St. Barnabas Elementary School

This Sunday, we honor and celebrate each of you—the heart of your families and the foundation of our school community. Your love, strength, and constant presence shape the lives of your children and inspire us all. Thank you for your sacrifices, your wisdom, and your unwavering care.

Loving God,
We thank You for the gift of mothers and all the ways they show Your love in our lives. Bless them with strength when they are tired, peace in moments of worry, and joy in the everyday moments they share with their children. May they feel appreciated, supported, and deeply loved—today and always.

Amen.

May is especially significant because on May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrant, a 14 year old boy named Nakahma Manjiro, arrived in the US, and on May 10, 1869, the transcontinental railroad, which was built in part by over 15,000 Chinese immigrants, was completed. AANHPIHM originated in 1978 when it was passed as a singular week by Congress, designating it as the first week of May 1979 by President Jimmy Carter. President George H.W. Bush later issued Presidential Proclamation 6130 on May 7, 1990, making May 1990 the first Asian American Heritage Month, now known as AANHPIHM. In 2021, a record 22 million Asian Americans were able to trace their roots to more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

'Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.'

Matthew 5:7

Each month of the school year is aligned to a particular value that will be shared in each newsletter and in your child's classroom. For the month of May, we will be focusing on MERCY which helps us care for each other, respect each other and to communicate with kindness and compassion. Mercy is caring for the needs of people’s minds, hearts, and lives. It means to share in God’s forgiveness and love.

May is traditionally dedicated as the "Month of Mary" in the Catholic Church, a period for special devotions and prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This practice began in the 13th century and became widespread in the 19th century. The month is often associated with spring, new life, and Mary's role as the Mother of God.

Seen here is the Salus Populi Romani which translates to "Health of the Roman People" or "Salvation of the Roman People". It is a venerated title associated with a Marian icon in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome. The icon is believed to have been painted by St. Luke the Evangelist. It's a popular Marian devotion and was particularly revered by our Most Holy Father Pope Francis.

It’s time to re-enroll for the 2025-2026 school year #BackAtBarnabas! 🐝

Re-enrollment instructions were emailed to current Kindergarten through Grade 7 families on Tuesday, February 18th! Please be aware that tuition obligations and academic progress must be adequately met to receive a re-enrollment invitation. Be sure to follow the instructions, sent directly from FACTS, to enroll to secure your child's space for the next academic school year. As we have received a large number of new applications for new students for next school year, and spaces in a number of grade levels are already limited, please ensure that you re-register ASAP to secure your child's space as a wait-list may be implemented.
If you need assistance with the enrollment process, please do not hesitate to contact the Main Office at the school or our Parent Call Center at (646) 794-2885.

*Please do not re-apply for the new school year unless you have a child who will be an INCOMING Kindergarten student. Please be aware that tuition obligations and academic progress must be adequately met to receive a re-enrollment invitation.

NEW THIS SUMMER...Keep young minds engaged with our new one week programming which provides five unique opportunities for thematic hands-on learning! These programs are ONLY open to registered rising Grades 1 to 5 students of SBES.🌟

From STEAM to art to sports and a nature study, each week is packed with fun, creativity, and discovery. See our attached registration flyer for more details on each week’s unique learning activities and fun! These are definitely offerings you WON’T want to miss out on!

Mother’s Day is celebrated differently from family to family but the spirit of the day remains the same. We honor that person we call “mom” for being the special person in our lives who sticks with us through thick and thin. My best wishes to all for a Happy Mother’s Day!

Some important notes for the upcoming few weeks of school includes:

1) It is imperative that all children arrive on time to school daily. Please be sure to reference the arrival map and logistics section of this newsletter for more information. Please be mindful that if you need to pick up your child early, you must do so by 2:15PM with advance notice to the office. Early pick-up after 2:15PM is highly un-encouraged, unless it is an emergency, due to the proximity in time to dismissal. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

2) Please join us for our May Community Liturgy and May Crowning, led by our Grade 2 students and teachers, on Monday, May 12th beginning at 8:45AM in the SBHS Chapel. We look forward to gathering as a school community in prayer and celebration during this beautiful tradition honoring Mary.

3) Spring MAP testing for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 will begin on Wednesday, May 14th. The MAP Assessment is an adaptive form of technology, meaning it will adapt to the student’s individual progress. Every student will be presented with individualized questions, tailored to their specific needs. A tentative schedule has been attached below. If you have any specific questions or concerns - please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher.

4) Make it a BARNABAS SUMMER by registering your child in one of TWO potential summer programs at our school. Registration OFFICIALLY began on MONDAY, March 3rd! See above to preview the programs we plan on running this summer. For more information, call 718-324-1088 or reach out to either Ms. Iorio or Mrs. Proto in the main office.

