google Calendar. You can view the calendar on the Website, add it to your Google Calendar, and subscribe to the iCal for iOS. 

Please visit the Calendar page to find all the links. 

VIRTUAL PARENT POLICY SESSIONS

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we ask that all parents and guardians attend a 30-minute virtual Parent Policy Meeting hosted by Dean of Student Accountability & Safety Gary Shadie and Dean of Student Formation Rob Brown.

The meeting will provide an overview of important student policies and expectations for the upcoming school year, including dress code updates, guidelines for special dress days such as dress-down and spirit days, and the student discipline process. Gary and Rob will also be available to answer questions and provide clarification regarding these policies and procedures.

Our goal is to ensure that families, students, and school leadership begin the school year with a shared understanding of expectations and a strong foundation for a successful year.

Prior to the first day of school, parents and guardians will be asked to review and sign the associated policy agreements in MyIrish. An email will be sent with instructions to log in and complete the required acknowledgements.

Several meeting times are available throughout the remainder of July. Please click here to select the 30-minute session that is most convenient for you.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR COLLEGE BOARD & ACT PRESENTATION

Families of students with Accommodation Plans or IEPs who were unable to attend the recent virtual information session, or who would like to review the information presented, can now access the Standardized Testing Accommodations presentation.

The presentation provides an overview of the application processes for accommodations on national standardized tests administered by the College Board, including the PSAT, SAT and AP Exams, as well as the ACT. It also covers important timelines, requirements and other information families should know when requesting testing accommodations.

Families with additional questions are encouraged to contact testing@stvm.com.

SENIOR UPDATES TAB ADDED FOR CLASS OF 2027

Attention Families of Seniors: The Senior Updates tab has been added to Irish Weekly. Please check this tab frequently to make sure you are up-to-date with all the information, activities and due dates for senior year. 

SUMMER SENIOR CAPSTONE

UPDATED

For students who have a unique opportunity this summer, completing your Capstone experience before the school year begins may be a great option. This can be especially beneficial if you:

• Expect to take multiple AP exams next spring.

• Will be traveling with a sports team during Spring Break.

• Have a valuable summer opportunity to explore a career field that interests you.

For the full Summer Capstone Guidelines, please view the Senior Updates Tab for details.

SAVE THE DATE: ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB PRESIDENT'S PICNIC

Mark your calendars for the STVM Athletic Booster Club President's Picnic on Friday, August 7, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Pavilion.

The President's Picnic is open to all STVM families, not just Booster Club members, and is a great opportunity to kick off the new school year, connect with fellow Irish families, and celebrate our school community. Whether your student participates in athletics or not, everyone is welcome.

Additional event details will be shared soon, but be sure to save the date. We look forward to seeing you there!

SAVE THE DATE: 

AUG 17 & 18 COLLEGE KICKSTART WORKSHOPS

Attention Seniors:  STVM is hosting College Kickstart Workshops Aug. 17-18 for students in the Class of 2027. 

Throughout the workshops, students will:

• Create and begin building their Common Application account

• Receive step-by-step guidance on completing application sections

• Work on college essays, personal statements, and supplemental responses

• Strengthen activities and involvement section

• Review application timelines, deadlines, and next steps

• Receive individualized support from counselors and college professionals

Since all seniors will complete a college essay as part of their summer assignments, this is a great opportunity to receive feedback from professionals and fine-tune essays before school starts.

Workshops will be offered in both morning and afternoon sessions across the two days for your convenience. Details will be emailed to students and posted in Irish Weekly.

As we continue to strengthen the STVM community and the pride that comes with it, we're pleased to share that next year's dress code includes just two minor updates that are a step toward an even more consistent and unified Irish appearance. 

Pants:  Uniform pants will continue to be permitted in both grey and khaki (tan) - two classic, easy-to-find options that keep your student looking sharp and consistent with the STVM standard. To help maintain a clean, unified look, black pants will no longer be permitted as part of the dress code. Over time, black jeans, leggings, and sweatpants had become increasingly common. After careful review and consideration of the challenges of enforcing the dress code regarding the proper styles of black pants, we have decided it is necessary to eliminate this color option from our current dress code. By simplifying the palette to grey and khaki, we establish a clear, consistent standard while helping all students to present themselves with confidence.

Crew Neck Sweatshirts:  Last year, STVM introduced the Nike crew neck sweatshirt, available in green and grey in both men's and women's cuts (pictured above). These are now the only approved crew-neck sweatshirts for regular school-day wear (Monday–Thursday). They are available for just $30 through the STVM Bookstore.

What's Staying the Same

• All previously approved quarter-zips are still permitted. No changes there!

• Previously approved crew neck sweatshirts can still be worn on Fridays and spirit dress-down days.

• All other dress code policies remain unchanged.

Review the 2026-2027 Dress Code details here. 

Students have two options for school uniforms:

• Lands End: 

  • Create or sign into your account

  • Click on “Find your school”

  • Number Search: 900108754

• Proforma

As always, don't hesitate to reach out to administration@stvm.com with any questions!

SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENTS

All summer reading assignments are posted here. 

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 emailing list for students going into 8th grade.