5) The best time of the year is upon us! Field Day for our K-8 students at St. Barnabas Elementary School is set for Friday, June 6th. Last year we had an amazing turnout of volunteers and the parents, faculty, and most importantly, students had a fantastic time. We're running it back again by holding Field Day on campus at St. Barnabas. This day is never possible without the help and support of our great community of parents. Please be sure to reference the email that was sent on Monday, May 5th regarding registering to volunteer for the day. We are grateful for all of the help! Questions? Reach out to either Ms. Iorio at l.iorio@stbarnabasschool.org or Mr. Macri at j.macri@stbarnabasschool.org.

6) Looking Ahead: Our uniform fitting for the 2025-2026 school year with Liebmans, our uniform partner, has been scheduled for Thursday, May 22nd, from 3:00PM to 4:00PM at our school. See the uniform section of this newsletter for more information.

7) Looking Ahead: The final exam period for middle school students will begin on Thursday, May 29th. Please see the attached memo for more information AND a complete schedule of exams. Please note that students in Grades 3 to 5 will take a final exam in RELIGION only. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact your child's teacher. Good luck to all of our students!

8) Looking Ahead: As we prepare for the final days of the 2025 school year, please note that the LAST DAY OF AFTER SCHOOL AND MORNING CARE SERVICES will be Friday, June 13th. After June 13th, all students must be picked up at their designated dismissal time until their respective last day of school.

9) Looking Ahead: Our FINAL FREE Family Night is coming THIS MAY! Family ART Night is coming soon—and you won’t want to miss it! Bring your creativity, your family, and your imagination for an unforgettable evening of color, connection, and fun! Register BELOW by Friday, May 16th. 🖌️

10) Looking Ahead: As we prepare for Quarter 4/ Year End electronic report card distribution for all K-8 students, please note that the portal will close for viewing on Thursday, May 29th as teachers begin to prepare report cards. Please note that when report cards are released in June, only families without outstanding tuition balances will be able to access the portal/ receive a hardcopy of their child's report card. Thank you!

Please scroll through this newsletter to find the following information:

• Tentative Year at a Glance - UPDATED FEBRUARY 16TH, 2025
  
  
• Upcoming important calendar items
  Scroll down to access our May and June calendar below.
  
  
• Tentative End of Year Events Calendar
  A special end of year calendar has been posted below to help families with their planning. It's hard to believe but June is around the corner!
  
  
• Home School Association 2024 - 2025
  
  
• Tuition reminders including billing updates for our Morning Care and After School Programs
  As our tuition policy and regulations state, families with outstanding balances on their account/ missed payments, may not continue to attend school. Report cards will not be distributed to parents who have outstanding fees on their account. Thank you!
  
  
• K-8 Hot Lunch Service - Began September 19th, 2024
  Please be mindful that we do not accept GrubHub, UberEats or deliveries to the school for your child. Your child must either bring a lunch to school everyday OR pre-purchase using our hot lunch service in the cafeteria.
  NEW: Attached you will find the 2024 Welcome Package for the cafeteria - including account instructions, everyday menu, and hot lunch specials menu for May.
  
  
• Uniforms and Spirit Wear Requirements
  This is a friendly reminder as of April 28th, we have officially reverted to the SPRING/FALL uniform for the remainder of the school year.
  
  
• 2025 - 2026 Admissions (Prospective Parents and Guardians)
  New admissions, including kindergarten, for 2025 - 2026 are officially OPEN! Please call us in the main office at 718-324-1088 if you are interested in learning more or to receive a tour for either our PK program or tuition based Kindergarten program for next year. Spaces will be LIMITED in all grades for 2025-2026.
  
  
• Physical and Immunization Requirements
  
  
• Early Childhood (PK3 and 4) Program Logistics
  The May breakfast/lunch menu has been attached as well.
  
  

Early Childhood (PK3/4) Parents, please find more information regarding our program in the early childhood section of this newsletter.

Newsletters will be sent weekly on Fridays with important school information and updates. However, to stay up to date on all things Barnabas - be sure to follow us on our school instagram at @be_barnabas.

Thank you for your continued support of Saint Barnabas Elementary School and your partnership in Catholic Education.

With gratitude,

Ms. Lauren Iorio

Principal

Please see the attached tentative year at a glance for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Monthly Calendars will be sent home throughout the school year and posted to our newsletter.

May-

10th - Holy Communion, SBS Parish Church, 1:30PM.

11th - Mother's Day!

12th - Whole School Liturgy & May Crowning, 8:45AM, SBHS Chapel.
This mass will be prepared by our Grade 2 students and all families are invited to attend in this special liturgy.

Muffins with Mom - PK3 and PK4 Families ONLY - Please see the invitation sent by Ms. Iorio and Mrs. Proto for more information and to register TODAY.

13th - Pre-k 4 MySchools Admissions are released!

16th - Varsity Volleyball SENIOR Night, 6:00PM, SBES Gymnasium

20th - Pre-k 3 MySchools Admissions are released!

21st - $2.00 Student Choice Dress Down Day! All funds collected will be donated to the Asian American Foundation.

22nd - FREE Family Art Night! 4:00PM - 5:30PM, SBES.

23rd - 11:30AM Dismissal, K-8 ONLY! Full Day for PK3/4.

26th - NO SCHOOL! Memorial Day.

27th - NO SCHOOL! Snow Day Give Back Day.

29th - Final Exams BEGIN! - Please see memo above for more information.

Grade 3-8 ADNY Religion Exam, 1:15PM.

June-

6th - K-8 FIELD DAY!

I am excited to share the following assignments for the HSA Board for the 2024 - 2025 school year board with all of you.

President:
Anita McVeigh (5th Grade Parent)

Vice - President & PK Specific Communications:
Heather Caron (PK3 and PK4 Parent)
Email: prekindergarten-hsa@stbarnabasschool.org

K-8 Communication Liaison:

Nicole Byrnes (6th Grade Parent)

Email: middleschool-hsa@stbarnabasschool.org

Recording Secretary:
Taisse Brisset (6th Grade Parent)

Treasurer:

Edel Cannon (5th Grade Parent)
Marykate Donnelly (2nd Grade Parent)

The board already has a full slate of activities tentatively planned for the school community this school year and we are all really excited to work with each and every one of you to bring back and introduce some really great events to our school community.

The board will be reaching out at various points during the school year to request volunteers to chair various events and to solidify class parent representation at each grade level. If you need to reach the board at any time, you may reach them at mailto:hsa@stbarnabasschool.org.

A tentative calendar of the events for the school year has been linked below.

As a reminder, it is the school’s expectation that all tuition and fees be paid on time. Failure to do so creates a tear in the partnership we have with parents. At the same time, we recognize that a family can experience temporary financial difficulty due to the loss of employment, illness, or other factors beyond the family's control. In such cases, it is the responsibility of the family to contact us to work out arrangements.

The following is an excerpt from the school tuition policy:

DELINQUENCIES

If tuition and fees cannot be paid on time, families must communicate with school administration in writing to prevent enforcement of delinquent tuition procedures.

· Families who are delinquent will receive a letter from Blackbaud immediately following the due date.

· Families whose tuition payment is delinquent 60 days will receive a second letter; this letter will come from their principal. If a parent/guardian does not contact the principal within two weeks of receiving this letter, the child/children may not be permitted to attend classes.

· Records and report cards will not be transmitted at this time and financial aid/scholarships provided will be at risk and may be rescinded.

· Students with delinquent tuition payments may not participate in school activities and graduation ceremonies.

All tuition paying parents of students in PK3 to Grade 8 should have received an email from Blackbaud, our billing management system, regarding their tuition schedule and notification of first payment due. If you have not received this email, please let me know as soon as possible.

We will continue to use Blackbaud for morning care and after school services, however, it is important to note that a NEW feature will be utilized for registration for our UPK and K-8 families who intend on using the service on either a daily or drop-in basis. We will no longer be accepting cash, check or money orders for these services.

All uniforms must be purchased from Liebman's Uniforms in New Rochelle. Please click here to order uniforms online and to view uniform requirements. Please note there is a newly designed uniform for Pre-K and Kindergarten students. However, please note that the uniform is NOT required for PK3/4 students.

Kindergarten through Grade 8 students have both a Fall and Spring uniform to choose from along with some new options (shorts, skorts and polos!) Optional fall/spring items such as a polos and shorts may be worn from September 1st through October 31st.

Please note, that we expect all students to strictly adhere to uniform requirements at Saint Barnabas.

Please reach out to Ms. Jessica in the main office if you would like to purchase items from our Gently Used Uniform Sale. The building is open from Monday through Friday from 8AM to 3PM.

Please be sure to reference the monthly calendars carefully for designated Spirit Wear days. On these FREE dress down days, student's may wear any Barnabas Spirit Wear items of their choice to school. For more information or to browse the items that are available, please visit our SBES spirit wear shop on the Liebman's website below.

We are excited to announce that we will once again be able to provide in-house lot lunch services via HappyKid Lunch for the 2024 - 2025 school year beginning on September 19th, 2024!

Attached you will find the 2024 Welcome Package for the cafeteria - including account instructions, everyday menu, and hot lunch specials menu. NEW this school year - the cafeteria will be pre-order only with no purchases being made from the lunch window!

Further information can be found at happykidlunch.com or by reaching out to HappyKid lunch at bo@happykidlunch.com.

As a reminder, every student must have an updated physical on file each school year. ALL students must have up-to-date immunization records and a physical exam form completed each school year. For convenience, all forms have been linked below via our school website.

Please note that all NYC Pre-K students, under the age of 5 by December 31, 2024, will need to have a current flu vaccine on file.

For those students that require an inhaler, or other medications such as an epipen, to be administered in school, please note that specific medication administration forms must be submitted to the nurse. Hardcopies of each form will be sent home with all students on the first day of school but can be also accessed via our school website at any time.

School Attendance and Punctuality
We kindly ask for your continued support in ensuring that your child arrives at school on time EVERY day. As a reminder, school arrival time for PK3 is 8:25AM and PK4 is 8:00AM. Punctuality is crucial for setting the tone for a successful day of learning. Here’s why:

1. Morning Meeting: Our day begins with a Morning Meeting, where we foster a sense of community, share important announcements, and engage in activities that help children transition into learning mode.

2. Instructional Time: Arriving on time ensures that your child doesn’t miss important instructional content. Our lessons are carefully designed, and each segment builds on the previous one.

3. Small Group Learning: We value personalized learning experiences, and small group time is a key part of our day. Being on time allows your child to participate fully and benefit from targeted support and enrichment opportunities.

We appreciate your cooperation and thank you for partnering with us to ensure the best possible start to each school day!

Absence Protocols

As a reminder, if your child is absent on any given day, please be sure to communicate the absence with your child's teacher via email. All children must be 24 hours symptom free in order to return back to school. Thank you for keeping our school healthy and safe!

Gross Motor Reminders...

Outdoor activity time is required every day for our PK classes! Our students participate in outdoor gross motor everyday unless it's excessively cold (25 degrees or less), heavy rain or if wind chills create a real feel that is under 25 degrees. Please dress your child appropriately daily. Hats, gloves and scarves, if necessary, can be put in their backpacks and we will help assist them getting ready for our outside activities.

Kindergarten Admissions

We are excited to announce that admissions for Kindergarten opened on December 2nd! We very much hope you’ll decide to remain with our Catholic School community for the years to come.

2025 - 2026 Registration Dates (Yonkers 4K ELIGIBLE FAMILIES ONLY)

To complete an application for our FREE Yonkers UPK4 program, please reach out to Mrs. Stephanie Proto at s.proto@stbarnabasschool.org. Spaces are LIMITED and fill quickly!

Reminder: UPK3/4 Registration for Bronx Residents is now CLOSED!

Applications for the 2025-2026 school year for Bronx/NYC residents closed on Friday, February 28th, 2025. This means children born in 2021 are eligible for pre-K for the fall, and those born in 2022 will be eligible for 3-K.Please mark your calendars accordingly with the information below:

• Tuesday, May 13, 2025: Pre-K offers are released!
• Thursday, May 20, 2025: 3-K offers are released!

Breakfast/Lunch Menu

As a reminder, all 3K/4K students enrolled in our school receive free breakfast and lunch daily. Please see below for the April and May breakfast and lunch menu. A hardcopy has been shared with all families as well.

Early Childhood Department Contacts

Ms. Lauren Iorio, Principal, l.iorio@stbarnabasschool.org

Ms. Stephanie Proto, Early Childhood Director, s.proto@stbarnabasschool.org

PARISH MISSION STATEMENT

Saint Barnabas Parish, a Roman Catholic parish, exists to live and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We welcome all as we reach out to the entire community through prayer, sacrament, education and support.

BULLETIN

Included here is a link to the weekly church bulletin. Father Brendan includes a lot of important parish and school news in his bulletin.

St. Barnabas Elementary School provides a quality Catholic education for young learners that fosters moral, social and academic development and achievement. By creating a comfortable and safe, yet challenging learning environment, we allow all children to realize their full potential – while also encouraging students to reach beyond expectations.

Through an enriched curriculum, complete with after-school offerings, St. Barnabas provides the tools and teaches the skills necessary for future success. In the way of Jesus, our children are taught the discipline, charity and grace of our Lord.

Email: l.iorio@stbarnabasschool.org
Website: https://stbarnabasschool.org/
Location: 413 East 241st Street, Bronx, NY 10470, USA
Phone: (718) 324-1088
Twitter: @barnabasbronx